Just curious as I have a Bride that seemed thrilled with my cakes...so she booked (paid deposit) months ago and now just a week before Wedding ~ can't get in touch with her and no final payment made. She emailed a week ago and said she was mailing the payment...still nothing.
So, what to expect in this situation? Do Brides often back out last minute? Or maybe she is just having trouble coming up with the money? Just frustrated because I always take lots of time to plan out my cakes...I hate doing them feeling rushed. I don't even have all her details (just a general idea) she was suppose to get those for me along with her check. What do you think? Part of me thinks I should cancel due to no payment. The other part of me wants to do it because I turned down another cake and moved my vacation around so I would be available. Now, if I don't do it, I feel like my vacation plans were altered and I turned down another cake for NO reason. I don't know what to think. Of course I definitely will not do it if I don't receive payment by the time I need to start baking. How many of you have had Brides not follow through AFTER making a deposit? Is this normal?
I have had several who missed the payment due date. I call and remind them kindly but firmly that they missed the deadline and I will not be baking their cake unless their payment is received by x date, and that their initial deposit will be forfeited.
I ALWAYS get a right snappy response.
I have a cake contract that the bride signs....I have the date listed when FULL payment is to be made. If it goes past that date....I make one final call to ask about the full payment....or no cake will be delivered. In 25 years....I have never had one totally back out like that. I did have a bride and groom break up the week before their wedding this summer and I did keep the deposit for holding that date for so long. All of that is stated in my contract. Hopefully you will still be doing the wedding cake and maybe it's just a matter of her not having the money. If that's the case....this close to time to do the wedding cake....ask for CASH only. If she writes a check..it might not clear in time and then you might have a very hard time in collecting your funds after you've done the cake. Believe me...when you do this long enough you learn allot of lessons along the way. Good luck!
I agree with the previous posts. I would follow those same actions.
I had one bride back out. She paid the deposit. LOVED my cakes. But I guess the grooms family had someone who wanted to do the cake and she didn't want to make waves with her new family. So she backed out.
It does happen. You just need to make sure that in your contract, that if payment is not made, there will be no cake. Period the end. I think it's a CYA on both your part and the clients part.
GL!
Call her, say that you never received the check, and that at this late date you will need cash. Better yet-send her an email ust so you have it in writing, and you will be able to tell if she opened it.
I think she is probably having trouble coming up with the money.
May be she is just desorganized, I have one like this, more than 2 months ago she came by to see the cakes and all, but left no deposit, the party is Oct 27 and she haven't call me, nothing, the thing is that she's a friend of my SIL and she told my sil that I was doing the cake. Still waiting for her... so I guess since poeple don't see what's behind planning a cake they don't mind waiting until the last moment.
Any way e-mail her, just like the other post suggest, and give her a dead line. Good luck.
I have had a couple of brides who made deposits and then when the final payment is due, it's always in the mail, but it never seems to make it to my mailbox. Final payment is now due 14 days prior to wedding, after that it is cash only and a $25 late fee. Your bride has run out of money and if you do the cake with out payment upfront, you will never get paid for the cake after the reception is over. Do you really want to do the cake and not get paid, making it a very nice & expensive gift to a bride & groom you don't know? If there is no payment by the Monday of the wedding week, I give one last call AND email explaining if there is not a cash payment by 5:00, there will be no cake for the weekend.
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