Is There A Booger On My Nose? (Bad Day Vent)
Decorating By kelleym Updated 20 Jan 2007 , 6:05pm by RisqueBusiness
As some of you know, I have an arrangement with a local restaurant/bakery to do their wedding cakes. I pay them 15% commission on every cake I book. Lately I've been feeling really burned out, and after Christmas I decided I would tell them I wanted to take down my display dummy and take a break from wedding cakes. Well, I didn't get around to it, and they called with a bride who wanted a tasting, so I thought, ok, I'll go do this one last tasting, and when I go, I'll tell them I'm quitting.
So I got there and told the owner's daughter (who I found out is now the majority owner). She said she "couldn't let me do that" because she'd made friends with the event coordinator at a new community center who agreed to send all the wedding bookins over to the restaurant. GROAN. She promised not to work me into the ground, but she doesn't want me to leave right now. I told her we'd play it by ear...didn't know what else to do. I like her. I'm just tired of wedding cakes.
The bride and groom arrived and I started the consultation, and the bride and groom kept...exchanging these LOOKS, you know, when you're with someone you know well, and you want to catch their eye so you can laugh about something? I started to feel really self-conscious, like maybe I had a booger on my nose(!) or something (I don't think I did). At one point I almost asked what was so funny. It was so strange and off-putting. It continued after I brought them their cake and left them alone so they could eat it and talk about it...right up until I said goodbye and thanked them for coming. Oh, by the way, I asked the bride what the wedding colors were, and she said, "peridot, tea rose, and champagne". Um, seriously? Whatever happened to green, pink and cream? How pretentious.
My standard procedure is to mail a typed up contract the day after the tasting, give them a week to decide and mail back their deposit if they book. What I'd really like to do is not mail the contract and let them find someone else, but since this is for the restaurant I don't feel like I can (one other reason I wanted to stop doing their cakes...I want to have the freedom to control what cakes I take). 
So I'll mail it off tomorrow and hope they don't book...from the "feel" of the tasting, I got the impression that there was something ridiculous or laughable about me, so they don't want to book. Talk about situations you couldn't imagine when you start making cakes!
I also agree with zmama You are in control. Yes you feel a loyalty to the restaurant/bakery. But sending out your contract gives you the control to a point. And if they had a fit of the giggles they may be pain in the butts to satisfy. So I would wait for there move. Just my opinion GOOD LUCK
I agree. This sends red flags up all over the place. While you may have to do wedding cakes for them, you don't have to accept every customer and they don't have to accept you.
I hope you find a comfortable place to be on this issue.
Rachel
I would have asked them what was so damn funny. But, since you are representing the bakery at this time, I think you need to send the contract...but don't let the owner tell you you can't take a break. Tell her to advise new clients that you are currently booked. Or charge double.
The best advice I got was from my brilliant lawyer/accountant....do as much as you can handle and then charge more. Supply and demand, baby...supply and demand!
(That's totally not my personality...I'm just in a mood) 
I can't believe how incrediably rude that was!!! How dare they treat you like that! It is downright childish!
I would feel the same as you do and would not want to send out the contract - they sound too immature to be getting married by the sound of it anyway!
I would charge them double!
Sheesh! I have been wanting to comment on this since yesterday morning, but between cc and msn server problems.....
Sorry you had such a rough day. I sorta know how you feel, I am incredibly self concious at times too. But try not to take the couples actions too personally- people are just freaking weird sometimes and it probably doesn't have anything to do with you. Did you TELL them you would send the contract? I don't know whether you should or not, you're going to have to decide what you're comfortable with.
As far as the owner of the restaurant goes, it would have been nice if she had consulted with you before making a commitment (of your time) to the event coordinator. People sometimes take you for granted and just don't think about how their decisions affect others. It sounds like you are an independant contractor, not an employee...don't let her guilt you into doing more than you feel you can. It will only cause resentment and your relationship with her will suffer anyway.
Good luck with this, I hope you can come away feeling good about it!
Amber
As far as the owner of the restaurant goes, it would have been nice if she had consulted with you before making a commitment (of your time) to the event coordinator.
Bingo!
Call up the restaurant owner, and say, "since you've made friends with this event coordinator, see if she also knows someone who does cakes - and maybe we can split the events coming in." Compromise.
An event coordinator worth their salt has quite a list of contacts for every type of need for an event. She's got someone's phone number somewhere!
And I love the idea of your prices going up. 
Thanks to everyone for your responses. I've tried to post back, but you know how the servers have been...
I did promise this couple I would send the contract, so combine that with my professional obligation to the restaurant, I did send out the contract. I certainly hope they don't book. She told me that she went to the bridal show on Saturday, so hopefully they had set up some other tastings with bakeries who weren't so "funny". Bleah.
I haven't decided what to do about my relationship with the restaurant. I think I will tell the daughter that I am booked through the end of February so I can stop feeling so burned out, and then I'll re-evaluate. Thanks again everybody!
Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap.
We were iced in here in Austin for the first half of the week and I didn't go check the mail at my PO Box. I finally went today, and yay! No check! Her time was up!
My phone just rang, and it was my giggly bride, saying she hadn't had a chance to mail it because of the storm, but she did choose me and she was putting the deposit in the mail today.
For what it's worth, she was very sweet on the phone and I told her I looked forward to working with her. Still wish she'd gone with someone else. Damn me and my delicious cakes.
Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap.
Damn me and my delicious cakes.
Kelly..
yes..damm you and your delish cakes..lol. Well, you can alwasy tell your restaurant and coordinator that you are only going to book 3 cakes a weekend..2 on saturday and one on Sunday, to give you a rest..and first come first served..and money books and BS walks!
Take care..and if you need time off...you need to take it..they cannot work you to the ground unless you let them!
Maybe they were not laughing at you,but over a private joke between themselves. Maybe they had just had sex before the meeting with you!!!! lol...
Are they a young couple? Remember when you were young (or in a new relationship) and EVERYTHING had to with getting close to each other? I have been married for 10 years and we are still like that! We would not be rude but perhaps they had some fun before getting to you! Give them another chance and enjoy creating the cake then take well deserved break!
Tracy
Maybe they are another childish couple.Good luck!
Well for pete's sake, what is wrong with these people? What's more important, sex or cake??
Okay, you REALLY didn't just ask that about a YOUNG couple....right? Now, having been married 34 years my priorities haved changed a bit and, of course, I'd choose CAKE! LOLL and probably so would my husband! But, young couples are in love and lust (not necessarily in that order) and while sometimes that can be TOTALLY irritating to me.....that feeling IS a nice one....ya gotta admit!
Maybe they were not laughing at you,but over a private joke between themselves. Maybe they had just had sex before the meeting with you!!!! lol...
That's probably the case, but even if it's not-whatever they were laughing at, you're now going to be laughing all the way to the bank with their check!..honestly though, I can imagine how you feel. I too would rather not have the money than deal with certain attitudes just to get a sale. Knock 'em dead with that cake and be sure to let us know how they (the couple) really turn out to be.
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