I have a wedding cake to be collected tomorrow and it is not the bride but a friend who is collecting it with 1 hours drive. Can anyone please advise as to what I should have typed up for the friend to sign to show what it was like when it left here. The bride has been a small brideszilla and has changed the colour of the roses and ribbon even after the roses had been made. Lots of instructions from her and when I emailed back with any queries reply received but no answer to my particular question. Wanted roses matched to bridesmaids material (terracotta) and then wanted Sahara roses as well which to me have a faint pink touch but she was requesting peach in centres and this is where the problem came in and she didn't like them so it was back to making more roses. It was so hard trying to read her mind especially as she had sent through the peach colour via email. As it is I have just had a total knee reconstruction so am a bit handicapped at the moment as it is just three weeks ago that I had it. Another 3 weeks laid up which is starting to brass me off as I am an active person. Luckily I did not have many bookings for October and I only had 2 weeks notice before the op.
Hope someone can come up with some ideas please. Have not posted much lately and feel revived now I am back with CC. Thanks everyone.

I would definitely take pictures of the cake from ALL angles when the bridesmaid gets there, with her as a witness and then have her sign a waiver stating what condition the cake was in when it leaves your house. Make sure it also states that you are not responsible for anything that may happen to it once it's out of your hands. Good luck!!

Better yet video tape it with the bridesmaid right thier.. Also with the bridesmaid in the video showing that the cake is perfect when it leaves ya house...

Have the bridesmaid sign an invoice acknowledging the condition. If you don't have one get writing.

Can't help you with the paper work but I would give the driver these instructions.

A cake is fragile.
You must drive as if there is a bucket of water on the floor in the passenger's seat and it is filled to within one inch of the top. Any erratic driving will cause the bucket to slosh and spill the water in your car. Do not get in a hurry.
I will not be able to fix the cake if it falls apart in your care.

If you take off, corner or brake suddenly, the cake will shift, it will slide or it will crumble. I will not be able to come and fix what happens to it if YOU are not driving carefully. I can not come to the reception to fix the cake if it is not delivered safely.

YOU will have to face the bride and explain what YOU have done to her cake. I am taking a picture of the cake in your car. This is my proof that I have given you a perfect product. I am not responsible for this cake once it leaves my house. I am not available to repair damage done during transportation of this cake.
Sign here. And if she has a cell phone have her take a picture too.

Be prepared to hear that the cake had issues and of course the color didn't match so she wants a refund.

At least if you have signed copy of instructions and a picture she can't say that the damage is your fault.

Maybe you could add something in your contract to cover the "slight" color shifts. I mean unless you were the one to make the material for the dress it is pretty hard to match it exactly. Maybe something along the lines of....xyz bakers will attempt to match any samples that are provided but can give no guarantee. This is due to the fact that different materials (such as satin and fondant) reflect the light differently so 'exact' isn't really possible. Nevertheless we will do our best to achieve the color you have chosen.
Just an idea.

Mommachris

Don't know what drivers are like where you are, but I find that people in Oklahoma (haven't had a wedding in GA yet- moved here not too long ago) are MUCH more courteous when I use white shoe polish to write "Wedding Cake on Board, Please Stay Back" on my back windshield. No one tailgated me or honked when I took corners like a grandma. I actually got a lot of smiles and waves. I know that some people say that this is just asking for trouble, but it works in OK. Maybe this might help the situation? The friend might me more likely to drive carefully if she's "labeled". BTW, send along some baby wipes to get the polish off when she gets there. They work like a charm.

I love the shoe polish idea! Yeah I would definately take photos before it leaves and if your camera has a time/date stamp make sure its on. Good Luck to the driver!

Kavingate, great idea. I was thinking along the same lines. Or a piece of paper in the back corner of the rear window with "wedding cake on board", then you can just take it down when you get there (nothing too big so it won't impede vision).

I definitely would get pictures and/or a video and explain to her friend about being careful on turns, stops and driving in general. An hour is a long way away and anything can happen.

I hope it all works out well and they don't end up eating wedding cake off of her floorboards!

Ditto to some of the previous posts.

Take picture of the cake with the person picking up in the photo. Don't really have to tell her why you are doing that, just that you don't any pics yet and just happen to get her in one of them.

Write/type and then verbally tell her the rules of driving a cake and have her sign and date.

Ditto on the signage in the window.

Hope all goes well with this one.

Ladiva

I would stress the importance of careful transportation to her....Tell her that she will need to sign a form verifying the condition of the cake(if you tell them in advance that they have to sign, they tend to look more carefully)...after it has passed her inspection, let her sign off on the document.

The document should state something the effect of...

After careful inspection of the wedding cake for ________, I believe it to be in sound condition, free from any design flaws and ready to be delivered.

Date: ___________Signed:_____________


Kavingate, that is a great tip!

Glad that I was able to provide a useful idea! I'm not sure about the paper sign, as it would be hard for other drivers to see, and therefore, they might drive closer to see what it says!! I like the shoe polish, as it doesn't impede vision and it's BIG and easy to read. It won't blow off, either! I don't think that having to clean off the writing is a huge sacrifice for the friend, or whomever. A wedding cake is a big (and very important) investment. I would stress that if she balks. SHE will be responsible for damages after she signs all the paperwork!

BTW- I've used the same "wedding cake" sign for any tiered cake- even if it's a birthday or whatever. Any tiered cake is stressful to deliver, and I want the odds on my side!!!

I print out a sign on 8x11 paper in large font (landscape) "Wedding Cake Delivery. Tape it on the INSIDE of the window and it won't blow off. I put it in the bottom corner of the window so there's no vision impairment.

And it's true .... people are WAY more courteous when this sign is in the window! (And you can pretty much park anywhere, too!)

they have already covered everything cake wise but may I just say You are one brave woman. 3 weeks after a Total knee replacement and doing a wedding cake. I had my RTKR done may o6 and there is no way at 3 weeks I could or would have done a wedding cake.

lots of pictures and a siggy from the person picking up the cake.

Meg

If you can print the pictures of the cake at pick-up, keep a set and send a set along for the bride.

Ditto MsMeg's comment. I had my knee replacement the first of July, and I was still using the knee bender at three weeks. Make a wedding cake, no way!

I always sendalong the rubbermaid shelf liner to place underneath the cake box so it can't slide across the floor or seat. (I cringe when they put the cakes on the seat!) As soon as we have agreed they are settled in the car I always state---
The cake is officially yours. It is in your hands, and what happens from here on out, it is your responsibility. I even say this when I am on the phone and they say they want to pick it up.

Lu

I think everyone has given you all the advice you need, I would love to know that the cake got there safely. Please let us know.

Thank you everyone. I typed up a note with some of your points and they were only too happy to sign it. I haven't heard so the cake must have arrived safely although I did say I would be unable to pop over and fix it. Yes I probably overdone it but it was a booking I had prior to my op date. Glad it has gone so I can now rest and hopefully the pain will disappear. I have my up and down days but am looking forward to the end result. Thanks everyone