Hello...I have a wedding cake, serving 300, for the second week of October. The bride just contacted me via email saying she over estimated servings and wants a refund for 50 servings. She paid the deposit and also paid the remainder owed (she paid it early). Do I just be a nice guy and refund or what? I am afraid that if I don't and she finds any flaw with her cake (which I am sure she will purposely look) she will demand a refund after the wedding! My husband says just refund for the 50 servings and she had better love her cake! Also if you think I should do a refund do I have to do it now? Can I wait until I see her on the wedding day? Thanks for your input! I have read many times about brides that wanted money back before the wedding (probably running short on funds) so they turned into bridezilla on the wedding day so they could get refunds...I do want to avoid that!
Sadly, it's only $150 on my end...though still alot of money to me! Contract states no refunds for cancellations.... but nothing specifically about partial refunds. There is something about final cake design due one month before wedding (so before the final payment). This "downsizing" changes the cake design (cake sizes) and it occured after the 1 month before date. Still...I don't know if I want to hold her to that (my contract seems very flimsy all the sudden!)!
As long as you are going to cut out a whole tier, i would refund the $$, for me i require full payment 2 weeks before event, with the final head count then. Up till that time i will adjust the cake, but seeing as you are talking about a wedding that is two to three weeks out yet i would go ahead and give her the money back. I would ask her when she wanted to pick up the $$.
Sadly, it's only $150 on my end...though still alot of money to me! Contract states no refunds for cancellations.... but nothing specifically about partial refunds. There is something about final cake design due one month before wedding (so before the final payment). This "downsizing" changes the cake design (cake sizes) and it occured after the 1 month before date. Still...I don't know if I want to hold her to that (my contract seems very flimsy all the sudden!)!
is she going to then try to pull the "but that's NOT the design I agreed to" refund gambit?
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it could be a lose-lose for you -- you refund, change cake design and then she goes ballistic and demands even more for change of design.
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i'd be sure to have her sign a change order for the cake specifically stating that as part of the refund she understands and accepts that the design of the cake will be altered to downsize the cake and make the refund possible.
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some wording to consider:
Changes to Order
- Any changes will affect the final cost of the cake and will be included in the amount due.
- Only the Client, the signatory on this contract, and NO other individual (e.g. mother, father, mother-in-law, father-in-law, fiancée, sibling, relative, friend, wedding planner/coordinator, etc.) is authorized to make changes to this contract.
- Any change to the overall design concept, must be submitted in writing no less than ninety (90) days before the reserved date. See Section 10: Design of Cake.
- The date of the final payment, thirty (30) days in advance of the reserved date, is the final date for any change to the number of servings required and/or the flavor(s) of the cake. When the final payment is made, the number of servings required and the flavor(s) of the cake will finalized.
- It is understood that a significant change in the number of servings required from that which was first stated as part of the original design may necessitate a change in the either the size of the cake or of the design concept to accommodate the new serving amount and that such change in the serving amount is better handled by the purchase of kitchen cakes so as to preserve the original design concept.
- All details and changes must be made in writing as an addendum to this contract and must be signed by both the contractor, <<insert name of bakery>>, and the Client. Verbal comments, phone calls, text messages, faxes, and/or emails do not constitute sufficient notification and will not be binding in any way upon <<insert name of bakery>>.
- Once final payment has been made, the order can NOT and will NOT adjusted for a smaller guest list.
- If more servings than the main cake will provide are needed unexpectedly, a kitchen cake to match the main cake in terms of layers, flavors and fillings may be made if availability permits and it is ordered at least seven (7) days before the event. The kitchen cakeâs cost will calculated at the same amount per serving as the main cake plus a $50 rush order fee. The kitchen cakeâs cost must be paid in cash, or by money order or cashierâs check within twenty-four (24) hours of the time the kitchen cake is ordered.
- <<insert name of bakery>> shall be the sole arbiter as to what constitutes a reasonable change and reserves the right to refuse those changes deemed unreasonable.
- All changes are subject to availability.
Since the change is after the one month date, say no refund, and stick to that. If she gets upset, offer to make a party cake at a later date.
Update your contract asap.
If she offers a party cake for a later date, she'll be out the same amount of money anyway. Why bother? Refusing to adjust the servings this far out from the wedding seems too rigid. I know that for my daughter's wedding we were nowhere near a firm guest count a month before the wedding.
I'd just give her the money back. Consider that you're buying a lot of good will with that. When people love the cake she'll be happy about it and give you a good recommendation. It's not like you've already baked the cake. If you have the supplies, surely you can use them for another cake.
My wedding cake contracts include specific verbiage for over-estimation, by the bride to be, on the number of servings needed. It specifically states that she cannot expect a refund if the number of servings exceeds the actual number of guests present at the reception. One bride did count the left overs and sent me an email stating that she wanted a refund for the "Wasted" cake. I politely pointed her to the section in the contract where it clearly states that no refunds are to be given if she has left over cake...and she went away.
You may still be covered by your contract considering that reducing the size of the cake by essentially 1 tier, does constitute a major change, but in this case, I don't think it would be worth the hassle of fighting it. Better to get paid on 250 servings than to have to refund the whole amount if she sues you...or refund 150 servings to keep from going to court at all. These brides are vicious little animals when it comes to getting over on their cake decorators. Someone, somewhere, told them that if they yell loud enough, we'll get scared and give them a refund!! And they try!!
A solid contract will protect you from having to refund a dime.
One bride did count the left overs and sent me an email stating that she wanted a refund for the "Wasted" cake. I politely pointed her to the section in the contract where it clearly states that no refunds are to be given if she has left over cake...and she went away.
What a nimrod!!! 
My contract states "All monies paid are non-refundable." One bride found out the hard way I was serious.
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