First, let me thank Jackie for this wonderful website - I'm so glad I accidentally found it - now for my dilemma: I'm making a first b.d. cake for Saturday - been working with the Mom for weeks - she wants it just right - it's going to be 2 tier, basketweave with pink and white flowers on top tier and 3 pink silk butterflies on tier and top - yellow cake with chocolate mousse filling - the cake will be no problem - I initially said I would bring to place at noon on Saturday but I now have the opportunity to go away this week-end, leaving at 8am - the cake will be done - I asked mom if I could call the place to see if I could bring earlier - when I got home this afternoon Mom had left me a message that I wouldn't be able to deliver the cake that early and she prefer I deliver it at noon when either she or her sister would be there - she sounded rather snotty too - what should I do - any suggestions on how to work this out? I greatly appreciate any help - thanks
Donna
You made a commitment. Keep it. That is part of doing business. 
Do you have a neighbor etc. that you trust to deliver the cake ? I pay my 20 yr old step daughter to do errands for the business.
It is obvious that the client wants the person she hired to deliver the cake.
I don't think it would go over if someone else shows up.
i can understand wanting to keep to the timing on which you initally agreed - she ordered a cake delivered at noon, she gets a cake delivered at noon. BUT, I don't think the client really has an option as to who actually lands the cake on her doorstep. If you have someone you can trust, go for it.
This whole situation makes me a bit nervous... I take it this was a paying customer and part of what they paid for was delivery? If so, I would be leary of letting anyone else handle the cake... and I know that sucks if you are going to miss an opportunity to get out of town but short of another cake decorator that you would trust with your newborn ( so to speak 
) I would just not trust anyone else....
And I would be such a wreck that I doubt I could enjoy myself until I knew the cake was A-OK... also, when you said 'Mom' you didn't mean your Mom, right? This was the client..... the parent of the b-day child?
LOL! It's the 'one piece' part that I would be worrying about
Even Duff sends other people to deliver his cakes. If you've got someone reliable, go for it. If not 
Unfortunately, from what you have posted the client expects you to deliver it at noon to either her or her sister. I appreciate you wanting to get away for weekend (trust me I REALLY do), but since you had previously told her you would deliver it at noon it is an obligation that you have to fulfill.
Agreed -we all get huffy when the brides and the MOBs etc dont keep their promises. Just turning the tables for a minute. The key as was mentioend being someone you can trust. But the agreement was for noon. You called and asked because hey it was possible she might have said yes. But she said no, so you can't get upset about that, right?
And seeing as this is cake number one. Why not start off on the right foot? Understanding of course how you feel about wanting to get away- I think there is no question on that part. Just that business is business, as has been said! Duff or you or me or anyone else, I'd be leery though too about handing off the responsibility to someone else unless I trusted them with my life and my first born's life and my dad's life and my mom's life LOL if I knew UNEQUIVOCALLY without ANY doubt that I Could trust this person (ie they wouldnt have some prior commitment or other thing that comes up where they end up handing it off to someone else and before you know it someone you've never met is delivering your cake.
Being nice here obviously no harm done, just well beating a dead horse by saying keep your word in business. It will take you far!
I think that as long as you have someone to deliver the cake it should be fine. However, I would call the customer and reassure her that you are having the cake delivered at the prearranged time. There's nothing wrong with having someone else deliver the cake. As txkat mentioned, even Duff has someone else deliver his cakes. So does Sylvia Weinstock and probably all the big name decorators.
Just keep in mind though that if anything happens to the cake you will be responsible. Until it is delivered, that is. If you are willing to entrust someone else with the responsibility of delivering the cake then I say go for it. If not then I would see if I could leave a little later on going out of town.
Lazy_Susan
Thank you all for your help - just let me say, there is no delivery charge - I know several other cake decoraters locally and I may call one to trust delivering the cake - this isn't my first cake but it is my first sticky situation - I'll let you know what I work out - thanks everyone
Donna
Hi Everyone,
Let me thank you all for your suggestions and advice - here is what I did -
I went to Newport, R.I. for a beautiful day with old friends and my wonderful husband delivered the cake for me at the agreed upon time and the Mom was not even at the place when he got there!!! But he left it with organizer(employee) of the place, he set it up and so far I've heard no complaints - don't expect to either but you never know.
Thanks again...
Donna
I'm glad everything worked out for you!
Sounds like we've started a WWDD (What Would Duff Do?) here!
Debbie
Glad it all turned out for you but I'm thinking that even Duff and those other famous bakers probably started out like the rest of us and that is giving up a lot of what WE want to give the client what they asked for. You took a chance and it worked out but I have to say I would not have. I would have spent the whole day worrying and not able to enjoy myself wondering what if they had questions or what if some of the guests wanted to order and had questions about what I could do. Sorry but it just didnt make good business sense to me to have someone else deliver it unless that scenario was pre arranged. Just my opinion.
Husbands are soooo handy to have around, Huh? Mine had to deliver a major cake project for me a few weeks ago. Here I laid in the hospital fresh out of surgery(from the afternoon before), he walks in and all I could ask was " did the cake get there OK?". Whew.... what a relief when he said "yes, and they went crazy over it!"
I don't drive so my SO delivers ALL my cakes for me, without me in tow (usually because it's in the evening and I have to stay home with the kids). Never had a complaint, but he knows that I would kill him if anything happened to a cake he was delivering! So, I don't see the problem.
Edited to say: Of course, for setting up wedding cakes, I go too - but he still drives!
As it turned out, no one from the party was there when he delivered the cake at the agreed upon time - they had just left after decorating and didn't even wait for the cake - my husband set it up and an employee of the place was so impressed she asked for my card which he gave her - all in all everything worked out and I really am so grateful for all of your advice, suggestions and support - don't know how I'd do it without you - THANKS!!!!! (now if I can learn how, I'll start posting photos of my cakes so you guys can see - duh! not too computer challenged!)
Donna
Thank goodness you didn't miss an opportunity to meet with old friends. Life is too short! I had a cake due this weekend and also had opportunity to go out of town to see my sisters and their families and my parents.
I list on my website that local delivery is included free of charge. I called the buyer and apologized, explained the situation to her and said that I hoped she understood I had a chance to spend time with my family, but wanted to make sure she got her cake. She gladly offered to pick up the cake. She completely understood and I made arrangements with a neighbor to be at my house when she arrived to give her the cake.
I know that not everyone is as understanding, and there are some "cakezilla's" out there, but truly--I believe there is nothing as important as family and friends. I would have offered her a discount on her next cake, etc., if it seemed necessary, but it really didn't.
Glad it all turned out for you but I'm thinking that even Duff and those other famous bakers probably started out like the rest of us and that is giving up a lot of what WE want to give the client what they asked for. You took a chance and it worked out but I have to say I would not have. I would have spent the whole day worrying and not able to enjoy myself wondering what if they had questions or what if some of the guests wanted to order and had questions about what I could do. Sorry but it just didnt make good business sense to me to have someone else deliver it unless that scenario was pre arranged. Just my opinion.
I'd have to agree with this. Glad everything turned out OK in the end. I think there are probably the ODD exceptional circumstances (like going for surgery) that we just cant get out of that would demand alternative arrangements be made. My personal opinion is that similar to when we hire on at a job (which is what this is), we make a commitment, and I've worked iwth people who call in constantly to change the schedule or get off early or come in late or whatever because of events that come up they want to fit in. I'm not talking life threatening ones either LOL- I mean just well there's this thing I want to do. Anyawy it's just my own work ethic/philosophy that when one makes a commitment to work or a contractual agreement, one honours it and arranges one's other life around it, instead of hte other way around. Otherwise dont bother hiring on a job or making a commitment. And of course as I said there are exceptions to the rule. Kids or self being in the hospital etc but then we say ok lets find someone reliable to fill in for us or if we DO have to change our schedule it is OUR responsibility to make alternate arrangements that our contractual agreement is met. It is not the client's or boss's job to try and find someone to till in, or to necessarily even be willing (ie when they dont agree we really dont have the right to get upset). Anyway, that's my personal work philosophy. Just sharing 
just out of curiosity - for those who think the woman who made the cake should have deoivered personally - why?
What is the person contracting for? A cake to be deoivered, or for a specific person to deliver a cake? Do you care who delivers your pizza as long as it gets to the door? do you care if a different UPS guy is on duty the day your package is due as long as you get it?
Why do you think it is important for the decorator to deliver it? again - I'm just curious for more information about this point of view, as I don't understand where you are coming from. Definitiely no offense intended. I'm just trying to see the other point of view.
I think it was for 2 reasons..... following thru on her commitment and having someone who you could trust enough to deliver. If it were a wedding cake then that really needs to be delivered by the decorator to ensure it gets set up, right?
If it's a regular stable party cake, its just a matter of getting it there in one piece... and she did follow thru - shoot, if you can do the cake, have a responsible person deliver it and get a fun weekend out of it, why not?
Husbands are wonderful people to deliver cake because they know at least a little of what the wife has put into the cake.
The only orders I've had have been from people who work with my husband or are married to a co worker so he brings them in the morning when he goes to work and they don't get a delivery charge. It works out for everyone since I live 15 miles from town. He started out bringing practice cakes to work and recently helped me travel 300 miles with my sister's wedding cake that was already stacked and ready for the pillars.
Glad it all turned out for you but I'm thinking that even Duff and those other famous bakers probably started out like the rest of us and that is giving up a lot of what WE want to give the client what they asked for. You took a chance and it worked out but I have to say I would not have. I would have spent the whole day worrying and not able to enjoy myself wondering what if they had questions or what if some of the guests wanted to order and had questions about what I could do. Sorry but it just didnt make good business sense to me to have someone else deliver it unless that scenario was pre arranged. Just my opinion.
WWDD? I'll tell you what he'd do.... instead of a candle, he'd rig a stick of fireworks and gift his customer with it so that when she lit it .... Oh, look at the PRETTY fireballs shooting from your cake!!!! 
duff rocks!!
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