(sorry for the double post, is there a character limit?)
...I stepped into the marquee to see a barman holding the top tier trying to balance the few cakes that had wire toppers, a waitress on her hands and knees picking up cupcakes off the floor and.... a little boy looking sheepish holding a FOOTBALL!!!
I couldn't believe it In ordinary circumstances I'd have burst into tiers but I think the champagne must've steadied my nerves because I quickly removed the damaged cupcakes, replaced the top tier and spread the remaining cupcakes out so you couldn't tell about 10 had been lost.
I then turned and gave the boy a death stare
I politely asked his Mother not to let him play with his ball in a small marquee that contained cakes, dj equipment and a bar stacked with glass wear - she said 'yeah' then walked off and left him playing!!!!
I told him myself not to kick the ball anymore and luckily he didn't but I couldn't believe it! Who let's their kid do that?? You wouldn't let him do it in some one else's house so why in their wedding marquee??
Anyway, I could rant all day about that. I'm just so glad that the couple chose cupcakes and that I was there to fix it - can you imagine if it had been a 4 tier cake covered in sugar flowers??
We didn't mention anything to the Bride on the day and I'm still not sure if she knows now. But I certainly hope that once the boy's mother sobered up (!) she was mortified at what her Boy had done!!
Wow, that got a bit long - sorry!
Claire x
If that had been her (the mother of the football boy) wedding and someone's kid was doing that she would have turned into a raving wild woman.. too bad she doesn't have the same respect for someone else's party/property/wedding...
Really can't place much of the blame on the child, I'm sure he's doing what he's been allowed to do all his life.-and seen played out by the 'adults' in his life. Sad.
It sounds like you handled it well and were professional about it. I frankly would have taken the football away and told the kid he could have it back at the end of the night.
That mom sounds like a real winner!
Found Part 2! Wow, thank goodness you were able to salvage most of the cupcakes!! I love that you credit the champagne..hehe.
As for the boy's mother, she was likely very embarassed and possibly acted like it wasn't a big deal to save face but I'm not trying to let her off the hook ....just trying to find a way to explain why someone would not take it seriously??? I would have been livid!!!!
I just saw that same cupcake stand at my local cake supply store. Do you like it? I wasn't sure because it had I believe on the outer rim the indentations for the cupcakes. I wasn't sure if I would like that. But your presentation looked very good.
I would have definitely taken the ball...
The tower is beautiful the black and white on the glass present it so well.
Motta, please don't offer excuses for the mother. She is an ill-mannered cow. She should have been apologizing to the baker and anyone one else within earshot, and the bride and groom. Ditto for the son.
Great save. But, I am not sure I would have been so nice. There was a similar brat at the last wedding cake that I deliver. He thought it was cute to run out in front of me while I was trying to carry the cake in. The adults just ignored him. And then we wonder why kids get into so much trouble!!
At my niece's wedding, I was admiring the wedding cake when several little girls (groom's side, so I didn't know them) decided to run in and out and around the tables. Before I could say anything, they smacked into the cake table and flipped the satellite wedding cakes onto the floor at my feet. I'm not even sure their parents knew about it.
The bride was very gracious, and accepted the venue's replacement of cheesecakes. (What else could she do?) I was ticked off. I wanted wedding cake.
Do kids really belong at weddings?
I already said this somewhere tonight, but..
some people's children (or parents)!
sigh.....
At my niece's wedding, I was admiring the wedding cake when several little girls (groom's side, so I didn't know them) decided to run in and out and around the tables. Before I could say anything, they smacked into the cake table and flipped the satellite wedding cakes onto the floor at my feet. I'm not even sure their parents knew about it.
The bride was very gracious, and accepted the venue's replacement of cheesecakes. (What else could she do?) I was ticked off. I wanted wedding cake.
Do kids really belong at weddings?
I have lost track of the number of times I've told children to stop running around the cake/catering tables. I mean REALLY??!??? Where is it written when you're in a public place you turn them loose and whatever they do is not your responsiblity?? We're swallow way too much rudeness anymore. The venue should have charged the kid's parents for those replacements.
WOW!! I would have been so mad...geez! And for the mother to act that way, goodness! Champagne saved her from an ear full I bet=) hehehe I know me and it would not have been good that ball would have been taken and "taken care of" LOL!!! Thank goodness it was somewhat salvagable
I was at a wedding a couple months ago where a relative of the bride brought her little kids and after dinner they were running around the whole room between tables and stuff like they owned the place. I think they were the only kids there, at least at a young age. They were the ring bearer and flower girl, come to think of it....otherwise, it was specified to be an "adult only" reception.
Anyway....
I definitely would have confiscated the ball.
(Speaking of which...whoever came up with the idea that toddlers should be ring bearers and flower girls??? I've seen some cute ones but goodness....half the time it seems like they are just little brats that disturb the wedding...am I being harsh? I feel that if you don't think your child can obey instructions and quietly do their "job" in the wedding, that you should not allow the child to have the honor of being in that position...just sayin'...sorry for the rabbit trail!)
I was at a wedding a couple months ago where a relative of the bride brought her little kids and after dinner they were running around the whole room between tables and stuff like they owned the place. I think they were the only kids there, at least at a young age. They were the ring bearer and flower girl, come to think of it....otherwise, it was specified to be an "adult only" reception.
Anyway....
I definitely would have confiscated the ball.
(Speaking of which...whoever came up with the idea that toddlers should be ring bearers and flower girls??? I've seen some cute ones but goodness....half the time it seems like they are just little brats that disturb the wedding...am I being harsh? I feel that if you don't think your child can obey instructions and quietly do their "job" in the wedding, that you should not allow the child to have the honor of being in that position...just sayin'...sorry for the rabbit trail!)
No, you're not being too harsh. I totally agree. I think using tiny little ones in a wedding is a huge distraction. They're usually terrorized and they just hold up the ceremony. I'm not a big fan of children at weddings unless they're old enough to be well behaved and polite. It's not the place you take your kids to teach them how to act at a formal event.
My sister's wedding - the family was setting up the reception which included me setting up not just my first wedding cake, but my first ever tiered cake. My sister's son and the groom's daughter, ages 10 & 7 at the time, along with my ex's daughter, then age 8, were playing out of the way and otherwise behaving. I got the cake set up, admired it, and went to help my mom with whatever else was going on. The kids had strict instructions from all their parents to stay out of the way and not to go anywhere near the cake table.
I heard giggling and such from the cake side of the room and looked over in horror to see them running around full-tilt right by the cake table.
Now, I don't holler. I'm really, really low-key, most especially with kids. Usually the "mom look" is enough to get the message across.
So when I busted out the dreaded first-middle-and-last-name admonishment (you know what I mean - when you KNOW you're in trouble!) at a fairly high volume, all three kids stopped in their tracks and looked like they might soil themselves.
THEN my sister came *flying* into the room from getting photos taken outside, white dress and all, veil streaming behind her, eyes shooting fire (I swear, I saw fire coming straight out of her eyes!). First-middle-lastname to her two charges, "WHAT DID YOU DO???" I was scared, and I hadn't done anything wrong!
The children were mortified, and didn't go anywhere near the cake table until it was time to eat cake.
I feel bad for kids at most weddings. There's not much there for them to do, they get bored easily, and even the most well-behaved children act up when they're bored and in uncomfortable clothing.
But that's why parents (and otherwise mild mannered aunts!) need to do their jobs and teach the kids what isn't acceptable behavior. Obviously the woman in the OP's story couldn't be bothered to do her damn job.
Piccolo: "I feel bad for kids at most weddings. There's not much there for them to do, they get bored easily, and even the most well-behaved children act up when they're bored and in uncomfortable clothing."
And that's why parents should plan ahead, if they MUST bring the kids, and provide quiet time activities. A pre-wedding trip to the dollar store is worthwhile; or bring video games; coloring book and crayons; snacks or special treats--diversionary tactics. Keep 'em busy and, for heaven's sake, supervise them closely.
At the wedding for my first wedding cake, the couple set up a small side room with dvds, games, etc. for the kids. What a nice gesture.
Piccolo: "I feel bad for kids at most weddings. There's not much there for them to do, they get bored easily, and even the most well-behaved children act up when they're bored and in uncomfortable clothing."
And that's why parents should plan ahead, if they MUST bring the kids, and provide quiet time activities. A pre-wedding trip to the dollar store is worthwhile; or bring video games; coloring book and crayons; snacks or special treats--diversionary tactics. Keep 'em busy and, for heaven's sake, supervise them closely.
A wedding I went to recently had LOTS of small children...mostly boys no less.. and they were, to put it mildly...running wild.
They were running full tilt up and down the stairs of the old mansion, hollering and screaming. My husband went out to the courtyard and saw one of them peeing in the flower beds.
My daughter insisted on no children at her wedding and it was lovely.
I think if children are invited or are in the wedding party there needs to be a babysitter on hand as well as the DVD's and games and such.
I was just recently at a very small cake contest only about 7 cakes (adults) and 7 cakes (kids). Since there was a kids catergory, there were a lot of kids in attendance. The cakes were all set up and the kids just could not stop running around and bumping the table, some even decided that it was appropriate to bounce a ballon around in the air to each other right by my cake (and the others). I point out my cake though because I had put a magnolia flower made of gumpaste at the bottom edge and had attached it at the show so it was not quite dry and I was holding my breath the way it was praying that it would not fall off. (I have nothing against kids, I have 3 boys...one of which is 3 and he was there...behaving). I did not want to be a "mean person" so I said nothing. Finally, a young woman who had also entered a cake, told the kids to get away from the tables and if they needed to play to go to another area....she also gave the very appropriate death stare at the time of her speech....they listened for the most part thank goodness!
I was going to say why would their parents not tell them to behave but (this is no excuse) they do not realize how much time, money and effort are put into the cakes people make. Oh, its just cake, whats the big deal. I look at these cakes and I see Picasso like artwork.
Suzi
Often, when parents take their children to events where "someone" is in charge, the parents assume the "someone" is also in charge of controlling their kids. Did you ever hear a parent say "that lady is going to yell at you if you don't listen" to their own bratty kids? It's just easier for them to let someone else take responsibility.
Suzi-
The issue isn't that the cakes took a long time to create. Kids shouldn't be allowed to play anywhere near an event of that type is being held.
And I would have caught the balloon and popped it.
I had to shoo a youngster using a hula hoop away from my last cake! And the parents didn't even batt an eye. AARGH
It seems like once a day, I have to ask kids not to pick up the display cakes in the window. aghhh!!
I used to keep my mouth shut, but I dont have "extra time" to fix things things that shouldn't have been broken in the first place! Now, I ask them very nicely to please not touch! And 90% of the time the parents do nothing!!
Sorry for venting
I went a wedding where kids were in the wedding party but as soon as there part was over to the baby sitter they went. I thought it was very smart.
At my wedding we had a cupcake cake and half way through lunch before the cake pics were taken I see 3 kids running around with cupcakes!!! Now granted we only had 2 dozen caupcakes total so very small and informal but I was so frustrated maily because the kicker was my mother in law was the one that gave the kids permission!!!
Thank goodness by this point I was so over it (the whole wedding in general it was just so stressful) that just one good look at my MIL made me feel better and now I can laugh about it.
that is just insane...In places like that my son (6) isn't even allowed to walk around...He has to stay right beside me and sit down or we can go home. (Which he's so smart sometimes he tries it so that we get to go home...lol)
Anyways it just amazes me how stupid some parents are.
Sounds like you made a great save...I hope you still had plenty of cake to go around
You saw a little boy with a sheepish look...so you gave him a 'death stare'?
Sounds a bit harsh on your part. If you had said you saw a little boy with a malicious sneer, I'd understand.
You had to spend a few minutes fixing some cupcakes, but you may have given that little boy a whole day's worth, perhaps more, of embarrassment and feeling like crap.
Let's try to remember who the adults are. Adults have the capacity to wound much harsher than a few messed up cupcakes.
One question, what's the deal with all this lackadaisical parenting today? I love kids but sometimes (when I see kids running amuck and the parents have no control) I ask myself, who is raising whom?
Ok, so maybe that was two questions.
that stare scared him enough to know not to do that no more. and if that stare made him feel like crap, he would have went somewhere and cried or run screaming to his mamma. instead he continued to play. So how can that harm a child. I gave hard stares at kids and they sometimes looked at me as if to say what is wrong with you? one the funny side i remember when i was a child, acting up, my grandmother gave me a so called death stare and i kidd you not, she was looking at me through the garage window and the window broke! i just stood there wondering what in the world! it did not harm me in any way. i knew not to cut up no more.
I would have out and out told him to take his ball outside and shouldn't be playing with it in there. And if he was my kid....I would have made sure he not only apologized but offered to help clean up, then he would have been carted out of there and disciplined.
I'm of the opinion that adults should be a bit less concerned about bruising kids' feelings and more concerned with discipline.
Not that anybody asked me. I'm grumpy today.
I agree with karateka about the feelings vs. discipline
I am only 23 my oldest brother is 27 and I can remember my mom telling me that when he was a little it was not unusual for a stranger to offer to spank your child. Just like in the old days, if a child needed discipling and the parent wasn't around they got it anyways.
Don't even get me started on discipline with kids these days. My hubby is a school teacher, and the kids these days "can do no wrong". It's never their fault, and the parents never take responsibility for them. It's always one excuse after another. I get so tired of seeing parents coddling their kids and not disciplining them when they should.
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