Things You Find Obnoxious?

Decorating By Paperfishies Updated 13 Jun 2011 , 6:24pm by MamaDear

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Paperfishies Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 6:41am
post #1 of 83

What are some things you always hear from clients that you find a little annoying?

I will be honest, I HATE working with buttercream when it comes to tiered cakes. HATE IT! I find fondant so easy to work with and it's so much more forgiving, if your finger accidentally rakes across the fondant it's an easy fix...With buttercream, it's kind of a pain to fix once you've already made your buttercream look flawless.

I keep hearing people say, "eww I hate fondant, no fondant." and the only thing I hear is, "I've only had that nasty pre-made fondant that's been sitting on the shelf at Hobby Lobby for God knows how long."
I almost want to charge more for buttercream tiered cakes than fondant covered cakes. That's how much a I hate buttercream, lol.


Another is when someone tries to play, "lets make a deal" with me...I'm not trying to sell you a car, so save it lady, is what I'm really wanting to say...Recently a bride came to me, she was like, "OMG best tasting cupcakes!" She wanted 250 cupcakes each with a gumpaste butterfly that had been hand painted. HA! Her jaw hit the floor when I quoted her a price.

82 replies
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scp1127 Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 7:36am
post #2 of 83

I haven't been in business long enough, so this will be a lesson for me. Hoping for lots of responses!

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tinygoose Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 9:56am
post #3 of 83

Some people charge the same for "smooth" buttercream as they do for fondant. I get why, it's almost as much work. Although I find I smooth my buttercream just as much when I add fondant, so for me fondant is still more work.

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tinygoose Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 10:07am
post #4 of 83

My biggest pet peeve is the "For a cake!!" response. So I have begun charging a lower per slice price for the cake- iced not decorated, and charge a per decorating hour for specialty cakes. Wedding cakes are still priced by the slice. Their minds seems to wrap around it a lot better. I also don't offer undecorated cakes, just don't.

I also mention that, yes while I can whip up a cake in a couple of hours, it's not a custom work of art, it's a bundt cake with a glaze. But generally my bundt cake is not why people seek me out.

Custom specialty cakes take a ton of time, they are a luxury item, much like ordering an ice sculpture, it's the skill and labor that are costly.

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newbaker55 Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 10:28am
post #5 of 83

tinygoose...totally agree w/the ice sculpture analogy.

For those who cringe at the cost of one-of-a-kind cake art ('just cake') think about how much one would pay for 'frozen water' icon_wink.gif

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Occther Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 10:58am
post #6 of 83

I agree with paperfishies. I hate trying to ice a perfect buttercream cake. I will only do fondant on wedding cakes - and tell the bride upfront. Fortunately, I only do it as a hobby and only for friends. I use Jennifer Dontz' white chocolate fondant - so it has a great taste. I always give the bride a 6" cake with buttercream and white chocolate fondant to sample during the consult. I had a bride walk into a consult and say she hated fondant. I told her that she needed to find a different decorator. She settled down and we finished the consult. (I ended up cancelling the cake anyway but I still had received any money three weeks before the wedding!! Hope she enjoyed her Walmart cake.)

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indydebi Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 11:19am
post #7 of 83

ok, on the buttercream thing, since I've done it for years and years, I can do a BC cake way faster than a fondant cake. BUT ..... ! When I ventured into fondant, I was amazed at how easy it was! icon_eek.gif What I've observed is that those who start in fondant seem to have trouble transitioning to BC .... but those who start in BC can easily transition to fondant.

Back on topic...... icon_smile.gif

The phrase that made my a$$ tired was "We're on a budget ....." (Just like all the magazines TELL them to say!).

Well, good! That makes you no different than any other bride and groom who walked thru my door! dunce.gif

Pretty much any phrase I recognized as one the magazines tell them to ask would make me give out a "big sigh!" especially when I knew they had NO idea why they were asking it and had no idea if what I was telling them was a good answer or not. I could just tell.

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jenmat Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 11:43am
post #8 of 83

some of mine:
"I know this is a little short notice but....." and then they get mad when I say no, because apparently recognizing its short notice should lengthens the week quite nicely.

"Just do whatever." Give me SOMETHING to run with, people!

"I'm not a huge cake person." Ok.... why'd you call me then? (I do have a schpeel about this, but still...)

"Nobody really eats the cake at a wedding anyway." Thanks for the compliment. (again, I have a schpeel about this too, but really...)

"Hi, this is so and so wedding planner. I have a client here who wants to come in for an appt this afternoon..." Yep, because that's going to happen.

Can't think of any more, but most of the ones lately are those that leave me walking around the house saying "YOU called ME!" As if they're doing me a favor and need not be bothered with details.
I DO love my customers, and most I can win over with some honey, but on a grouchy day (during busy season those are frequent) I don't have a lot of patience. Luckily, I can fake it really well! icon_smile.gif

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indydebi Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 12:07pm
post #9 of 83

Them:

Quote:
Originally Posted by jenmat

"Nobody really eats the cake at a wedding anyway."



Me (in a hoity toity snobby voice): Oh, obviously they've never eaten MY cake, then!" icon_twisted.gif

icon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

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jenmat Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 12:32pm
post #10 of 83
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

Them:
Quote:
Originally Posted by jenmat

"Nobody really eats the cake at a wedding anyway."

Me (in a hoity toity snobby voice): Oh, obviously they've never eaten MY cake, then!" icon_twisted.gif

icon_lol.gificon_lol.gif




Yep, that's kind of my thing too! thumbs_up.gif

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kaseynh Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 12:36pm
post #11 of 83
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

Them:
Quote:
Originally Posted by jenmat

"Nobody really eats the cake at a wedding anyway."

Me (in a hoity toity snobby voice): Oh, obviously they've never eaten MY cake, then!" icon_twisted.gif

icon_lol.gificon_lol.gif





icon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

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Chellescakes Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 12:58pm
post #12 of 83

The most recent one that I had that I found rather obnoxious was a woman wanting two different types of cake , three different fillings and tow different frostings , tried to tell me she just wanted a simple cake . icon_rolleyes.gif When I gave her a quote per serve she gasped and then tried to tell me she was a chef and could quite easily do the cake if she had access to a kitchen. I used to work as a chef so that statement doesn't fill me with awe ) icon_rolleyes.gif She then went on to tell me Michel's ( a local chain store ) will do it for such and such a price ( about half of what I had quoted ) but they won't do the flavours or the fillings . Helllllooooo what makes you think I will icon_confused.gif
after a few more minutes of her trying to negotiate my price down unsuccessfully , I told her she would be best to go with the Michel's cake .

also if the conversation starts off with , I have talked to so many decorators today , I have lost count and no one could fit me in, you just know that you don't want to do that cake. icon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

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mombabytiger Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 1:25pm
post #13 of 83

People who don't understand that if you order one dozen cupcakes and request 4 different flavors, I have to bake 100 cupcakes to get those 12.

Other than that, if they show me the money, I put up with their nonsense.

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LoveMeSomeCake615 Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 2:03pm
post #14 of 83

Them: "I need a wedding cake to serve 150 and my budget is $200."

Me: "Does not compute." icon_wink.gif

Another one:

Them: "I need a cake that looks like a 1979 Corvette."

Me: "Ok, we can do that! When do you need this cake?"

Them: "Tomorrow."

Me: icon_eek.gif

One more:

"I need a [insert any sculpted or shaped cake here] and I only want it to serve 2 people."

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indydebi Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 2:17pm
post #15 of 83

CakeMaster, big LOL on all of those! icon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

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WykdGud Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 2:26pm
post #16 of 83

I have to say that find other decorators' comments and attitudes more offensive than anything I've encountered from customers or potential customers.

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jason_kraft Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 3:19pm
post #17 of 83
Quote:
Originally Posted by WykdGud

I have to say that find other decorators' comments and attitudes more offensive than anything I've encountered from customers or potential customers.



I agree with you 100%. icon_smile.gif

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tinygoose Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 5:56pm
post #18 of 83
Quote:
Originally Posted by CakeMaster2009

Them: "I need a wedding cake to serve 150 and my budget is $200."

Me: "Does not compute." icon_wink.gif

Another one:

Them: "I need a cake that looks like a 1979 Corvette."

Me: "Ok, we can do that! When do you need this cake?"

Them: "Tomorrow."

Me: icon_eek.gif

One more:

"I need a [insert any sculpted or shaped cake here] and I only want it to serve 2 people."





Oh those are all so funny, and true.

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grama_j Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 8:02pm
post #19 of 83

" I have to say that find other decorators' comments and attitudes more offensive than anything I've encountered from customers or potential customers."

That is why it is so neat to have a board like this, with like minded people that UNDERSTAND the frustrations that we go through...... we can VENT here....... LAUGH here...... say things that we could never say to our customers........ lighten up .........

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WykdGud Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 9:02pm
post #20 of 83
Quote:
Originally Posted by grama_j

" I have to say that find other decorators' comments and attitudes more offensive than anything I've encountered from customers or potential customers."

That is why it is so neat to have a board like this, with like minded people that UNDERSTAND the frustrations that we go through...... we can VENT here....... LAUGH here...... say things that we could never say to our customers........ lighten up .........




Gosh, I wish I COULD lighten up! I've been trying to lose the last 15 lb. of baby weight for MONTHS now. icon_biggrin.gif

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grama_j Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 9:51pm
post #21 of 83

wykdgud......... It will happen ......... hang in there..... and quit eating that icing !! icon_razz.gificon_lol.gif

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Kiddiekakes Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 10:28pm
post #22 of 83

I too am like Indydebi....I can ice a cake in 10 minutes with BC ..but fondant...I hate...I can never get it super smooth and sometimes it wrinkles like an elephant.Grrrr

I too just shake my head at some customers... icon_confused.gif

"I'd like a cake for 40 people..How does $50.00 sound?"Ummm...Nope..How does the sound of my foot up your keester sound? Thinking out loud of course.... icon_rolleyes.gificon_rolleyes.gif

or..this is a good one..."Love your cakes...Not the Prices"..Really?? icon_eek.gif Too bad! You emailed me...Idiot

"I would like a 3D cake for 5 people" okay but it will still be $200.00 thumbs_up.gif but I only need it for 5...Really??

Cake Muggles...

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Coral3 Posted 7 Jun 2011 , 12:43am
post #23 of 83
Quote:
Originally Posted by jenmat

"Nobody really eats the cake at a wedding anyway." Thanks for the compliment. (again, I have a schpeel about this too, but really...)




I think I was at that wedding!... icon_biggrin.gif

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VanillaCoke Posted 7 Jun 2011 , 2:52am
post #24 of 83

Any sentence that begins with "Can't you JUST...." is going to be annoying. Or funny. Or both.

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crushed Posted 7 Jun 2011 , 3:03am
post #25 of 83

Coral3, I laughed out loud at your response!!

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yummy_in_my_tummy Posted 7 Jun 2011 , 3:18am
post #26 of 83

LOL I was just reading all of your responses to my boyfriend, and when he didn't laugh I said "You don't think that's funny?!" and he said "I do... but I hear it all day long" lol that cracked me up!!

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labmom Posted 7 Jun 2011 , 3:44am
post #27 of 83

I am sitting here laughing at the responses and can't tell you how I enjoy this topic.

There are way to many obnoxious people that come in and sit for 4 hrs and still dont know what cake that they want. Or the one that picks out the cake and then doesn't remember what it looks like when she comes to pay the final payment and you have to argue with her at the last minute that yes that is the cake that you picked out.
I am glad that I make a copy of any cake that she picks out of a book or magazine and then attach it to the order and mail one to the client as well.. but they still forget!

thank you so much everyone for such a fun topic and answers.

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YellowBrickRd Posted 7 Jun 2011 , 3:58am
post #28 of 83
Quote:
Originally Posted by newbaker55

tinygoose...totally agree w/the ice sculpture analogy.

For those who cringe at the cost of one-of-a-kind cake art ('just cake') think about how much one would pay for 'frozen water' icon_wink.gif




icon_lol.gif ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!

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VentureSister Posted 7 Jun 2011 , 4:04am
post #29 of 83

When someone tells you the flavor they want is yellow.
(sigh)

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Jmlpitbull Posted 7 Jun 2011 , 4:20am
post #30 of 83

I hate when I have cakes sitting out for pickup and people ask "How much would a cake like that cost?" I tell them it depends on the type of cake and the number of servings needed. Then they say "Well, how much did they pay for that cake?" It confuses them when I tell them "I'm sorry, that's not information I share."

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