Help! Aunt Meddling In Wedding Cake....
Decorating By jen1977 Updated 18 Oct 2006 , 3:05am by dldbrou
I'll try not to confuse anyone with this or go to long, so here goes....I'm SUPPOSED to be doing my cousins wedding cake around New Years. My aunt (who isn't the cousin's mom...her mother passed away when she was young) called me last week and said "Tina (the cuz) will be calling you this weekend to talk about her cake. Ok...weekend comes and goes, never hear from Tina. I try to call my sunt several times to get a phone number, and no one answers. Tried to call aunt again this afternoon, and she's supposed to be calling mwe back, but my uncle says
"We were at the weddigns hop the other day and she picked up some plates and columns and stuff, I'll have her call you when she gets in." My cousin lives in a different state than my aunt, so she probably has no idea what she's bought either. My aunt is NOTORIOUS for getting things used, and I'm scared to death what she's buying for this cake! I have yet to even see a picture of the cake, and can't get anyone to call me! 
I really want to do this cake for my cousin, and for another wedding cake picture, and I know that the cake my cousin chooses will be beautiful, but I'm scared of what my aunt is buying! She's the one who is supposed to pay me for the stuff (doing it at cost). I would rather get the stuff myself so I know that it's right, even if it isn't what my bargain hunter aunt would buy
Good Luck! Seems to be the bride needs to get her aunt into check before it gets out of hand and the bride ends up with a cake design she does not want. I would for sure and try to put a halt to the aunt buying anymore "cake stuff". Could explain that she may be spending money on items she does not need or won't work.
Working with family can be a blessing or a 
. Good Luck, but don't give up trying to get a hold of the bride.
I agree with the others: Get the brides number and talk to her. Auntie is a controll freak. Hope the wedding goes well.
Oh man, I feel your pain! I would get a hold of your cousin POST HASTE and make some plans,Then actually take a look at what she bought, and if you refuse to use it, politely tell your aunt she is a dear-dear soul for thinking of you and getting those things, however, they just aren't going to work with the design of the cake. (Or some other sweet excuse.) Since she is trying to help from the goodness of her heart (or so it sounds!!) you hate to shoot her down too hard. You could also take them, put them in the closet and use something else!
Edit - well if you can't reach her I would just do like that one person below suggested - tell her no because they either don't work right or they clash with your design.
And ignore the Aunts phone calls. You could also have a policy that you work with the bride, and the bride only.
If no one can help you locate her number and you did the best you possibly could to contact her...then make plan B. When you receive the "items" you can graciously tell them they clashed with the design. If they really are bad and "used" they will look horrible and it will be completely true. Tell your Aunt you appreciate her efforts. Then say you made an executive decision and did your best you could. I hope she kept the receipts!
She just moved recently from South Carolina to Ohio, and I can't seem to get her new number from anyone! I've tried to call her sister, but she's in the middle of a divorce, and is very busy , and hasn't called me back.
Call information or better yet, call her old number in SC. Even though it's no longer in service, a recording will come on telling you the new number (if it's not private).
Thanks everyone. I can't call directory assistance because she lives with her fiance, and I don't know his last name. She lived with her sister in SC, so the number was never disconnected. I'll keep trying. I know I'll talk to her about it and have enough time to plan it, I just wish our aunt would stop buying stuff! I'd hate to get some used yellowed pillars, wrong size plates, etc. Especially since I get to keep what is bought for the cake...stand, etc. I don't want to do it at cost, and get stuck with nasty looking equiptment as my "payment", that I'll never sue again.
I just wish our aunt would stop buying stuff! I'd hate to get some used yellowed pillars, wrong size plates, etc. Especially since I get to keep what is bought for the cake...stand, etc. I don't want to do it at cost, and get stuck with nasty looking equiptment as my "payment", that I'll never sue again.
You have two choices:
1. Promptly tell her to quit buying the stuff and explain to her that nothing should/can be purchased until the cake details have been worked out WITH THE BRIDE TO BE.
2. When she goes to hand you the stuff that she has purchased...refuse it. Telling her that it shouldn't have been purchased before the details of the cake have been discussed WITH THE BRIDE TO BE.
As you said, you've got time to get it all together, BUT you'd really like for auntie to stop buying stuff (unless it is good stuff of course!). Maybe you could call auntie and with the pleasant voice you have, say "Auntie, it's really great that you want to help with the cake stuff, but how about if I talk to ________ first to make sure that everything you are buying will go with the design of the cake." I say be proactive and try to nip the problem in the bud right now before (as you fear), auntie DOES keep buying stuff. She could be totally oblivious about what she is doing (wrong) because she is just so, so excited about the upcoming wedding. 
Imagine how resentful everyone will get if she goes totally overboard in the end and no one tried to put a halt to it NOW !!
Good Luck !! 
um, if Cousin Tina wants you to do the cake...I'm sure that she herself will eventually call you.
Don't start to stress yet!
Good for you. Now you can take charge of the situation. 
also, you can put yellow plates and pillars to soak in a little bleach water and they come out good as new...Just in case..lol
Talk to the bride and tell her that you want her to get the cake of her dreams. In order for that to happen you need to be able to purchase the necessary supplies and that you do not intend to alternate the design because the wrong supplies were purchased by the aunt. Tell her that even though you are doing this cake at cost it is your reputation that is also on display and that you would like to make it as beautiful as you can. Ask her to contact the Aunt and tell her that you will purchase everything and give her an itemized cost list when finished. Tell her to thank the Aunt for trying to help but that you need to organize the supplies on your own. Good Luck
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%