I had a tasting back on May 16th. Went well, said she wanted to book. Said her mother (who's in a nursing home) will be paying for the cake, can I do up an invoice and email it? No problem. I did it right away, since this wedding is July 16th. Well then she emails and says she's going to pay for it, doesn't want to burden mom. (this is a second wedding) Can she bring the check by next week? Sure no problem. Didn't hear from her. Emailed her and said, hey checking in with you; if I don't get payment I'm going to start booking your day with other cakes. She says I"m out of town (it was Memorail Weekend) be back Tuesday, will send payment. Calls me Monday after that Tuesday...at that point I'd written her off. Says what's your address again (it was on the two invoices and contract the I emailed her) I'm writing my bills today to mail out. Give her my address, she says great..will mail out today...well it's Friday...guess what hasn't been in my mail. Part of my just wants to say bite me, the other part (the part building my new business and needs wedding cakes for my portfolio) wants to "check" in again. If I do, what should I say so not to sound like I"m a collector? That's what I feel like right now. When I emailed her back at end of May I asked her if she was still interested. I mean if you dont' want the cake then don't waste my time. I'm waiting on money to place an order for her cake to be sure I get the supplies I need for it. Ugh!----thanks for letting me vent and an advice would be appreciated.

Sorry you have to go through this. I don't book a date unless I have the deposit in hand for weddings. Just make that clear for all your future brides.

I understand your wanting to do the cake, but this bride is being thoughtless. She's shown herself to be unreliable and I'll bet she's a risk for not paying her final balance on time, given that she can't even make her damn deposit.

I'd e-mail her one last time using the title: FINAL NOTICE

"It's now less than 6 weeks before your scheduled wedding date. I can no longer hold the date without the required deposit. At this point, the deposit MUST be CASH because I need to buy supplies specifically for your cake and I cannot wait for a check to clear. Please call me ASAP to set up a time to drop off the CASH deposit.

Please be advised that the final payment will be due, IN CASH, no less than XX days before the event. If final payment is not received by July X, 2010, I will retain the deposit and no cake will be provided."

Good Luck!
Rae

BlakesCakes is right on the money with that email response (no pun intended)

you will only be putting yourself in a situation for more problems if your pursue this bride for her cake business. it is her wedding & her responsibility to take care of matters like this & I feel that she most likely won't pay come wedding day & you'll be out that final $$ also.

Whatever your choose to do ... please be careful! you may get bit in the bum

this has been something that has been so hard for me, as I'm just starting my edible favors business. I want and need the business, but don't want to appear desperate.
after a tasting, I email or snail mail the bride/groom a thank you note (thank you, if you have any questions please contact me, re-iterate the deposit/payment policy). I've almost reached the point where I don't take it personally when they don't book. Next is not getting so excited when I get a tasting scheduled so that I'm not so let down when they don't book or even contact me to let me know that they're not booking with me. I realize that this is something that takes alot of time to get used to!
Good luck with your new business... your product is great, and stress free bookings will happen soon! And you (and I!) will get to the point when we're so busy that someone not booking won't bother us!

Maria

I've had a few people who swear up and down that they're going to hire me then I never hear from them again. At this point I don't bother to contact anyone after their tasting appts. I tell them that if they don't have a copy of a contract that has both of our signatures on it, theyre not booked with me. (For future reference)

I'd say to leave this alone, because if she's this much of a pain in the butt before she's even booked with you, what's it going to be like when you're tied to her because she put down a deposit? I guarantee that you'll be hunting her down for the balance. I'd also ask for cash only at this point if she does call again to see if you can still do it. It's close enough to the date now that the possibility of a bounced check is looming its head, and she's already shown that she's not the most reliable client in the world. Cash only and payment in full before you turn on the oven.

I agree with setting her free. She will be a Bridezilla and will probably want a cake that you won't want to put in your portfolio anyway.
If she somehow comes through with the deposit, then you MUST have written confirmation that is SIGNED BY HER that she understands her cake is to be PAID IN FULL two weeks before the due date, and that she forfeits her deposit if her cake is canceled...by you for non-payment or her for whatever reason. Then stick to it!

At this point I would say we needed to meet in person to sign the contract, approve the cake description and sketch and get the deposit in CASH. Remind her of the cut off date for final payment as well as reminding her that her deposit will be non refundable (this should be in your contract already) if the cake is cancelled after the final payment date due to lack of payment. Stress that if the payment is not paid on or by that date then the cake order will be cancelled and her deposit will be forfeited. No buying of any more time like what you have been going thru since the beginning of this process. Stress that you understand that life gets in the way sometimes but if she doesn't pay you by that final date then she will be out her deposit and she will have no cake from you. This is, of course, if she even agrees to meet with you now. SIGH.

Good luck with this one.

Cat

She is not your client/ buyer until she pays a deposit and signs the contract.You can't "lose her" because she is not yours now.

She's just another flake.... sorry....

I would say explain to her clearly again and get your payment all up front because from my experience it will be a lot of head ache.

At this point her wedding is just over a month away. Tell her you need the FULL payment in CASH by June 16th or she will have to find another baker.

I recomend cancelling her and booking the date for someone else. If she is this bad at paying, she'll be real trouble afterward: she'll come up with all kinds of reasons to want a full refund afterward AND a free future cake.

Sounds to mee like she's over budget and really does not have the money for anything more than twinkies.

Sandy

If she strings you along long enough & then finally gives you a check for the payment in full about 2 weeks before the wedding, you will be feeling good & she will be doing the happy dance if the check is no good. It will take about that amount of time for you to deposit the check & for the bank to send you a notice that the check bounced. The only way to cash a check is for it to be made out to you, not your business. Once in a while a bank that a customer has written a check on will give you a bank check to deposit into your bank IF the funds are in her account. I've had it happen before & these brides know they safely have 10-14 days of writing a check before a vendor will be notified of a nsf check. After the wedding, your left holding a piece of paper worth nothing, she had her cake for free and you just gave her a very nice wedding gift that you hadn't planned on.

It sounds like your heart and not your head is leading you in this decision. You don't want to leave her without a wedding cake - but she may not be as kind to you. You really need to protect yourself and listen to some of the more experienced business people here. I think we will all hate to see you get taken!!! Good Luck!!

Similar thing just happened to me. I finally sent the contract with "Cancelled" written on it to the bride & MOG who was to pay for the cake. Of course, they were very upset. The stress of trying to get supplies at the last minute just isn't worth it!!

I just spent 2 weeks chasing a bride down for final payment, after the wedding! I learned my lesson (it was my first wedding cake) and my advice would be to tell her she has 24 hours to produce a cash deposit and 7 days to produce the remainder balance in cash if the conditions are not met she needs to find another baker. I do think that at this point you at least owe her an e-mail telling her you will not be providing a cake for her as you have booked the date with a deposit from another client (whether or not you really have). I know, esy for me to say right.

I'm with pat-a-cakes. Just send her an email/make a phone call and tell her that someone wants her date and that this is your final chance to make a cash payment. If not, you're going with the other person.

And if you want, just tell her you already booked it since she is being crappy.

I'm going to wait out for today's mail..stupid I know. But I feel like that would really be a final chance. I know how I am with snail mail...I don't even have any stamps, never do. If it's not in today's mail then I'm going to email her and let her know that she has 24 hours to produce a cash deposit or I will consider the order forfeit.

Oh yea - but then her computer will be down or email account messed up. If you have her phone number, I would call.

nope not in the mail. i don't care anymore. I've got concert tickets to john mayer that night anyway...so really I think it's meant to be. I'm a baker not a payment collector. No payee no cakey!

Good for you! Have a great time at the concert

Sometimes, this is the best thing to happen, because it makes you stronger in your business for the next go around. I had a MOB contact me a month and half after a tasting quoting family illness, hardships, etc. and asking me to do the cake after all and did this in an email. I said that I still had the date open. She said oh great, thank you so much etc, I'll be in touch, I'll mail contract, deposit, etc. I never got anything in the mail....nothing....tried to get ahold of her through phone for several weeks, email...she just left me hanging.....never wrote me back saying they decided to go with someone else at the last minute. I wrote her an email on the rules of ettequite (sp.) and how rude it was of her to not even let me know that they weren't going to need my services after all....I just couldn't let it go. Since that has happened though, I have learned that unless I get a contract with a deposit in the mail......That date is WIDE OPEN and I don't even know that couple that was at the tasting until I see a check with my name on it. It's just business! Good luck to you and your business by the way, and enjoy that concert!

well well well, guess what came in the mail today! Her mother did end up paying for it. Looks like a bill pay check, no wonder it took so long! Well I guess I have a client now.

congrats!!! ok, now it looks like you have some concert tix avail.... hm.. I'm free...

Sandy

heck no sandy! I'm still going! delivery is at 4pm concert is at 7pm...pppplllleeeeenty of time! It's only a 3 tier and I've got SPS so it'll be a drop and go.