Wow. My story doesn't seem that bad now. My sister told her boyfriend's sister that I did cakes, so they asked me to do their wedding cake. I had never done a cake for a wedding before, but she just found out she was pregnant and planned a quick wedding, so I thought I'd do a favor and help her out. The entire time after I agreed to do the wedding cake, I kept hearing horror stories from my sister about the MOB and how demanding she was.

I tried to email the bride and MOB to find out flavors and ideas, set up a meeting, etc. Well, 2 weeks before the wedding, I finally am able to get a meeting with them and take them every cake book I own (except the Colette Peters books - that's all I need, to have them pick out one of those!). The bride selects a daisy cake on a floating cake stand by Wilton. There will be 250 people there and if it's not too much trouble could I make individual royal icing daisies to go on everyone's slice of cake as a garnish? I talked her out of that one. The whole time the MOB is not accepting the daisy idea and keeps on bringing up roses. I'm in the middle of a roses vs. daisies fight. The FOB finally puts his 2 cents in and says it's the bride's day. So, daisies it is.

I go to every Michael's near my house and the cake supply store looking for this floating cake stand. Everyone is sold out! I was so stressed. The bride finally said do whatever I thought was best, so I just made a tiered cake and layered real daisies in between the cake layers. It turned out very nice, I think. But I forgot my camera to take a picture of it. Oh, did I mention that I was 7 1/2 months pregnant and had cankles? It was an adventure.

OMG!!! I am sorry you had to contend with this..but I laughed my butt off at how unaware some people are! I truly hope that you charged WELL for this job and the floral arrangement too! I told on my "cake disaster" post loooong ago about a customer who thought I was (from a distance) rubbing my hands all over their wedding cake...(I was paper towel smoothing at the last minute a few places the cake had been bumped during transport) and told me that after they and some of their guests saw that they just didnt want to eat it as it seemed unsanitary and when I tried to tell her I was using a paper towel she STILL looked at me like I was crazy and rolled her eyes as if either she thought I was lying or that even if I was telling the truth WHY on earth would I be rubbing it with a paper towel? I can see me going to the door in your situation on the day of setting up a GIGANTIC wedding cake, to some guy with 500 roses who is telling me to match the icing to them..I would have laughed in front of him and said..if I didnt have the icing made b4 now..you wouldnt be eating cake today!..lol

ok after hearing all this I think I would have thrown the icing bag at them and said, "you know so d*** much then do it yourself !" then turned around and walked away. Believe me I have done it with painting, someone will come up and say, "that don't look right." I then gave em the paint brush and said, "here you do it."

Luckily we don't have to deal with crazy, insane people toooo often. Life wouldn't be much fun this way. I just try to kill them with kindness or suggest that they go elsewhere. You can always charge a BH Fee!

Wow, wow, and....wow. I just read this whole thread and between laughing and looking like this.. I am mostly shocked at what people do. I don't think I was a bridezilla, but I may have been worse...I have, "Well, do what you think" syndrome. I liked my cake, but looking back, I wish I had sat down and had an unrushed consultation and been more specific. That said, are these people crazy? Do they honestly think that they are that important to act that way???

I agree that you may have avoided the drama of your life by not doing her cake.

Also, I have also sent a heated email to someone in a fit of irritation and feeling unjustly wronged. I don't care what anyone says. It felt good. And since you are established...good for you. No need to have someone waste your time and walk all over you.

Angie

I agree with Cakeman 66.
You never know what one action will lead to.
In business, the customer is always right. Even if they are the only one who thinks so.

Regarding what Helendelk said..and PLEASE this is not an attack on you...

When she said she didn't think you could make a ladybug cake that would be cute enough, maybe she never saw a 'cute' ladybug cake.

It wasn't necessarily a cut on you. Afterall, she DID trust you to make the party cake for everyone else.

I don't think the fact that she bought her daughter her own cake was a 'nervy' thing to do. She wanted to do that for her own daughter.

ha ha..my sister in law is the same way. for months and months she wanted me to do my nephews 1st birthday cake. well i caved in and said i would. she pitched a fit and kept saying the icing was too greasy..i just looked at her and said well ya know it is made out of crisco...this after i made the messiest red icing i could muster up just to shut her up. she hasnt said anything negative since. nor do i do any cakes for her. her own mother told her beggers couldnt be chosers. so hopefully she got my point.

I do what I do because I love it...learning that I was getting good enough to make money from it was a plus. I don't agree that the customer is always right...most of the time and when they are even somewhat reasonable.. YES. It is their money and their choice to use you for their job. When I realized she was not reasonable.. she ceased to be my customer and therefore lost that right . This is one of the reasons I went into business for myself...I can refuse anyone service if I choose.I am in the business of customer service and making people happy. Not kissing a**es... I took no money from her and owe her NOTHING. It would take a lot more clout and stamina than this twit has to ruin me. And where people are concerned.. I like all...I respect many..I fear nothing but God.

Assuming that you are referring to my comment that the customer is always right...

I did clarify by stating "even if they are the only ones to think so".

So, What I am saying is that you ABSOLUTELY have the right to refuse any business you desire for whatever reason you chose.

In business in general, it is always best for the customer to think they are right. Even if they are nasty, mean, evil, indecisive, forgetful, unreliable, cheap, lack 'taste', fat, young, old, skinny, smart, stupid, etc., etc. etc.

It wasn't an attack on you.

Edited to ad: I agree that if she was a no-show and the fiance became rude followed by a nasty email you had every reason to stop business relations with her.

I've never come across someone who ordered something and then changed and then didn't like it and then said they wanted a refund and then ended up ordering from you again in the future only to be totally surprised when I turned them down. No, i can't say I have ever been faced with something like that.

You just have to let it roll off your back.

Sometimes I do prefer a difficult customer over one who calls and says "just do whatever". It leaves me feeling robbed of my creativity. Its like saying, here's a blank canvas, paint something you think I'll like even though you don't know anything about me". I prefer an idea to work from or to go off of. I end up adding my own personal touches to it but need the initial inspiration.

We, as cake decorators, will never be fully appreciated. To most people its just a stinkin cake. To us its so much more.

I have two signs over my desk to keep me laughing when I get loopy customers like this.

"all unattended children will be sold as slaves." ...maybe that one is more for my kids

"Please send all complaints to customer service." - Under which is a drawing of a littler box...my husband drew it.

I have only worked with 4 brides at this point, but just starting consulting with a close family friend on her wedding next May. Her Mom called first & told me to "Show no mercy & give her the prices you actually charge. DO NOT give hera discount." This is scared the s*** out of me, but I know what kind of budget her parents are on & a lot of young brides dont have a clue. So she emailed me & wanted a cake dummy as the main cake & 200-250 individual 2 tier mini cakes! After I picked myself up off the floor, I emailed her the prices & said we will sit down in a few weeks when I am back home & do a consultation. Needless to say I havent heard back! lol

Bellarosa