Hi everyone-
Its Chez from SC I just wanted to ask you great people a question. A bride called me sometime in June and asked me about a cake for her wedding to be on Sept. 23rd. Well she has not called me back since then. She called from work and as much as I hate to do this, I called her back the other day at work and they said she quit. So her daughter goes to the same school as myself so I asked her did your mom get someone else to do the cakes, no luck, she was just as lost as she looked. lol But anyway one of my friends is in the wedding and says its still planned so my position is: Do I send her a nice letter with my business card via her daughter? Im really thinking that she lost my number because she wanted to come by and taste the cake and I gave her a really cheap price. I told her $250 for a 7-tier cake for 250 people. She also wanted to know could I do sugar bells, I told her no but I now see a place where I can purchase them online so what do I do? Come on cake central folks help me out. Thanks in advance for your responses.

Chezerai

A 7 tier cake due in less than 2 weeks for $250??? I say forget it! It was nice of you to offer in the first place, but let's face it, if she really wanted to take you up on the offer she would have found a way of contacting you long before now. Not worth the stress hun, just my 2cts!

I have no idea what you should do lol but I must say that comes to $1. a person wow are you even going to make a profit? 7 tiers? Yikes thats a lot of work for so little money.

I think if she contacts you after all this time and still wants the cake you SHOULD CHARGE her more-you could have been doing things all along instead of the last minute. I agree that if she truly had decided on a decorator-she would have found a way to find you. I am sure I would have discussed or mentioned it to my daughter that I was trying to find someone and disappointed that I couldn't just in general conversation before now-if she had her daughter wouldn't have not realized what you were talking about...but I certainly wouldn't be giving my time and efforts away at this point so late in the game! But like the others said=-just my opinion.

I think it would have been perfectly fine anytime up until a month before the wedding to get back to her. But she has to have made arrangements by now with someone. I think at this point the question would seem to her more of a complaint as to why she didn't contract with you since you know her daughter, etc.

She's crazy to have passed up the offer of such a great rate, but people make decisions for lots of different reasons. Next time, follow up a heck of a lot sooner. You don't want a bride that doesn't nail down the details and make payments in a reasonable amount of time anyway. You don't want to be the one she goes to out of sheer desperation.

Although you are offering her a great price!!! Even if she did want you to do the cake, she doesn't sound like she is the most reliable person. If you do the cake, I would be sure to have it paid in full and make sure she knows there would be no refunds at this point.

She never got back to you and she could have at any time through your friend or your daughters? You don't have a sale.

I just had a similar thing happen, a bride who said she was going with me and then just never called back. I kinda know her through work & soccer, so I figured she meant it! I guess brides don't think to let the cake decorator know that they're choosing someone else. It would have been nice to know, because I booked the weekend off work 6 weeks ago when she called and told me she wanted me to make her wedding cake!

I would say forget about it. If she contacts you within the next few days, tell her that her failure to contact you has caused her to lose her slot in your schedule, and it has already been filled by someone else. The someone else will be you -- go get a pedicure or a massage, and forget about it.

Theresa

I would say forget it too.........unless you REALLY want to do the cake!! Sometimes I get so excited about the experience I just make em for free! Anyhow, if you really want to do the cake, I suggest you send her a nice letter telling her that if she planned to reserve you for the date, that she needs to have payment in full by such and such a date!!! If you don't hear from her then, you know she got someone else. I think sometimes (speaking from experience) brides get so caught up in planning everything and sometimes wires get crossed and they think other people took care of things and nobody has addressed them, I would hate to see someone you know have a wedding with no cake!!!

Is she under the impression you are doing the cake for her still? She may be sitting there thinking its all taken care of..she'd be in for a shock on her wedding day when no cake arrived! Some people are flaky like that..
Good luck..
Cindy

I totally would not get back to her, unless it was to mention that the time has now expired to reserve your services. $250 is nowhere near enough for a seven-tier cake, girl, that's going to cost you money, and you don't want that! You have less than two weeks at this point, and sugar bells? More money there........ I would so drop this one like a hot potato!

I usually look at it as no answer is your answer (although there are times when there are exceptions). Of course, you don't want to seem uncaring (maybe something terrible hapened to her and she is in the hospital or something - - one NEVER knows). But I think unless something is drastically wrong, she probably would have called you herself or at least had her daughter or someone else call for her (if the wedding is still on and she still wants the cake from you). If she doesn't call you, she certainly can't expect that you would know what kind of cake she wants (or could she?)

I am sorry if I offend anyone by saying this, but it is my opinion, and I truly feel the need to express it - I disagree with those who are saying, "unless you really want to do it."

There isn't a cake in this world that I want to do so badly that I would put up with what you are going through, whether it's paid Or for family. You are already stressed out enough over it to vent to us, and although we are more than willing to listen and sympathize, by taking on this last minute job, you are only going to add to your stress.

Theresa

***Moderator Edited***

A lot of people, especially women, have a hard time telling someone No. In general unless you have a solid yes with cash exchanged, you can assume that "I'll get back to you" or "Very nice, I'll call you next week to work out the details" or anything along those lines means No. It certainly doesn't mean Yes. (Really, do you think the reception hall pencilled her in after she visited and said nice things? Or after she delivered a signed contract and some cash?)

thanks everyone I will just leave it alone. Dont really feel like doing a wedding cake anyways, thats the day before my birthday I even ordered my cake from another decorator that lives down the road from me...lol shame on me but hay sometimes i just get sick of baking cakes. Thank God for the gift but its like...uhhhhhh. Again thanks for the advice. She better not call the week of the wedding or something like that...I wish Chezerai might.

Just way too cheap of a price to charge.

I wouldn't call her either. I have had people where I work ask me if I can do a cake for birthday or something other (haven't done any wedding cakes yet) for such and such date, then I never hear from them. If I don't hear from them a week in advance, I don't approach them and just let it go. I'm not in the business of chasing people down. If I lose an order from them, so be it. I would rather not lose an order from someone who I know has confirmed definitely that they want a cake because of people who cannot commit in time. There is one particular person where I work who has asked me for three different cakes and has not ordered one yet. I've secretly crossed her name off my list for any further cakes. I just don't trust her to follow through.

I just don't get it 250 people and $250.

its the going rate in my rural sc county. sorry if you think its too cheap but I have to go with the flow.

AMEN Molliebird, i totally agree with you. I wouldnt chase down any body for an order. And I don't discount anything anymore, I charge what I charge. All orders are not good orders anyways.

Well I am glad you are going to leave it alone. As someone said earlier no answer is the answer.

I also think that price is way to cheap. A dollar a person for a WEDDING cake. WOW.

thanks for your imput everyone. like i said i have to go with the flow to get the dough. also i am just in high school dont really have any bills and i know someone thats goes to my church told me to charge .95 a serving. So I went up a little. My price list actually says $1.50 but I cut it down being that I know this lady.

I can feel your pain Chez -- I am in a semi-rural town in NC and I know of three ladies who all do wedding cakes for $1/serving - and sometimes less !!!!

Stick with it and prove yourself to the right people. It has taken me five years, but I have donated to all kinds of functions, parties, fundraisers, etc., to get my name circulated with the people who are willing to pay what our cakes are worth and it is paying off now!

Good luck to you!

thanks southern cakes...someone out there understands.

Prices are very cheap in small towns all over! I've just upped my prices to $2/serving, but can't bring myself to charge my regular customers that much I was $1/serving for the last year!

Chezerai,

What would Colette Peters do in this situation.

Now pretend you are Colette Peters!

Pricing of cakes is certainly a geographic thing. Most of us would not get anyway close to what they pay in New York or another big city. Everyone has different prices according to their local area.
Judy

Also depends on the competition. Where I live the only other place that does cakes is the grocery store. People have a hard time making themselves pay double for a cool cake from me than what they would pay for a basic slab at the grocery store

I agree with everthing that has been stated. I have lots of competition though thats what I dont get about being in a small town. I know about 10 people in my county that does cakes not including the 2 grocery stores that do them. Most of the people mostly only do it on the side but one of them is trying to build a cake shop and I am praying that God leads me to a building before she gets hers(hate to say that but I want it). I mean home girl thinks she has Hampton County on lock with cakes, and I'm thinking, oh no the Devil is a liar. ol