I have a wedding cake due in two days. We had a tasting months ago where the bride, her sister and the groom tasted 6 cakes and ordered a seventh, untasted, for the bottom tier of the wedding cake. (Marble, Cointreau, ganache)

The bride and her sister have been a PITA since go, but they booked so I tend to overlook such things.

The bride ordered a birthday cake from me a few days ago (T-minus 4 days) same as the bottom tier. I thought, "Oh no, here we go"

Long story short, the SISTER doesn't like the cake.

The wedding cake is a monster. 7 tiers, one double high, lots of detail and handmade flowers. They paid a nice chunk of change for the cake, but where does customer service end and self preservation begin?

The sister is one of those people that needs more; more liqueur, more ganache, more flowers, more curd etc etc. But she's not my client. But that didn't stop her from calling me.

The larger issue is the cake is a marbled butter cake. I wonder where you other scratch bakers stand on this since the low moisture level of a butter cake can cause problems. People are used to hyper-moist.

Butter cakes definitely need to be at room temp to be any good at all. I'm confident the cake I baked is perfect. Seriously. The sister asked if I could bake a different cake. WE'RE TWO DAYS AWAY!!!!!!!!!

I told her no, since I am 100% confident the other 249 guests will like what was baked.

Am I missing something... is there something business wise I should have done different.


After 15 years of baking, this whole situation is a first for me.

You did the right thing since she is not your customer she has no say in the flavors of the cake

What does the BRIDE want? Why is the sis interfering?

I agree that people aren't used to "Moist", they're used to "gummy."

You're two days away, no changes, don't worry about your cake. There are apparently six other flavors that the sister can shove in her pie-hole, so she doesn't get a vote.

Or should it be her Cake-hole? I have another idea about where she can shove it, but I don't think you can tell her where it is.

I talked with a lady who does wedding planning as her part time job. She said she institutes a password with her clients. If anyone besides the bride/client calls with changes, they have to give her the password ... otherwise it's 'get outta my face' time. She ran into too many issues with mom, sis, MIL, SIL, friend, little brother, favorite dog, etc., were calling her with changes and the bride knew nothing about it.

It's just so hard. I know I'm not curing disease, but it's infuriating to be told I'm not up to snuff by some blow hard. I think every person knows when they are phoning it in. I am not phoning it in with this cake (if ever). To be treated as if I am is driving me nuts.


The bride called me to say it needed more filling (ganache) and more Cointreau, but other than that it was good. So I agreed to her changes. Why wouldn't I, right? But Sis called me an hour later to tell me she thought the cake "wasn't very good" and the drama ensued.

In my life I've never been told that. I get more compliments on my marble cake than any other. Whatever.

So now, the cake is 2 days away from delivery, and after all the drama, it will be the "cake we spent $xxxx for and it sucks". Yet it doesn't suck.

I can't even wrap my head around being asked to rebake a tier.

BTW, my artsy-fartsy, goth, graphic designer cousin wanted me to name my shop "The Cake Hole"... and I seriously considered it.

Delivery is on Sunday, and I fear I haven't heard the last of it.

Jules,
Did the bride sign a contract? Maybe from now on you should include a clause that has to be initialed that reads to the effect that nothing (flavor, design, colors, flowers) can be changed at a certan number of days before the event.
Sorry this is happening to you.

Jibbies

As stated before, your contract is with the bride, not her sister. 'nuf said.

I've got my lawn chair out and the popcorn is ready if more drama unfolds!

It's going to be sunny and 86 by us on Sunday. I'll bring sunblock and an umbrella.

Just remember, she is not your client, so you do not have to talk to her, nor listen to what she has to say.

This one's gonna be better than waiting for Batman!

Theresa

That is awkward... I don't know what I would've done. I do have in my contract that no changes can be made within 30 days. BUt I do always want people to be happy. I hope you don't hear from them again

show Sis the hand and tell her "talk to your sister" and if she interfers further; call security.

What's a PITA?

A PITA is a Pain In The Ass

Theresa

Thanks!

I guess I don't understand the problem here. You have a contract with the bride that states what you will provide and what amount she will pay for it. The sister of the bride doesn't factor in anywhere in this situation. Who cares if she doesn't like it....it's not her cake! You can't please everyone.

Sounds like the sis is a control freak.

Wow what a mess. I do the 'no changes after a certain date' thing. I advise that I can add kitchen cakes after a certain date but no changes.

C'mon, within four days? That's just silly.

I mean you not only need to protect/save yourself you need to save them from themselves too. The ultimate in customer service here would be to stop the insanity.

When I book a cake I literally convincingly say, "Worry about the flowers, worry about the out of town guests, worry about whatever you want but don't worry about the cake. I will take care of everything for you."

I make it as done a deal as possible.

You didn't miss anything. The sister is being a major buttinsky and needs to shut her pie hole...er, cake hole.

OK, now that that's off my chest - LOL - I wouldn't even take anymore phone calls from the sister. The bride is the client, not the sister, and if the bride is happy with what she chose then that's all that matters.

And now you also know that if the sister calls for any orders in the future you can tell her you're booked and refuse the order. There's not enough money in the world to make it worth putting up with people like this.

i would tell the sis that you can only accept changes from the bride. to have her call you

Sounds like you need to add a line in your contract. I have that when the final payment is due that there are no longer changes in the design or cake after this point. They have to understand that your spending money to make this cake and that your not going to be able to just get rid of a seven tiered cake on the spot. You baked to what the bride ordered. End of story. I would in the nicest way possible tell the sister that "your sorry that she doesnt like the cake but this is what the bride and groom ordered and since the wedding is four days away there are no longer any changes allowed to be made." And then end it. Dont talk to her, she isnt your client. And it sounds like you have already earned above and beyond what she paid for it. And with the way today's society is, I wouldnt ass kiss your clients like that. THey are basically walking all over you for it. And your the one that is suffering. They KNOW that no one else would do this so they are taking advantage. Dont let them!
And if you have to, PM Indidebi, she is great with telling people to kiss her asfault in a professional manner!

Jules, I'm really sorry you had to deal wtih someone like that, appearently she doesn't have good taste. Like someones esle said you can't please everyone.

But if she is this envolved I'd make sure when you set the cake up you have plenty of wittness as to what it looked like before you leave, she sounds like the type to come along and mess it up on purpose just to be spitefull.

I have the faith that the Bride and her guest are going to LOVE it.

i think clients are the worst part of doing business, some of these people (i think) seriously need some medication....or perhaps a real problem....but they give us $$$...so what can you do?

waiting with baited breath...post a pic, when you tell us..."the rest of the story..."