No Feedback Driving Me Crazy!!!!!!
Decorating By midialjoje Updated 12 Jan 2007 , 5:51am by antonia74
Well, I know it's not unusual to not get feedback, but I usually send a follow up email and fairly regularly get feedback. I did my first wedding cake, though, and haven't heard anything. I sent an initial email of congrats and told her I hoped everything was to her liking (she wanted it to be a surprise and left everything up to me). Sent her a f/u email a week or so later thinking she was maybe on a honeymoon, or busy w/ the holidays, etc., but still nothing.
Just venting because I know I can't bug her anymore, but geeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. If only they knew . . . .
Obviously I'm fairly new at this, or I wouldn't be so worried about the feedback.
Thanks for listening to my vent!
Think of it this way. It would be nice to have feedback when they are happy with a cake, but sometimes I think people assume you know they were pleased. If they were unhappy and had a problem you would definitely have heard from them right away. So, I would say they were pleased and just aren't the type to call or email to say so.
I know how you feel. It's frustrating, but sometimes you'll NEVER hear anything! 
You just have to know that what went out of your kitchen was pretty and delicious! 
Back in "my day," it was considered in extremely bad taste to even forget to mail a thank-you letter for anything--much less everyone involved in any part of a wedding! That included everone--from the preacher to the servers--even the set-up people. They ALL got notes of appreciation.
And I've done a lot of wedding cakes for the cabin business. Most of the time, I never meet the brides/grooms--although I do try to make each one with a special touch just for them. My first BIG wedding though? I didn't hear anything for about 3 weeks!! DROVE ME BATTY! When I did hear, though--it was from the groom--he's another officer. It was great feedback, and I finally slept at night. 
It's part of this business--sometimes you may not hear anything.
--Knox--
Since you cannot get a reply via email, maybe make up a simple survey and drop it in the mail with a postage paid envelope. You could include a copy of your picture of the cake and possibly say that upon receipt of the completed survey, you'll send a coupon for a 10% discount on her next cake (-be sure to add a max on that disc amt) It's a long shot, but maybe she'll get the picture......
By the way, your cakes are really pretty. I wouldn't worry. I'm sure she loved it!
I had a similar situation although it was just two birthday cakes but, they were only my second "paid" cakes. A lady I worked with asked me to make a somewhat humorous 40th birthday cake and then added on a second cake for her brother in-law as well. Designs were up to me. Her husband ended up meeting me to pick them up so I never got to see her reaction. I was pretty happy with how they turned out (my time slips away and pirouline cakes) and was anxious to see what she thought. I only worked per diem, so I didn't see her for quite a while. Finally, weeks later she called me to say they loved the cakes.
It's a crazy time for a bride and so much is probably going on. Contacting you probably just slipped her mind. Remember, you are always quicker to hear when someone doesn't like something. Unfortunately, customers are quicker to complain than compliment. You'll have to go with the "no news is good news" for now.
When i got married I didnt even think to follow up with anyone! 
The thing was though that I never even met the lady who did my cake, it was part of a package deal with the reception hall. I thought the cake was great, but it just didnt occur to me to give feedback to everyone. Now that I realize how much the feedback means, I wish I had thanked everyone for a job well done. Of course I was young too!
Thanks for all the feedback. It really helps. Although.......now that you mention it, I'm sure I never sent anything or gave feedback to my cake people. I can't remember yesterday, let alone 17 years ago, but I'm sure I never would have thought about it. It was a bakery, not an individual. so it seems to me they maybe wouldn't get as much feedback (????), but sure would have done it had I known then what I know now!!!
This cake was ordered through email from the bride seeing my website, so we never talked or met either. The reason I was so curious about their response (other than just wanting to know) is because the sister of the bride has a daughter getting married in the summer and said if they were happy with this one, they'd call me for that one. Guess I'll know eventually!!
Thanks again.
Back in "my day," it was considered in extremely bad taste to even forget to mail a thank-you letter for anything--much less everyone involved in any part of a wedding! That included everone--from the preacher to the servers--even the set-up people. They ALL got notes of appreciation.
We know we're getting up there in years when we start using the "back in my day" phrase, huh?! 
I'm actually working on putting together a Wedding Workshop. Not a bridal show or fair but a "bring a pad and pencil and take notes on how to put a wedding together" seminar. One of the things I plan to include is how the wedding vendors depend on referrals and references to grow their business "....so BE SURE TO SEND THEM (at minimum) A THANK YOU NOTE to let them know how they helped make your wedding day very special."
I get so peeved at "kids today" who have no idea of proper etiquette, even on how to address an invitation (If the kids names are not on the inner envelope then they are not invited!).
OK.... I'll put my "mom finger" away now! 
Oh, IndyDebi--I know what you mean! LOL!
I'm 40, but gah! it seems sometimes that I've turned into my Mother and Aunt! It truly DOES seem that the young people of today are seriously lacking in just the most basic of "manners," not to mention good social skills we were taught in church on Sundays! I see it every day, believe me!
I came from an SSS family (serious Southern society family) and my Daddy thought I was gonna be a lawyer. I went to school for it, but I became an officer and I married one, too! Anyway, when I was a sprite, they sent me to "Letitia Baldridge's School of Etiquette for Little Girls." (And later--finishing school--for "young women.") This was an exclusive "academy" taught once yearly by Ms. Baldridge herself. She was the etiquette advisor to several U.S. President's, and on staff in the White House for years. It sure was impressive to a couple people on the old resume'. But it did teach me that "manners" is simply the art of using your talents and consideration to make others feel more comfortable.
I know there's a few cakes where I certainly would have been more "comfortable" with some good feedback! 
I love your ideas, too--I think MORE brides would benefit from some professional advice on how things should go. And you've seriously got the "professional" part down pat. Love your website and your work you've shown us!
--Knox--
Well, I guess I've been in this business waaaaaaaaaay too long.
Once the cake and the money exchange hands...Out of sight..out of mind!!
and on to the next challenge!!
I don't do many cakes and the ones I do are for pretty close friends but I often wonder why people don't give you some feedback. I worry myself sick until I hear something.
Last week I did three big sheetcakes for a retirement dinner for a doctor at the nursing home. He was my family doctor until he retired from private practice a few years ago. He had been calling at the nursing home once a week since then. When the administrator (a friend of mine) called and asked if I would do cake for 120 people for his party I was thrilled to do it. They invited me to the dinner and it was nice to sit there and get compliments on my cakes. I assured all three doctors that were there that I had removed the calories. They all laughed and then one asked if I had removed the transfat also. Told them yes, right along with the calories. Noticed that they all took big slabs.
I agree that people these days don't write thank you notes like we were taught to do 'back in the day' when I was growing up. I went to a dinner for our volunteers at our local thrift shop a year ago Christmas and my job was to make the dinner rolls. A retired minister and his wife sat at my table and bragged and bragged on my rolls. I promised to make them some and just kept putting it off. Last Sunday I was making rolls for my family and made an extra pan for them. My daughter delivered them on her way home and in two days I had the nicest thank you note from them. I saved it because I was so touched by it.
Maybe we just didn't teach our generation of kids the proper manners. I think people these days just stay in such a hurry that they don't stop and think how much someone likes to be thanked. After getting that note I promised myself that I would do more thanking of people.
Diane
Don't take the lack of feedback as a negative sign! I used to get SO antsy waiting to hear if people had liked their creations I made them and sometimes I wouldn't get a thank-you card for weeks and months afterward...if at all. I couldn't believe it took so long to hear.
But then.....I got married and slipped into that wonderful "post-wedding haze" that lasts for months and months after the big day. Like your clients, I felt like the world had stopped around me...and even some of my vendors went un-thanked for a bit too long!
It happens, but it's not personal! As others have mentioned, they wouldn't have left it even a day to let you know they weren't happy with something. They are just in the "post-wedding haze"! 
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