I have a bride that recently got her cake from me. She signed a contract that said she would pay $40 for the delivery and setup, and all the other regular things(photo release, coloring/decorations, weather/climate, etc.)
She initially sent me like 4 pics(different pics) of what she might want. When asked specifically, she stated she wasn't picky and something like the photos she sent. So I combined 2. After the wedding she stated that she was disappointed because flowers and ribbon were not her style and she only wanted ruffles. She also said she saw some of the cake board exposed(I didn't). So out of good faith, I told her I would refund her the price of the cake. I then told her since she hadn't paid the delivery fee, the refund would need to be minus the delivery fee. At this point she said she would get a lawyer if she didn't get a full refund. At which point I told her that she signed a contract stating she'd pay this fee. I asked her did she think I should excuse this fee. And told her if she'd like to pay it separately, I would refund the full total and we'd work that out separately.
She says I arrived late: Not so, I arrived at 5:30(she had 5-5:30 specified on the contract). She also stated that the person I brought along to help deliver(my fiance) had an inappropriate shirt on(I didn't realize, but he did).
So....would you refund the total price, or stick to the contract? I will say that I will NEVER let a bride tell me "I trust your taste. I'm not picky" again. -_-
AYou were more than generous and she spit in your face. This is the point where I'd say "so sue me" and not give her anything.
Since you already offered a full refund, I guess it's too late to stand by the contract. How was the rest of the cake? Was she pleased with the taste?
Maybe I would have asked her what I could do to compensate FIRST. Instead you immediately offered a full refund. I don't know if a FULL refund was merited in this case, but there could have been some compensation if she wasn't pleased with the flowers and the visible cake board. I think a full refund is warranted where there is a disaster...and this isn't the case.
I will say, it can be hard to tell when a complaint is genuine sometimes. There are brides that realize AFTER the wedding that they've spent a small fortune and are broke and try to get money back from whoever they can.
Since you are now refunding her, make it clear to her why. You're not refunding her because of the time you arrived or because of the shirt your fiance wore. You are refunding her because she wasn't pleased with the design.
No, it's not fair that she left the design up to you and then complained about it, but I can tell you've learned a lesson from that.
AA dispute over $40 would be handled in small claims court so there would be no lawyers involved anyway.
How much was the total amount of the order? Another approach might be to email her saying you are sorry that she refused your offer of a full refund less the delivery fee, and let her make the next move.
There's nothing wrong with a customer saying "I'm not picky" as long as they sign off on a description of the cake in the contract. So in this case, the contract should have mentioned the flowers and ribbons so she can sign off and address any issues before the cake is made.
AWhat a vile woman. Tell her to bugger off, it's more hassle than its worth for her to pursue. I wouldn't have been as kind as you. But please, pray tell, what was on your fiancé's shirt?
APerhaps you could buy another copy of your fiance's shirt and include it in the refund. :D
AGiven that she still had a cake that was displayed and eaten, which are the two main purposes of a cake at a wedding, frankly I think she's got a cheek.
I would simply let her know that you feel that the amount offered as a refund was already more than adequate considering that there was nothing actually wrong with the cake beyond her not liking a couple of the design aspects, that were actually taken from the designs she provided, and that if she wishes to pursue it further then you'll leave that to her discretion.
So she didn't complain about the taste of the cake? And she served it and it was fine? If so, I would deduct the cost of supplies and the delivery fee and return the left over amount to her since you said you'll give her a refund..but I wouldn't return her the full amount especially after her nastiness towards you.
Or take 50% off or something-..if she did eat the cake. Why should you have to pay for all the supplies for something that she ate?
By the way-what was the boyfriend's shirt? Just curious!
She was a budget bride. I only offered a refund for the price of the cake, not the cupcakes or total order. She had no complaints about taste or anything of that nature. Matter of fact, her photographer told me they tasted great when I contacted her for pictures. I also saw pics of her daughter and other guests with icing all over their mouths and such...so I assume it tasted just fine. She never voiced anything about that.
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So she didn't complain about the taste of the cake? And she served it and it was fine? If so, I would deduct the cost of supplies and the delivery fee and return the left over amount to her since you said you'll give her a refund..but I wouldn't return her the full amount especially after her nastiness towards you.
Or take 50% off or something-..if she did eat the cake. Why should you have to pay for all the supplies for something that she ate?
By the way-what was the boyfriend's shirt? Just curious!
His shirt had a car, a woman, and a dog on it and it said "My 3 b*tches". I honestly didn't even realize he had it on, and he only helped me bring the boxes of cupcakes as she had over 100 cupcakes plus the cake. I did apologize about that, and was a little embarrassed, seeing as I didn't even notice.
AMy husband wore an offensive shirt to the birth of our first child, I was mortified.
A
Original message sent by jason_kraft
Perhaps you could buy another copy of your fiance's shirt and include it in the refund. :D
Loooool!!!
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We can laugh about it here. But that shirt was unprofessional and quite offensive. Some women don't mind being thought of in this way, but it has NO place being seen during any delivery, much less a wedding cake delivery.
You are totally correct! I am still mortified. But I'll have to take the blame as I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off and his shirt wasn't something I had paid attention to. But it certainly was tasteless.
My point was that we don't know how much this offensive shirt plays into the dispute. It might not have bothered her at all but just be one more piece of ammunition for a free cake. Or it may have have been truly insulting and she's having trouble expressing how much it upset her. As business owners we must always be on guard for these kinds of issues.
(Yes, Jason, that's much better. Thank you. Especially for the pun.)
A "budget" bride! That means she has probably called everyone she has ordered anything from and stated something was wrong to get a refund! She didn't have a problem with GOBBLING it up and complained after the fact. Geesshhh...some people kill me with their actions. You were more than generous to this bride and really I wouldn't offer her a damn thing but out of good faith, you have offered enough.
The shirt was very offensive but funny as hell! I hope you spanked him when you got home because he deserved to be reprimanded! ;)
Very true. However, she didn't actually see the shirt. An aunt was standing there while we were setting up. There was no one else present. This still doesn't negate his shirt being offensive....
I hope you are able to work it out with her. If she is on a budget, I doubt if she gets a lawyer because she is BROKE! I would give her the refund and deduct the fee. She signed on the dotted line and that's why you have those contracts and disclosures in place.
On another note: Where are you located? If I saw the pictures correctly, did you make the "Turbo" cake? My son's theme is Turbo and I am in desperate need of a Turbo cake.
AI wouldn't give her ANY refund. She lost the right to an unwarranted refund when she started making threats.
AMy husband has an 'I love coitus' t shirt. He also has a pink one with a squirrell throwing a grenade whilst riding an ouzi which I think is meant to be suggestive. I don't even see them anymore but I prob should take more notice in future, particularly if we are delivering together!!!!
AI was a budget bride, but I didn't complain about a single thing - not even the pianist who didn't know 'here comes the bride' - who books a WEDDING and doesn't know here comes the freaking bride!
totally off topic..... my husband wants to wear the ... "This guy is sleeping with the cake lady" tshirt to EVERY delivery........ I am seriously going to kill him.
on topic.... I wouldn't haggle with 40 dollars based on how much I just wouldn't want to deal with it. but on principal I may not have given in depending on how bad her attitude was and how much I went out of my way. KWIM it really is a tough one.
ABudget bride or not, there is a point where people are just hard faced and rude. In terms of 'budget', everyone has one, it is just that some are more than others. Even big budget people whinge and moan and kick up a fuss over nothing to attempt to fulfil an agenda. I often find it is personality not finances. Anyway, back to topic, I firmly believe you have been gracious, compensated for things beyond your control (her whimsy) and offered a more than adequate solution. As far as the t shirt, yes offensive to some, but really, it was the cake she ordered not the fleeting vision of a fashion maverick sporting overt ironic machismo. Would she stop someone in the street to complain? No. If you had turned up to cut and serve dressed as something off Storage Hunters then fair enough, but you didn't. I say, stick to your guns and ignore her threats. They will be as empty as her feminist concern over a silly t shirt.
I would like to see the cakes too. Budget bride here too. My DJ didn't even get our names right during our intro....much less explaining the cake ribbon pull tradition. My whole reception was a disaster. My photographer creeped people out. He kept creeping up on them and saying "Lookie, Lookie!" I didn't complain at all because I realized I got what I paid for. Too many folks want everything for free...
I will post the pictures of the wedding cake as SOON as the photographer sends me one. I had 3 deliveries that day. And hers was the last, and I got lost! So I was a bit frazzled by the time I got to her.
She said that she's gonna give me a bad review on craiglist and Wedding Website....I don't believe I'm on either, but she took away any further sympathy I might feel for her right then.
I personally think she's the reason why I haven't received pics from the photographer and it was 2 weeks ago. The photographer told me they'd get me pics of the cake once she (the bride) had seen them all. I think she's holding it up. BUT...it is in the contract that I am allowed to have pics from her photographer. ^_^ She has just been a disaster all the way around, the ONE time I forgot to take pics of the assembled cake on my own, and I'm stuck with an obnoxious bride. But here are the 3 pics she sent me for inspiration. I made the bottom tier with ruffles, and the top tier just covered in pink fondant with a black ribbon around the base and 2 black flowers. (as those were her wedding colors.) She said she almost cried because "ribbon and flowers aren't my thing". So...idk, I'm just annoyed with the whole thing!
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