So, I just finished a cake. It looked nice until I added the pink shimmer finish. Now, this is what is on the order. I remember discussing it with the bride, giving her options and this is what she chose.

I DO NOT like it. I think it looked waaay more classy in white. I also feel that as the decorator I am supposed to know better. So, is it wrong to change something on a cake when you know it looks better? Or do you just do what saith the client?

I just feel bad and wonder if she will hate it and blame me to boot.

I am seriously thinking of taking the whole thing apart and recovering it in white. I know, extreme... She may be pissed then too...

What are your thoughts on the subject?

client wins.

you gave options.

she chose

she paid (in advance hopefully)

so now you fulfill contract as specified.

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there's been lots of threads on here about how the client's tastes/artistic sense was SO lacking and down right dreadful.

but......

it's just like shopping for clothes -- I want to mix black and purple polka dots with chartreuse and teal stripes the sales clerk can't stop me -- just take the money. say thank you..

and then rag about me behind my back!

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you have the protection of the contract (this IS what you ordered!!!).

so, off to bed. buttercream and fondant dreams.

then deliver it tomorrow (?) and laugh all the way to the bank!

We complain all the time on here about customers who are in breach of their contracts.

Don't violate this couple's contract. Do what is written on the paper.

Yep. Just don't publish a pic anywhere if it is that bad.

I know, I know. I keep telling myself it's not about me but it is!

My name is on this, it's 3 days of my life. I know, I know... I am letting it go. I have done what was asked of me, I will deliver tomorrow and yes, it is already paid for.

I'm grabbing a quick snack and recharge so I can finish this last cake. And find out if I can Photoshop the color out so I can use it on my site!

Hey don't forget, they may see it and absolutely just start swoooooing over it's sickly gorgeousness. I know there are some things I would never put on a cake, do to a cake, whatever. Nor would I allow myself to be talked into them either! But, they are techniques popular all over. Hee hee!

I am PRAYING she likes it. I just hate having the feeling in my stomach, questioning myself, knowing how good it could have looked. I tried so hard on this.

I just want to assume one of those old Hollywood voices and say "you don't know what you want daaahling. Leave it to me, I make it pretty for yooooo"




Yeah, I need to go to bed!

First of all, it's really NOT all about you as the decorator.

People have different tastes. Thank goodness for that or we'd all be walking around wih the same exact pair of shoes, same hair cut and ....well picking out something to wear would certainly be less complicated because there would only be once choice.

If you hired a painter to paint the outside of your home and had spent time choosing the color combination that really called your name----how would you feel if when you came home that night he had "decided... because after all he's the painter and knows better than you" took your paint back and exchanged it for the colors HE knows to be the best???

If I was the bride, and I hired you to create the cake of my dreams for my special day and you did an overide of my choice........

You agreed to the contract every bit as much as the bride did. Respect it, respect her choices. It's her day---not yours.

While it wouldn't work in this situation (you've already added the sparkle), as a bride, I was enormously thankful that my decorator called me the day before my wedding and very gently and kindly let me know that now that she had my topper in hand, she didn't think the cake design would go with it. (She said it even more diplomatically than that.) She then offered an alternate design she thought would work better with the topper. She was absolutely right and I'm very thankful for the call, even as I was going out the door for my rehearsal.

Now, I was a pretty easy going bride who was just looked at some of her cakes and picked one I liked. Perhaps that wouldn't fly with brides who have dreamed up their own cakes.