About 6 months ago, I was contacted by a friend of a woman who used to be a regular where my husband and I work. She had tried my cupcakes one night at Monday Night Football and loved them, ordered some for Thanksgiving, and took them to work where this friend had tried them. Said friend loved them, and asked me to do her wedding cake- her wedding being April 19th. Fast forward a few months, bride calls me and asks if I can do pistachio. I make a sample batch and she picks them up, loves them, and tells me she'll be in touch to figure out the details. The next time I speak with her, she says they're getting the cake elsewhere, but can I do cupcakes. I didn't really want to, but I said yes. She never gave me a specific #, no money, nothing, said she'd let me know when they figured it out.
A month ago, her maid of honor contacted me and ordered 3 dozen cupcakes for bride's bridal shower. I asked maid of honor to have bride contact me, as I do not have bride's phone #, but she has mine. Bride never contacted me, and here it is less than 2 weeks until the wedding and I still haven't heard from her.
Here's the thing- my daughter's birthday is also the 19th, her party on the 20th. I have a very big and elaborate castle on a hill cake planned for her that I'm going to be working on pretty much all week. Between making flowers, pillars, turrets, etc. So if this bride calls, what do I tell her? Sorry, I'm booked? I don't plan on telling her I'm doing my daughter's cake... in fact I don't plan on giving her any details other than I'm booked, because she's had all this time to contact me and hasn't. I'm a little bummed that I'm now out money from her tasting, but I guess you live and learn, right?
So anyway- what would you do in this situation?
I think your "Sorry, I'm booked" approach is professional. However, it seems to me that she won't be calling...)
In the future, you might want to charge for tastings (deducting the fee from the wedding cake order when booked) if the cost is a problem.
If I were you, I'd make the maid-of-honor's cupcakes extra-special (just so the bride could see what she passed up and kick herself in the patoot).
Look forward to seeing pics of your DD's castle cake!
She doesn't need to know why you can't do her stuff, just that you can't do it. If she presses you for a reaon, tell her you're having hemmoroid surgery or something. That'll shut her up. 
I think that she isn't expecting you to do them. If you REALLY are concerned, maybe you could track her down on switchboard.com or one of those web sites that you can look up peoples addresses and phone numbers. Do you know what town she lives in? Do you have the bridesmaids info? Call her and get the bride's number.
In the future, you might want to charge for tastings (deducting the fee from the wedding cake order when booked) if the cost is a problem.
That's actually what I had planned on doing, which is why I guess I won't be getting paid for them now. Oh well though, it's over now!
I think your "Sorry, I'm booked" approach is professional. However, it seems to me that she won't be calling...)
In the future, you might want to charge for tastings (deducting the fee from the wedding cake order when booked) if the cost is a problem.
If I were you, I'd make the maid-of-honor's cupcakes extra-special (just so the bride could see what she passed up and kick herself in the patoot).
Look forward to seeing pics of your DD's castle cake!
If the bride really wanted you to do her cupcakes or whatever she was asking for, she would be eagerly pursuing your business with money in hand! So, with less than two weeks until the big day, no money and no information for you, I'd agree with the other posts - just tell you are sorry, but you cannot take her order.
And I would definitely focus on your daughter's cake so you can make it really special without burning yourself out.
Hope everything turns out well for you!
I agree, the "I'm booked" reason is true and professional. I think it is rude that she hasn't contacted you by now. Possibly found someone else. Look at it as a good thing so you can work on your DD cake. I think I'm going to change my policy to that as well. Good luck.
I bet the ditzy bridesmaid will call you on Monday of the week of the wedding to "order" her cupcakes for the shower. People think you aren't doing anything else but sitting around waiting for them to call you so you can slap some icing on their cake. 
i did a sweet 16 for a girl, and the mom said she "definitely" wanted to order some decorated cookies from me for her mother and needed them 3 weeks later. after the sweet 16, she called and left me a message saying how much they loved the cake, and she was looking forward to the cookies, and to call her. so i did, but just got a machine and left a message for her to call me back. she never did, and i didn't make the cookies, and haven't heard from her since. sometimes people change their minds, and don't think to call and tell us. don't sweat it, if she does call, just tell her you're booked. next time she wants cupcakes she'll call early.
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