I just had a bride that called one day after the deadline for payment of a wedding cake order. She mailed the final payment but then realized that they were having fewer guest and decreased her order by $50.00. (less one sheet cake)

I have the check and agreed to this as it was only 50 bucks. .... but now I'm thinking I need to add some details to my contract about no changes of any sort after a certian date. I'm expecting a certian pay in the end and that was part of the contract.

What do you think? Do you have such a statment on your contract.?

Yes--on my order blank it says no changes to the cake/s after the last payment but I could do kitchen cakes for additional servings.

My contract states this:

The cake to be provided by The Well Dressed Cake is described in the attached order. Any changes to this order must be made no later than thirty (30) days prior to the event date. Any changes made less than thirty (30) days prior to the event date cannot be guaranteed and will only be made at additional cost to be determined at point of change.

I would think technically, one you have a signed contract, that's it. You have an agreement to make a certain cake for a certain amount of money, and any changes would require entering into a new contract that superseeds the existing one, so you can refuse changes at any point, really.

That being said, I do tell them they can make changes up until the final due date (3 weeks prior), providing that I can accomodate them, and the final price will be adjusted accordingly. If they change sizes or shapes, and I have to rush order to have the right separators, for example, they will pay for the additional servings, and additional shipping fees. I tell them no changes after that final date, but I have made exceptions to add or reduce kitchen cakes, but no changes to the main cake. I know I have seen contracts that stipulate that there can be no reduction in the order after a certain date, like you said, you are counting on a certain income and have booked accordingly.

I would think that anything requiring a refund (less cake) after the final payment date would be unacceptable. I mean you'll still make her the cake, its just she may just have to deal with the extra cake.

Some weeks I wish I had an order decrease, but the changes are always, oh we need more cake.

I can see your point, you are counting on the money, if you don't have anything about changes in your contract I guess they could get nit picky and challenge it.


Now, I need to revise my contract too, I don't have anything about decreasing the order after final payment either

I think I'll change my contract to no decreases and increases only if time permits. My deadline is 2 weeks before but now I think I'll change it to 3 weeks.

Thanks!

One of the items in mine is that they are locked into the MINIMUM amount that they list on the contract. So the number can go up, but they can't go down. If they go down...they still have to pay. If they go up, then the price difference is added on.

All changes must be final 4 weeks prior. I've been to flexible with this in the past and sometime brides have felt the need to call me one day before the wedding for confirmations/ changes. So now, I have added the phrase "No Exceptions" because it always turns out bad for me.

They just don't get that you are doing several things, not just their project, and any last minute changes cause problems.

Why would anyone be unhappy about having too much cake? Don't they have freezers? I'd be fighting over the leftovers. People are fools.

I like to have everything locked down 3 weeks prior. I tell them they can make changes inside that 3 week window, but only after I confirm it can be done. I then tell them, "Your drop dead date is 5 days prior to the event. At the 5-day mark, you're getting what I have written down, whether you want it or not!"

I'm also basically a lazy person. If I dont' have to do all that extra work, then I don't want to. I had one bride who reduced her headcount and saved herself $800. That's a lot of food that I didn't have to prepare, transport and serve. She was awesome, though .... she split the difference with us and tipped my crew $400.

Of course, if a special food item is already ordered, then they have to take it.