one of my very regular customers 
I do all of her family's cakes, but she just emailed with an order for her son's cake for Saturday...and I'm working all week (including Saturday) and already have 2 large cakes for Fri & Sat and one smaller one for Sunday, there's no way I could fit in another for Saturday
I offered to make it for Sunday, but I still feel crappy. Honestly, even Sunday would suck for me, I have family visiting from out of town 
Why oh why can't people give you more than 5 days notice? You know that birthday is coming all year!
I'd have done the very same thing. You're right, she should have planned ahead and gotten her order in. You shouldn't let yourself feel so bad about turning down this order. You have to take care of yourself and piling on another cake for the weekend wouldn't be fair to you. You have to be able to say no at times. So don't beat yourself up about it. Next time this very regular customer might think twice and be more considerate. Enjoy your company this weekend!
Sometimes friends or family just assume you can fit them in. Awhile back my neice came to me with a last minute request for 2 9 inch round stacked cakes. She even brouhgt me some cake mixes in case I was out. This was on a Sat. at about noon and wanted them by 7 or 8 that evening. She got lucky I didn't have any thing planned for the day. And I had a 2 layer cake in the freezer I was going to use for practice that weekend. So took it out of freezer and let it thaw. I baked the other cake and while it cooled. Crumb coated the other one. I had some BC on hand but not enough for 2 cakes. Not to mention she wanted red as one of the colors. I had a dark pink on hand and mixed with no taste red every spare minute to try to get it as red as possible. Pulled 2 cake out of oven to cool and proceeded to work on first cake. Did a basket weave on sides. Then crumb coated next cake. Then back to the first. And so on and so on. She did call a couple of times to see how I was doing and if she could help. I wanted to YELL quit calling me so I could get it done. I did get them done and she paid me and I got another order from those cakes for the next weekend. So it turned out OK. BUT my hands were killing me when it was done. Sorry this was so long
I don't know why people wait til the last minute to do things. I could probably write a book on the excuses I have been given, why they did not call earlier. I have always tried to to work these last minute orders in, but sometimes you just have to say no! I have one customer that constantly orders one day ahead, she has never given me any more notice then that,even when I mentioned that a little more time would allow me to come up with a more special cake. It never seems to matter to her. She always manages to get her cake, but I am waiting for the day I have to say no to her. You can only do what you can do and nothing more.
I'm relieved not to have to fit it in Sunday! Hopefully next time she'll book it earlier...as long as she uses me again!
Maybe you should make your "regulars" on the calendar - call them a month in advance and remind them of the upcoming birthday. It kinda sounds like begging for work but it might save a headache!
That's funny, I was thinking about that 
But then I didn't want to get presumptious either... 
Oy, you can't win
I know how you fell, but that's how I get my business.
The bakery here refuses orders that don't have more than 24 hours notice. So they call me! It's rare that I get more notice (only for big cakes) But I don't work outside the home. I only do cakes and raise my family, and they're all in school! I wouldn't do that if I was working full-time! I feel for you!
But she's a very good customer, she'll come back to you!
Have a great day!
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