I delivered a wedding cake today and the maid of honer calls me as soon as i got back home and says that the bride was upset because the cake was not the color it was suppose to be and there were cracks. she said the father of the bride wants his money back. my husband said i should tell her all i can offer is 30% off the next cake she orders. it states on my web page no refunds. am i doing the right thing? my stomach is upset. this is the first time i have had someone not be happy with my work.

Did you take pictures of the cake after setting it up, so you can show that there were no cracks when the cake was delivered? Do they have pictures to show whether the cracks were really cracks or little imperfections in the surface?

With regards to the color being incorrect, are we talking they wanted a specific color and you gave them something half a shade too dark/light, or was it completely the wrong color?

If the color was truly incorrect (you made a mistake) or the cake was seriously damaged when delivered, I don't think that the "no refunds" policy listed on your website really applies. At least some refund would be in order--not just a discount on another cake. Customer service is important, if you want to continue in business.

If, on the other hand, there wasn't anything wrong with the cake, and it was what the bride ordered, you can offer what you feel is fair, from nothing to a discount on another cake.

What color was it supposed to be?
Did you get a picture?
My gut reaction is no refunds yet.

Let the dust settle.

Was the wedding today?

Call them and tell them you will come pick it up.

it was a shade darker than she asked for. i even saw that, but it was the color she asked for. i did not take any pics after i set up cause i was in a hurry. there were a few imperfections but it was covered with flowers. i made sure to that. i knew from the min i met this bride that i shouldn't do her cake but i did it anyway. now i am kicking myself for it.

it was suppose to be ivory and it was a dark ivory. i did take a pic but here at home. the wedding is today i don't know what time but it took me 7 hours to decorate this cake there is no way they are going to hold off the wedding for another 7 hours. i want to crawl into bed and cry.

One other thing I forgot to ask--do you have someone sign off on the cake when you deliver? I don't know if you are a home baker/licensed or anything, but if you aren't licensed (and your state requires it), you might have to be a little more flexible if the bride really is trouble, like you seem to be afraid. The last thing you want is for her to report you.

in Texas you don't have to be licensed as long as you don't sell to a business. so i don't. i do always ask for someone to approve the cake and today the grooms parents were there and they loved the cake the florist ( i know she doesn't matter) loved the cake. everyone who has seen it has said it was beautiful except the one person that i knew before we even got to the place of delivery that she wasnt going to like it. i knew she was going to be hard to please the day i met her.

Just call their bluff and tell them if they don't like it you will take it off their hands.

my DH said that too he said to tell them if they want a full refund then i need a full cake back. he said because she says she is not happy with it but she is still going to eat it. i just hate that she didn't like it. i am takin it a little harder than i think i should.

OMG k8memphis! i just looked at your site! now i feel even worse! you are great at what you do. i think i need a nap!

i forgot to mention i gave her more servings than she paid for because i thought it looked better.

Now wait. Those people were not celebrating the birth of a new family. They were not rejoicing in the love of thier daughter's life. They were lying in wait for you. I looked at your stuff too and you are a fine decorator.

No refund.

I mean they didn't even say I do and the maid of honor is giving you a hard time and Daddy wants a refund? What the hell kinda marriage reception is this? Was the punch too tart? Was the beef too hot or too cold the nuts too salty. This is whole lotta bs.

Like you said, this hits the old ego so just put that baby away--you took a direct hit, a double at that--ok done with that. Get out your business hat and put up your dukes.

by the way the cake in question is the pic that is my profile pic on my site. you can see it closer by clicking on it and then going to the "wedding album"

I don't think I found it but I went looking.

But I love your plan. Very much. You worked very hard for them and they are way too eager to cheat you.

I mean there certainly are reasons to refund a cake. I haven't heard any in this case.

Best of the best to you, Cake-Buddy!!!

here is the cake i did before the flowers were put on and the pic of the original cake

i don't know why my pic is doing that. but if you go to www.myspace.com/carlascakecreations and click on my profile pic and then "wedding" its the third pic.

Your cake rocks!

Ok, that cake is beautiful!!! I don't know anyone that is going to go up to a cake and say "oh my!! look how dark that color turned out!!! It doesn't match anything!!!" I think it is so sad that people put so much into having things be perfect!! It's cake people!!! Sure it is important to us because we make it and like cakebaby said we want people to love it. But it is icing, it is sugar!! it isn't always going to match exatcly!!! Can you imagine what that marriage is going to be like? Boy he better watch his p's and q's!! I think offer them a discount IF you feel like it and if ya don't then don't! Hang in there!

((Hugs))
Charlotte

I'd tell anyone who called trying to represent the bride that you need to talk to the bride directly. There was nothing wrong with your cake, maybe she was just in a snit over something else.

thank you to everyone! i do feel much better. i am defiantly not going to talk to anyone but the bride. and i am not going to give them their money back and if she doesn't want to order from me ever again well i think i would be better off that way. don't you? thank you to everyone for commenting on this for me. i just needed the opinion of like minded others.... yall are the greatest!

Your cake is wonderful, and I have a feeling they're looking (SEARCHING!) for something to complain about, to get money back (Maybe not as many cards came as they were hoping )

It's lovely.

the exact same thing happened to me the first year i was in business...they thought the ivory was to dark...wanted a refund.

they ate the cake= no refund.

did i mention it was for a wedding for dogs?

btw...that cake is lovely...you should be proud!

After SEEING the picture of the cake that you delivered... ROFLMAO... THEY WANT A WHAT?????????? That gets a laugh in their face for being so STUPID as to think that they're going to get money back for that cake. That's one of those people who complain about (pretty much everything) in the reality that someone that doesn't have enough confidence is going to cave and give you some money back.

I think it looks a shade or two lighter if anything else, in which case it'll darken by the time the reception starts so it's the exact perfect color... But seriously, there is NOTHING wrong with that cake!!! Stand by your product!! It's not like the one CCer who ordered a regular off-white ivory and got a YELLOW wedding cake delivered!!

Now, go make yourself some strawberries and a glass of champain(o.k. my splling check is off today), a bubble bath, and go relax because that cake is perfect no matter how much of a critic you want to be, they're playing off of your confidence level and DO NOT GIVE THEM THAT POWER!

I used to work at a reception hall and OMG you would not believe some of the cakes I saw delivered and how many the jokers thought it was going to serve (a cake sized for 100 was suppose to feed 300), or the brides that think "no one is going to eat cake" and only order enough cupcakes for 2/3 of the guests... The ones from professional bakers that looked like a drunk did the decorating (it's one thing to have a rough-iced cake, it's another when it's not suppose to be rough iced, and smooth).. Icing falling off the cake... Icing wilting/melting off (hint: never deliver a cream cheese iced cake at 9AM for a 7PM reception)...

The cake you made is GREAT , take it from all of us who look at cakes all day, not the cheap @$$' that want something for nothing because they don't know how to budget.

After SEEING the picture of the cake that you delivered... ROFLMAO... THEY WANT A WHAT?????????? That gets a laugh in their face for being so STUPID as to think that they're going to get money back for that cake. That's one of those people who complain about (pretty much everything) in the reality that someone that doesn't have enough confidence is going to cave and give you some money back.

I think it looks a shade or two lighter if anything else, in which case it'll darken by the time the reception starts so it's the exact perfect color... But seriously, there is NOTHING wrong with that cake!!! Stand by your product!! It's not like the one CCer who ordered a regular off-white ivory and got a YELLOW wedding cake delivered!!

Now, go make yourself some strawberries and a glass of champain(o.k. my splling check is off today), a bubble bath, and go relax because that cake is perfect no matter how much of a critic you want to be, they're playing off of your confidence level and DO NOT GIVE THEM THAT POWER!

I used to work at a reception hall and OMG you would not believe some of the cakes I saw delivered and how many the jokers thought it was going to serve (a cake sized for 100 was suppose to feed 300), or the brides that think "no one is going to eat cake" and only order enough cupcakes for 2/3 of the guests... The ones from professional bakers that looked like a drunk did the decorating (it's one thing to have a rough-iced cake, it's another when it's not suppose to be rough iced, and smooth).. Icing falling off the cake... Icing wilting/melting off (hint: never deliver a cream cheese iced cake at 9AM for a 7PM reception)...

The cake you made is GREAT , take it from all of us who look at cakes all day, not the cheap @$$' that want something for nothing because they don't know how to budget.

P.S. if the cake is THAT much of a problem... March right on in there, pick up the cake, hand them a check, and say "I stand by my product, if it is not what you ordered, then I will take it back for a 100% refund"... Then, GO, don't say a word... The thing is, it wasn't the bride calling, so take it for the drunken idiots that they are...

Btw... I did that once... I was making a cake for a friend's birthday at work... I did the cake up cute... Nothing fancy, but cute (had a little worm with birthday hat and everything)... I took it up to where everyone was meeting for lunch, then got the snobbish, "what's this for? she already had a birthday cake"...SO, I said, if that's the case, fine, I'll take it back with me (trust me, I'm at the point where I don't eat cake anymore and am over my fear of throwing it out), they suddenly got the entitlement mentality and wanted it but I just kept walking to my car, put it in and closed the hatch (rather quick/hard I might add), but I wasn't going to give it to them... I called the person it was for and told her the full non-edited situation, that I'd have it boxed up so she could take it with her home for her and the kids who would actually appreciate it, and I started to clean up my space (where my kitchen rental was)... They had people CALLING me, then they sent SIL to tray to talk me into giving them the cake... NOPE, I wasn't going to budge, they meant what they said and so did I... I did offer them all of my scraps but for some reason they couldn't bring themselves to eat somehow inferior tasting CAKE SCRAPS! .. But honestly, though PISSED, I FELT GREAT because it proved to myself that I value my work, my reputation is equal to my integrity, and I'm not doing these for S&G anymore... And the fact that I know I've got some

Is the cake in ? the hex one? Looks nice to me.
I think they are having spending remorse -- they over spent and are trying to re coupe some of their lose.
Do as you said. Offer a discound on any future order.

I wanted to leave you a private message but see no way Contact me and I'll reply.