Dallas-Fort Worth Nesties
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Crazy cupcake business on E (from TK)
Leslie - this made me think of you (mostly because of cupcakes! haha)
Re: Crazy cupcake business on E (from TK)
Bio
As I read through the first three pages (I just couldn't do it after that), it really bothered me that some of the girls were kind of saying "screw the kid". Even if you think she is over charging. I think there are better ways of handling how to handle the teenager. And she got eight flavors and it sounded like they were very happy with out they turned out. OP should have spelled out what she wanted/expected--giving someone free reign when you have a small budget is stupid and on you.
This just goes to show you/us:
1) get it in writing before you decide to use someone (you cannot enter into a contract with a minor--it will be invalidated).
2) don't use family or friends but, if you have to, get it in writing or come to a verbal agreement before the work starts.
Yea one thing I learned from the knot get a contract no matter who you are dealing with!
I agree it sounds like it was the mom saying this more then the daughter probably. If she can't afford $600 then she can't, but she needs to meet with this kid about and discuss it. This could easily turn into an email war.
<a href="http://www.thenest.com/?utm_source=ticker&utm_medium=HTML&utm_campaign=tickers" title="Home D
I agree with you Julie, they really shouldn't be able to say "screw the kid" and should pay her fairly.
However, if the 15 year old thinks she is a big time chef (enough so to charge only $50 less than a professional bakery) ... she should probably learn that in order to collect this money she should have had THEM sign a contract. Not the other way around.
I wonder if said kid will be paying taxes on her fees....
This situation makes me ill. Like, physically feel nauseous. Because it's SO easy to get there, on both sides. The biggest mistake on both parts is not having spelled it all out ahead of time.
This "baker" is going to have to take a hit. That's all there is to it. In any industry, she has to protect her "good name" above her profits, and that means taking a hit sometimes. She is charging WAY more than she should, and she'll learn. You can't charge that for labor when you're just starting out... your "labor" isn't worth as much! How much of that time was practice... trying to get a fondant shape right? A professional wouldn't charge that. She also absolutely has to give a discount for the bride having let her put her business cards out, and use the wedding as a guinea pig.
Ugh. All around, bad bad bad. And ultimately, the bride was stupid to think that she could pay someone with professional ambitions the same amount that she would spend on DIY. But at the end of the day, it's this kid and her mom that need to take the hit and move on, lesson learned. No contract, no moolah.
The funny thing is, the original invoice was for a higher amount but she gave them a "friends and family discount".
If it was me, I'd pay for the ingredients and that's it. The kid should learn to get money up front rather than bill whatever she wants on the back end. And this totally reeks of Mommy-involvement. Even if you can't "blame" the teenager, Mom is the one that fronted the money... she's an adult and really DOES know better.
Bio
Exactly my point. The B&G don't techincally owe her anything. I think a gesture of good faith (paying for ingredients) to save the relationship with the family is all that's owed. But at the end of the day, the kid (read: her Mom) doesn't have a leg to stand on over all of this.
Bio
I agree 100%, I think she should pay for the ingredients (but only what is proved with a receipt). I really think this is the mom not the child doing this which makes it even worse.
What bothers me the most is that the bride keeps saying "I thought this", "I assumed that", etc. Why didn't you discuss these thoughts with the girl before having her make the cupcakes? She absolutely should pay for the ingredients, but I think the labor is a bit silly since neither of them discussed this prior.
Michelle & Michael
Married - August '10
TTC - Since September 2011
I agree that this should have been in writing. I also think that they should show the receipts for the ingredients, B&G should pay that and call it a day.
Bio Good Times
I was busy making cake yesterday (fitting) so I am just now seeing this. 250 cupcakes at $600 works out to $2.40 a cupcake. $625 works out to $2.50 a cupcake. Bakery cupcakes sell for $2.50-$4 per cupcake, Illinois is a lower cost of living area, so I would make the assumption that bakeries are selling for about $2.50 a cupcake. If she spent $425 on ingredients, she is an idiot, but she is also 15, so whatevs.
$250 is too little in my opinion but I also know how much effort goes into this. That being said, they should have had a contract and shame on the girl baking the cupcakes for not creating one. If you want to charge prices like a professional, be a professional and get a contract. B&G owe nothing here and this will be a very expensive life lesson for the girl who "wants to go to culinary school"...or more accurately, her parents.
I just started reading but I already think Dazey Abbey had the best idea: "Sorry, this is all I can afford, in the future, make sure you get everything in writing, best of luck."
I work for attorneys and the things grown adult professionals do not put in writing never ceases to amaze me.
With All the Trimmings
Just do it!