I had a bride to contact me via e-mail over two months ago wanting to set up a tasting. She absolutely HAD to have a particular cake on my wedding cakes page for her wedding in '08. No problem. I go through my calendar, keeping in mind that she can only come on Tues., Wed., or Thurs. Okay, I worked with that. I set her up for 7pm last Tuesday, which followed my 6pm tasting. Normally, my consults are at least 5-10 minutes early arriving. 6:50 comes...no one...didn't worry...it's still early. 7pm, no show...no call....no e-mail..........7:15....no show.....no call......no e-mail. She FINALLY contacted me last Thursday (two days later)...no explanation....just wanting to reschedule. I told her that school started back for me this week, and my hours of operation change when I return to school. I only do consults on Fridays. It wouldn't work for her. I rearranged my whole Tuesday schedule for her yesterday. Hubby got off from work early to be here by 6:30...her appt. was set for 7. Promised that she and fiance` would definitely make this appt. No show....no call....no e-mail!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You know, cakes are NOT my whole life. I do have a family life...two children and a full time job outside of my full time cake business. It infuriates me to no end to rebake samples, set a lovely table, have hubby get off early to watch our children for me and...........nothing! SHE contacted me BOTH times. SHE wanted to reschedule. ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, I feel a little better. It just burns my biscuits that people have no manners or consideration for those of us that bust our hineys each and every day to make their special occasions SPECIAL. ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sign me,
Peeved in NC or Amy...LOL......

Oh I totally would be peeved and DONT take her order now...if she is this way now...just think what she might be like during the whole process!!!

But you know...we have NO right to a life, family, fun etc....we just dont LOL...I don't understand why people think bakeries, home bakers, etc should revolve around their schedule....Burns my biscuits also!!!!


(((((((((((hugs))))))))))

Hrmm.. Sounds like you need a PITA tax on her order..

Bless your heart.....they are really trying you lately are they not?! I would not bother with her again.......YOU HAVE BEEN TOO NICE to do all you have done for her....she is a wack job......and your cakes are not deserving of HER! There are too many out there who need/want OUR BUSINESS to mess with this cuckoo clock.
She sounds like a complete blithering IDIOT..........off with her head!

Yep, I agree. OFF WITH HER HEAD!!!!!!!!! Don't you dare try to occomodate her again, and don't do her cake. Can you imagine how she will be later???????????????

I would just tell her, IF you are taking time away once more for another tasting, that this is it, third and final and if she doesn't show this time there will be no holding the date and no cake made and she will have to go elsewhere.

Hmmmm... I guess you are BOOKED for their special day, huh? aww too bad!!! I'm sorry you got put through that. How inconsiderate people can be Grrrrrrrrr

No way I would do business with her after that. Tell her you booked that date after she didn't show up (maybe you booked it to go to the spa ).

I think that if she wants to reschedule now I would tell her that the first scheduled tasting was a courtesy and normally you charge for any additional but you bypassed that for the second scheduled tasting and if she would like to make another appointment then you will have to charge her for this one (since you have made 2 sets of samples already) and you will have to get that payment prior to the appointment.

I swear some people are so inconsiderate. My favorite is when I have one scheduled and I call the day of the appointment to confirm with them and they say OH yeah I was going to call you but I don't think I can make it tonight, Is that OK? WELL NO IT IS NOT OKAY I have already made the samples!!!! AAARGH

I'm sorry you went to so much trouble for her not once but twice. I think her lack of concern for your time and effort should be a good indication of that would be coming if you do the wedding cake. I'd take the hint and run not walk in the other direction.

Heyyy I had a bride like that.... my advice? Same as the others... don't do the wedding... trust me I am talking from experience...

I love people like this... "Ohhhh... isn't it cute.... she has a cute little home based hobby-thingie"

Ummmmm.... NO... this is my living PEOPLE!!!

GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

Tell her you've booked that date with someone that DID show up for their tasting and since they didn't do a tasting, or make a deposit on a cake, you sold their date (and then heck, try to find someone else's cake to do on that date if you can!)

and I quote: "run, Forrest, run!!!"

I'm sorry to hear that you're actually trying to have a life and family outside of baking and waiting for her to show up... Were it me, I would send her a bill for both tastings she no-showed for - she won't pay the bill but I would feel better sending her one. Should she still call and want to set up another tasting, I'd tell her that her date has been booked and can't do her cake. Too bad, so sad - NOT!! Like Christi and keonicakes said, best to be rid of her now!

I dont do wedding cakes, but I would NOT take her order!!! NO way! She CLEARLY does not respect you, your time or your families time. Let her go be disrepectful to someone else!!!!!

I also have to say that the devil onmy should is telling me to say....set up another appointment wih her and then go out to dinner or something so you are not home. People like that need to get the message that the world does not revolve around them!

You know, I don't even do cakes but your post intrigued me. I think if you turn her down you'll want to do it in a gracious way. Find some good excuse, but you certainly don't need any bad publicity spread by people like her which she very well might do. The knee-jerk reaction is valid, but be careful how you present it to the customer!

Oh, no question about it, I WON'T BE DOING ANY CAKE FOR HER. That's not even a consideration. I just wanted to vent to my fellow CC'ers. I knew that you all would understand my frustration.

It just floors me at how inconsiderate people can be. I guess that being raised with manners, I just expect more; although, my expectations with people are dropping. I told Audy (my hubby) that she's probably found someone to do MY cake cheaper than I will. LOL. Good for her. Go for it. Let her be somebody else's problem. There's another bride-to-be waiting around the corner for every bridezilla that we come in contact with.

Thanks so much for letting me whine!!! LOL!!!

Love you gals!!!
Amy

well chit.

You let her take advantage of you thus far, what makes you think it's gonna get any better when you (finally) get her big order?

I've had couples miss their consultations, call me the next day wanting to re-book. I say sure, but it will cost $60 this time. Sometimes they complain about the charge, and sometimes just accept it. If they complain about the charge I just tell them that I don't think I can make them happy and that they would be better off finding someone else to make their wedding cake.

I don't need their order that badly. I know that 20 other couples are going to call and want to book that date.

Can I rant behind you
That's what peev's me so much about this biz. People can be so inconsiderate. They really act like we have nothing else to do but fidget our fingers until they call and then make their cake. I can't go out of town, I can't take a day off, I can't be booked...I'm supposed to do their cake when they want it done. Oh and I can't charge what I want 'cause they can't afford it. BUT BUT BUT they will go to our local high end place KNOWING they are expensive and consider ordering a cake from them.
I feel you! I am dealing with a bridezilla right now that wants me to take my price down to almost half but wants me to travel 3 hours to her with a cake that's damn near free. Girl pleazzzzzzzzzzzze! I was working with her on the original price but she's been tripping.
Oh yeah, she's married already...this is not a vow renewal and she can't afford this wedding at the moment. Another story for a thread that I won't have to hijack. LOL LOL LOL sorry CakesbyAmyM

it will be interesting to see if she calls to make a third appointment. And then you can simply say " I am so sorry you have trouble keeping your appts ....I didn't and I was there both times. Your date has already been booked by a bride that showed up for her appt the first time. Thank you and have a nice wedding..."

"If you cant say anythin nice.... dont say nothin at all...." Thumper from Bambi

I have no nice words for the girl...

Hugs for you....

No amount of money is worth dealing with horribly rude people. That's why I enjoy what I do... we always have the right to say no!

I have not read all of the other post so please disregard if this is a repeat.

I would not do this ladies cake.......If she is this way now, just wait. But if I did set up another consult....I would let her know that since she nc/ns two times that there would be a charge of $x.00 and it would have to be prepaid.
JMO

My no-shows for samplings are almost non-existent, but I do have a story to share in this thread. What made it a little "complicated" was they were referred by my very very best friend, so I was being overly-nice and agreeable (yeah, yeah, hard to believe, I know! )

- They miss the first sampling.
- They reschedule and do the tasting. I send the quotes to them the next day.
- 6 days later, I get an email saying the wedding is canc'd due to financial reasons.
- 18 days after that, I get an email saying the wedding is reinstated, but has been pushed from 2007 to 2008.
- 3 months later, they want to come over to set the menu (no sampling ... just a meeting).
- Appt is set for 6:30.
- At 6:30, I notice a car parked outside. I assume it's them, but they are not getting out of the car. There are lots of arm movements going on .... they are either having a fight or they are really into some song on the radio!
- At 6:45, the car pulls away, so I figure it's not them and they are going to be a no-show. I have some work to finish up anyway.
- 7:30 they show up! They tell me "Sorry we're late!" I look outside and it's the same car that was there at 6:30. (I am wondering what the fight was about and I'm glad I didnt' prepare any cakes or food for this appt!)
- The date has changed again .... it's pushed out 2 weeks (facility scheduling conflict).
- Bride is disillusioned on what I provide. No, I do not provide linens for the guest tables ... just the food tables. No, I do not "serve" the guests ... it's a self-serve buffet.
- And of course, it's not even the "we're on a budget" bride ...... they don't know what the word "budget" means! They have no budget! aaaauuugggghhhhhH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My friend owes me for this one!

After one missed tasting I usually tell them "I will schedule you a second appointment because I understand things happen but if something happens again, and since I work by appointment only, you'll have to find another cake designer". They usually apologize like crazy! I've only had a few not show up but it really does piss me off! I think I'm gonna adopt mezzaluna's policy... "sure I'll schedule a second appointment...for a $60 fee" LMAO that's a great one!!! LMAO

And now you know why I don't do a tasting until AFTER I have a deposit. I make all contracts and deposits subject to a an agreement on design and tasting, but I have too much respect for myself to waste time chasing brides.

In sales, it's called a trial close. You get your client as committed to the process as you are before going to extraordinary lengths for them. And BTW, in working this way, I have NEVER done a tasting with a bride who didn't book a cake.

seven wrote:

You're bad! You made me chortle

Cakesbyamym, Good for you by not taking the order--just trouble in the making if you did

So happy to hear you are not doing her cake.....but still off with her head for being such a rude and impolite person!