grumpy young bride

[jaina]

Yep, you guessed it, more wedding whingeing. (Sounds better than whining.) I was all happy from finally booking a photographer and a florist, but now I'm bogged down in cake issues.

A few months back Rogue and I went to a little bridal fair in Carlsbad where we tasted some *really* great banana cake made by a place called Kathy's Cakes. I took a flyer and made a note to keep them in mind when we got started cake-tasting.

I finally made an appointment for this past Saturday at 1. Rogue of course came with me, and my brother and dad were in town so they tagged along as well (because hey, free cake!). I made sure to let the bakery know ahead of time that there would be four of us. When we got there, we were met by an older guy who didn't look exactly happy to see us. He said something about another appointment at the same time as us, and that he would help us. He pulled down a couple of binders full of cake pictures and explained the pricing scheme. Then he disappeared and came back with a plastic container of cake samples and told us what they were. All of his explanations seemed really tired, disinterested, like it was a tremendous effort for him to be telling us these things.

Meanwhile, the other appointment arrived, and she got to talk to a girl who appeared to be one of their bakers/decorators. They were actually having a discussion about her cake and what she wanted; the girl had out cardboard circles representing the sizes of the layers and was explaining them to her. Meanwhile, our guy was sitting at his computer not paying much attention to us at all. Eventually, after we'd looked at all the cake pictures and it seemed clear the guy wasn't going to be of any more help, we left.

Had this been some random bakery, and not one whose cake we'd already tasted and loved, I would have written them off without a second thought. But their banana cake was absolutely to die for and I haven't seen another bakery that makes banana. So I figured I'd email them again and ask if I could make an appointment specifically with Kathy, and maybe this time I could actually have a decent discussion. I suggested Sunday as a possible date because Dad and Sean are still here on Saturday, and because I couldn't find their hours listed on their website so I had no idea when they were open or closed. This was the response (from the same guy who "helped" us on Saturday; apparently he answers all their email):

SUNDAY is the day we try to rest and recoup for another 6 day week
of cakes. In other words, we are closed.

If you want to spend an hour with Kathy, it will have to be any day
or time during the week when things are slower and less hectic.

Let me know if there is a time that will work for you.

Then a few minutes later he sends another email:

Kathy says that she is so busy this summer, the only time she can
give bride's special attention is Monday and Tuesday up till 5 p.m.

Let us know when or if you can work with this schedule.

I didn't think it would be such a big deal to want to talk to Kathy. Other brides on the San Diego wedding message board I visit have mentioned talking with her about their cakes. I didn't want to seem like I was looking for "special attention," I just wanted to actually talk to someone who would be baking and/or decorating my cake. At any rate, weekdays during business hours are really sucky times for me to have appointments, since it's a half-hour bus ride to campus, then it's another half-hour from my house to their shop.

So at this point I'm trying to decide if it's still worth it to be pursuing this particular bakery. Their cake is great, but IMO this has been really shoddy service.

Am I being unreasonable for asking to meet people on evenings or weekends? Is it just expected that you're going to have to take a half-day of work to meet with vendors? So far I've been able to make weekend appointments or weekday appointments around 6 or 7, but...

Ack. :( And it was all going so well.

Told you it was long.

Comments

[schneck128.livejournal.com]

I think i would try and call the place on Mon or Tues and try and speak to Kathy directly. The problem sounds like it's just this asshat. If you can't get her on the phone, maybe it is more trouble than it's worth.

i love your new comment linky words thingys. you know what I mean.

[brightcupenny.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, I think the asshat is her husband. Which makes things rather more difficult. I'm putting off appointments for now until my car is better...

[sonata960.livejournal.com]

I would probably walk - there has got to be another cake vendor that makes some different yet really scrumptious cake who would actually act interested in your business. You don't want to be stressing out on the wedding day, worrying that somehow something was going to get screwed up. One thing I'm so glad about is that we liked all of our vendors *a lot* (as people, too, even though it's the evil wedding industrial complex and all that) and therefore I was really relaxed on the actual day that everything would go well.

[brightcupenny.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's definitely on my mind. The florist and photographer I picked weren't the cheapest we interviewed-- they were the people I clicked with, the people I felt comfortable with, the people I spent an hour talking to like I'd known them forever. Unfortunately I'm not as comfortable with our location people...although we do have a new girl we're dealing with and she seems much nicer than the old girl was. As long as we pay them what they ask, they'll probably do well enough.

[wendyhouse.livejournal.com]

I agree that you should try calling and talking to Kathy directly.
However, it is sad but true that most bridal stuff is a business, and is going to happen during business hours. Especially things like cakes and florists, where you kinda have to go to them, I think you're going to have to bite the bullet and dedicate days to it - though weekend days ought to be doable.

Things like photographers, DJs, stuff where their work is a portfolio that they can carry, you will probably have better luck arranging off-hour appointments at mutually convenient locations.

luck, sweetness!!

[brightcupenny.livejournal.com]

They seemed really busy on Saturday-- and the guy seemed grumpy that we were there, even though he was the one who had offered 1pm as an appointment time. Grrr. Oh well, once my car is better I'll just start making more cake appointments. Except it's gonna have to wait till June because we're out of town Memorial Day weekend and grrrr...I just want to get this taken care of!

[ueberx.livejournal.com]

I would have been somewhat rude, or at least made snide comments to the disinterested fellow. But that's just the sort of way I might take my vengeance. *Whistles innocently*

And no, it's not special attention to ask to meet with someone that actually wants to do the job, or at least is good at doing it.

[brightcupenny.livejournal.com]

Toward the end I was getting pretty snippy...but he didn't seem to care. Alas. It's no fun when they don't respond.

[lily-advance.livejournal.com]

gotta agree with that last; my reply to this guys' emails would have been something like, 'since you clearly didn't have the time or energy to speak with us, why don't YOU take the time off that Kathy seems to need so much. And mention to Kathy before you go that your attitude spoils some very good cakes.'

But that aside, if you try again and can't get Kathy to just chat with directly, I'd just give up.

[brightcupenny.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the input. :) I would hate to give up on their yummy cake, but Sue's point is well taken-- I want to have confidence in my vendors and feel comfortable with them. I think I'll give Kathy one more shot, and if I still get nowhere, then I'll have to look elsewhere.

[hlynn.livejournal.com]

Chiming in a bit late, but considering their website says:

"Kathy's Cakes provides a full line of custom, classic wedding cakes. Each bride is given an individual consultation and cake tasting session at our facility, and is treated with the utmost care and consideration for her individual needs.

You can't get a Kathy's Cake until you order it, because at Kathy's, there are no pre-maid[sic] cakes. All Kathy's Cakes are a unique shared experience, from the delicious sample tasting to choosing a final design."

Call Kathy and say you want your individual consultation in the same way as the woman who came after you, not a guy shoving a couple binders and cake samples at you then walking off to play around on the computer. Explain why you want her to do the cake, and how you don't want to be treated special, just the same as everyone else. Besides that, you arrived first, so you should've been helped first. If she's too busy to give individual consultations to everyone, then she should stop having that as her policy. Not to mention putting the store hours on the site, so people can plan accordingly, and fixing the spelling mistake.

Either way, she wants your business, and make it known that you want her to have it. If a second visit doesn't pan out, then at least you tried.

[brightcupenny.livejournal.com]

Thanks Heather. :) I was surprised they didn't have their hours on their website.

I'd call, but I'm really quite afraid that this guy answers their phones in addition to answering their email, and I just don't want to deal with him. *sigh* Sometimes this wedding planning stuff just sucks.

[anirt.livejournal.com]

Have Rogue call if can't be bothered might not remember Rogue? Which, if he was at his computer, he probably wouldn't. BTW, I think it's odd that the Kathy's site implies the cake has to be the bride's responsibility alone...but maybe that's just 'cause I haven't done this yet. It's not like you're either a) marrying yourself or b) marrying another bride -- there is a groom.

[anirt.livejournal.com]

OK, I'm replying to myself -- my above comment was based on the quotes from Heather, not viewing the site. But even viewing the site, the guy still seems like an afterthought. ("Oh, btw, grooms aren't neglected.")

[nmissi.livejournal.com]

I don't know how I missed this posting the first time around- but I just happened across it a few minutes ago.

Honey, you got lousy client service. And odds are, you'll continue to do so. IMO, you keep trying other caterers. Banana cake isn't that hard, anyone can do it- you tell them what you'd like, they make it. tres simple.

When I do a cake tasting, the potential client comes to my home. They eat prettily frosted cupcakes in flavors they've previously selected from my brochure. They leaf through my idea book, and show me any pictures they may have brought with them. I usually offer tea or coffee, and I use good china to serve.

A typical consultation lasts anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour, and covers pricing, styles, and contracts. I do these consultations free of charge, but some more profitable cake artists charge a flat fee for a tasting. If you choose them, it is applied to your total cake cost. I still have to do mine free, because I've not been at this for all that long and don't have as strong a reputation.

At any rate, you can get a good cake elsewhere- and you won't have to put up with disrespect. I'd look on his attitude towards you as a harbinger of things to come, as a sign. Go elsewhere. :)