Terms and Conditions of Sale. 

 

Please read carefully (as detailed below), the terms and conditions for ordering and purchasing from Emma-Lou Cakes. 

On payment of your deposit it is deemed that you have read and understood these terms and conditions and that in placing your order the terms and conditions apply to it. 

If you are unclear or do not understand anything then please ask about it.  

 

Please note that nothing written here affects your statutory rights as a consumer. 

 

Portion Guide  

 

Our portion guides are intended as a guide only. Number of portions from each cake will very much depend on who cuts and how each cake is cut.  We are happy to advise you on this matter during the consultation and ordering process. 

 

Timescales 

 

We require 3 months notice for wedding cakes and 2 weeks notice for celebration cakes. 

Should you not provide us with this notice period, we will of course try to do everything we can to accommodate your request.  Please be aware that we do work to maximum number of cakes per week and that the quality of our products is far more important to us than the quantity we can produce. 

 

Check Your Order 

 

The responsibility to check the order forms and details lies with you the customer.  We will, of course, take every measure possible to check our order and your details therein.  Where errors are made on the order form, i.e. wrong date, spellings etc, the responsibility lies firmly with the customer. 

  

Payment Conditions & Prices 

 

All our prices are non-negotiable and are priced according to your exact design and the size of your cake.  

Following your consultation / enquiry, your quote is valid for up to 1 month (Wedding Cakes) or 14 Days (Celebration Cakes). Paying your deposit will secure this price & the slot in the diary.  

 

Deposits and Payments 

 

Once an order form is completed and all details are checked, by you, the customer,a deposit is required.   

 

A non-refundable, non-transferrable 50% deposit (total of the cake & delivery price) is required in order to secure the commission of your cake and chosen date with Emma~Lou Cakes.  

 

If the deposit is not paid within 1 month (for wedding cakes) or 14 days (for celebration cakes) of the quote date, we reserve the right to cancel any previous arrangements.  

 

The order is only confirmed on receipt of the deposit and no guarantees are given on availability until the deposit has been paid. 

 

Method of Payment for Deposits and Outstanding Balances 

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Deposits, Full Payment and Balance Payments 

 

Full or balance payment should be made by bank transfer to Emma~Lou Cakes (details on request). Please email us at EmmaLouCakes@hotmail.com with confirmation of transfer in order to prompt acknowledgement of the payment.  

 

Timing of Full and Balance Payments 

 

Full or balance payment for your wedding cake is required no later than 7 days before the collection/delivery. It is your responsibility to remember to send this payment, as a reminder invoice is not issued.  

Final payment for your celebration cake can be made on the day of collection (Same day bank transfer or cash).  

If full payment is not received and cleared in our account before cake collection / delivery then the order will not be released. 

We retain the right to cancel the booking in very unusual circumstances beyond our control, such as fire or ill health, during which we will refund any money taken in full. 

 

Cancellation of Order 

 

If you needs to cancel your order Emma~Lou Cakes reserve the right to retain the non refundable 50% deposit.  

If cancellation takes place less than 14 days before the event then Emma ~Lou Cakes also reserve the right to seek 100% of the order value.  

Cancellation must be made in writing (by letter or email) to Emma~Lou Cakes and will only be deemed to take effect from the date your letter/email is received at our premises.  

If you, the customer has to postpone your event, Emma ~Lou Cakes will endeavour to transfer your order providing the date where possible.  If it is not possible for us to meet the new time and date for your purchase, it will be treated as a cancellation (refer to cancellation notes above).  

 

Allergies and Special Dietary Requirements 

 

If you or any of your guests have special dietary requirements, please let us know during consultation and ordering process.  

Emma~Lou Cakes prides itself in making gluten free, egg free, dairy free and alcohol free cakes. 

 

Please be aware that although ingredients such as nuts can be removed from the cakes, they are still used in our kitchen so we cannot guarantee that any of our cakes are completely free from nut traces. 

 

Design Alteration, Variation & Changes 

 

It is your responsibility to read and check our quote to you thoroughly.  If you want to make any amendments to the original design you should do so in writing to us at Emma~Lou Cakes.  

If requested, we will of course endeavour to make the adjustments asked for if possible. 

On some occasions the requested changes will not be possible due to the nature of the request or amount of notice given.  

If the alteration is achievable and affects the cost, or preparation work for the original design that has already been undertaken, then the cost of your order balance will be adjusted accordingly. Please warn us when you pay your deposit if you are undecided on the design.  

We further reserve the right to change the design at any point if circumstances beyond our control, may compromise the quality of the finished cake, e.g. Melting due to weather.  

Emma~Lou Cakes makes every effort to ensure consistency.  As each order is individually made by hand, a small amount of variation may occur from the design requested or photograph supplied.  

 

Using Products Subject to Weather and Temperature Conditions 

 

When designing your cake we will make recommendations for the mediums we can use based on the time of year, design of the cake, anticipated weather conditions and temperatures etc.   

For example we would not recommend the use of a lot of chocolate based deception in the high summer season as if the weather is too hot it will simply melt, same for a high content of buttercream and fresh creams.   

Emma~Lou Cakes will not accept responsibility for any melting of cakes using mediums that have been advised against as per these terms and conditions.  Once a cake has left our possession we have no control over the environment or venue temperatures.  

We will advise you of our best practices during the consultation for design suggesting those that are less less susceptible to melting and ultimately do everything within our control to reduce the impact on the cake. 

 

Delivery Conditions and Charges 

 

Delivery charges will vary and are calculated on a mileage and time basis.  

You can choose to collect your order from our premises. 

 

If your cake(s) are to be delivered by us they remain the responsibility of Emma~Lou Cakes whilst in transit and it is our intention that your cake will be delivered in perfect condition prior to the start of your event.  Where any damages in transit occur, it remains the responsibility of Emma~Lou Cakes to make good that damage.  If this is not possible, for what ever reason, a reduction or refund will be given. 

 

If you choose the delivery option, we ask for patience with factors that are beyond our control (e.g. traffic conditions, weather and such like), as we cannot be held liable for delays beyond our control.  

 

It is your responsibility to ensure you inform us of your correct ceremony and/or event time plus the postcode of the venue. In the event of late delivery of your order, only the maximum compensation of the delivery price will be refunded. 

On arrival at the venue we require a nominated responsible person, to check that they are happy with the cake before we leave.  

We cannot be held liable for any damage that is rendered to the cake at the venue once we have left the premises.  

 

Cake Setup 

 

It is the customers responsibility to ensure that all arrangements are made for a cake table, linen, cake stand & knife are already set up at the venue prior to the delivery and arrival of the cake at the venue.   

If this is not the case and delays are incurred Emma~Lou Cakes reserve the right to charge a rate for time and labour costs of £20 per hour.  

You may want to make arrangements please arrange for the venue staff to assemble and move your cake into position. As stated previously, we require a nominated responsible person, to check that they are happy with the cake before we leave.  

Extra care must be taken at any venue where flooring may be uneven or unstable, e.g. older buildings, or outdoor venues etc.  

We will remove all cake boxes from the venue unless other wise advised to do so.  This means we ensure we leave the site of the cake and surrounding venue area as neat and as tidy as possible.  

 

Hire of Cake Stands and Accessories 

 

Emma~Lou Cakes does have a number of various styles of cake stands and accessories for hire if you require them. 

 

The Deposit is the full price of the replacement of the item, which is fully refunded on return of the item in good working order/condition. 

 

At the time you return the hired items you will be charged the hire fee of £5.00 per day for the cake stands and £3.00 per day for associated items such as cake knives and cake slices etc. 

Please make arrangements to ensure items hired are safely returned to us within 7 days of the cake release.  (Especially if you are going away on honeymoon).  

Any items not returned to us within 14 days of the date f your event will deemed to be ‘not returned’ and no refunds will be made after this time. 

 

Collection 

 

If you are collecting and transporting the cake(s) yourself, we will not be held liable for any damage to the cake once it has left our premises. Tiered cakes are most at risk during transport.  We do give advice in respect of transit that is built on years of experience of cake transportation. 

 

It is highly recommend you check your wedding insurance covers cake damage.  

To ensure your cake is as fresh as possible, we recommend it be collected the day before the wedding.  

Late requests for delivery (after securing the booking based on collection) will be accommodated where possible, but cannot be guaranteed, as earlier delivery commitments must take priority.  

 

On collection of your cake order and upon leaving our premises, the responsibility for the cake(s) passes to you the customer.  Emma~Lou Cakes are not responsible or liable for any “in transit” damage. 

 

A flat surface is required to retain the stability of the cake(s) and where possible cake(s) should be secured to remove the risk of any movement/sliding whilst in transit. 

 

Damage 

 

Cake decorations are very delicate items, and we cannot accept responsibility for damage that is done to the cake after it has left our possession.  

If any damage is rendered to the cake after it has left our possession, then you can advise us and request a repair, which will, if we are able to do so, be costed and charged for accordingly.  This costing will include transport/travel costs where appropriate.  

 

Non Edible Decorations and Supports 

 

Some cake designs require internal non edible supports to achieve the final design structure. e.g. plastic dowelling for support. 

Some designs require the use of external non edible decorations. e.g. ribbon, wires in sugar flowers, Swarovski crystals, flower picks & flower tape etc.  

 

During the design phase of your cake(s) and on collection/delivery, you the customer will be informed/reminded that non edible supports or decorations have been used in or on your cake(s).  It is the responsibility of the customer to relay this information to the venue/hosts/recipients of the product to ensure these are removed by your caterer/guests before consumption.  

 

Use of Fresh Flowers 

 

Some flowers (e.g. Ivy) are poisonous and not suitable for use on food products, you should liaise and work closely with your florist to ensure only the use of non poisonous flora on your cake. 

  

If you choose fresh flowers for decoration on your cake the cost will not be included in the quoted price. We are happy to work with your florist but expect you to make all the necessary arrangements with them. Emma~Lou Cakes cannot be held responsible for any problems with your fresh flowers.  

We will not take responsibility for any damage caused to the cake where a floral arrangement has beed implemented by your florist.  

Where fresh flowers are used, your cake will be set-up as late as feasibly possible to ensure flower freshness throughout the day.   

Emma~Lou Cakes advises that dependant on the varieties of flowers and foliage used along with the weather conditions at the time, that it may be necessary to cut the cake early on in the proceedings to ensure flower freshness for the purpose of photographs. 

 

Best Before Date and Conditions of Cake Storage 

 

Emma~Lou Cakes does everything possible to ensure our cake is as fresh as it can be for your event.  Our best before date is within 2 days of your event.  We cannot guarantee its quality if it’s consumed more than 48 hours after the event. 

We do not accept any responsibility for consequences that occur where consumption of your cake(s) is past the date of 2 days after your event. 

 

You may want to prolong the shelf life of your cake(s).  To help this they are best placed in a sealed container in the fridge.  You should note that if your cake(s) are coated with sugar paste, refrigeration will damage the finish of the sugar paste. 

Freezing the cake will also preserve the taste of the sponge and icing as much as possible, but again it will affect the visual appearance of the icing, as condensation will form upon defrosting.  

Food hygiene recommendations recommend that food should only be frozen for a maximum of 3 months  

 

Intellectual Design and Copyright 

 

All designs discussed and/or agreed between Emma~Lou Cakes and you the customer, wether ordered or not, remain the property of Emma~Lou Cakes and are subject to intellectual design copyright legislation. 

Emma~Lou Cakes reserves the right to pursue anyone copying those designs without first consulting with the designer or where this is not possible, crediting the designer with the acknowledgement of their creation of the original design. 

All of the cakes we make are photographed prior to leaving our premises and we reserve the right to use the images for promotional purposes after your event.  

 

Customer Satisfaction Guarantee/Complaints 

 

If you are unhappy with the cake(s) please notify us upon collection / delivery of the cake so that we have the opportunity to rectify it in time for your event. 

 

All other concerns should be made in writing, providing evidence and if necessary photographs.  If your complaint is in respect of the taste of the cake, a sample must be provided to us within 24 hours. 

No refunds are given due to change of mind.  

If a delivery is late, the maximum compensation will be a refund of the delivery price. We do ask for patience with factors that may be beyond our control (e.g. traffic conditions) as we cannot be held liable for any such delays, and as such there will be no compensation made should the circumstances be out of our control.  

Any refunds offered are at the discretion of Emma~Lou Cakes.  

We pride ourselves on our personal yet professional service. Thank you for using our services.