Can I vent? Kick, scream?

joeybrat2 · Tue Dec 07, 2010 1:34 pm

Ok, you all know about the wedding I did. And I was telling you how she became a bridezilla really fast.

Well, I just sent her the total of her last invoice, and she is NOT happy. Let me tell you all what I did for this girl:

Designed her Save the date
Designed, cut and printed her wedding invites (180), including about 15 changes, her RSVP, directions and everything else
Designed, cut, put together over 200 programs
Made the place setting trees (cut over 200 leaves on my cricut) 4 trees all mounted in pots with moss and stones
Took their Engagement photo (for $50) All edited all on a disc. Plus I edited and put on disc all of her old family portraits.
Was her "Wedding Planner" went to the rehearsal, did my normal running around like crazy, I was the director of the whole thing.
Wedding day, I was there early to set everything up, did the normal Wedding planning stuff, Left as soon as the wedding was over ran to the reception, set up there, ran over everything with the DJ's and the people at the event place, Kept everything on time with my little clipboard, kept the stress off of the Bride.
And a million other things in between to help and listen to her, meanwhile 5 months pregnant and hospitalized at one point.

Anyway, her first bill was just over $200 the FINAL bill just over $200. I did all of this for less then $450!!!!!! ALL FOR SUPPLIES! Never once did she offer to pay me, never once did she even acknowledge how much it would cost her to hire the people to do all of this!

KICK SCREAM VENT. Ok, I feel better. Thanks for letting me vent!

scraptag · Tue Dec 07, 2010 1:39 pm

Oh man! Kick, scream, vent some more! That's insane. She should be kissing your feet right now, and making sure you have a soft pillow behind your lower back!!! I would look her straight in the eye, and tell her that you're sure that she wouldn't like the price tag if you charged her $30/hr for your services on top of this. That should give her a little something something to think about. (I, personally, would never say anything like that, because I just don't think that fast! too bad, because I really think she needs some perspective here!)

cort · Tue Dec 07, 2010 1:48 pm

Ok I would be a little irritated..wait a lot irritated. I would want to smack Mrs. Princess Pants with a stick. That is a ton of work for a small fee. Is she planning on paying you? Or is she trying to blow it off? Do you have the receipts for everything? If so I would say hey..here they are and this is what i charged you. Did you by chance have a contract? (it's sad that you have to hold people to such things, but some people will take advantage if you don't)

I would be throwing something about now (but i have a bad temper.)

I hope that she realizes what a goof she is and sends you cash...or if she sends a check..cash it right away and go get yourself something nice. you more then earned it!

joeybrat2 · Tue Dec 07, 2010 2:01 pm

cort wrote:Ok I would be a little irritated..wait a lot irritated. I would want to smack Mrs. Princess Pants with a stick. That is a ton of work for a small fee. Is she planning on paying you? Or is she trying to blow it off? Do you have the receipts for everything? If so I would say hey..here they are and this is what i charged you. Did you by chance have a contract? (it's sad that you have to hold people to such things, but some people will take advantage if you don't)

I would be throwing something about now (but i have a bad temper.)

I hope that she realizes what a goof she is and sends you cash...or if she sends a check..cash it right away and go get yourself something nice. you more then earned it!

Oh she's paying me. What makes matters worse, her and her new husband work with my DH so they are considered "friends" .........UGGG. How much do you want to bet, I never hear from them again?

Grandma Flowers · Tue Dec 07, 2010 2:18 pm

Hopefully you'll never hear from her again. Talk about taking advantage.

Tue Dec 07, 2010 2:20 pm

Grandma Flowers wrote:Hopefully you'll never hear from her again. Talk about taking advantage.

Ditto with this!! That would have cost her a minimum of a GRAND for all of that!

RitaS · Tue Dec 07, 2010 2:27 pm

$450 for all of that is totally a gross underpayment!!! Is this a family friend, acquaintance or why did you sacrifice yourself so? I'd kick and scream some more!
A friend just started an event planning business (weddings, conferences, etc) and I noticed on her new website the down payment is $500. You really short changed yourself - not that bridezilla would have paid anywho. I would bug this person often about that $200 - especially for supplies out of your pocket.

croppinmama · Tue Dec 07, 2010 2:38 pm

Boy that makes me mad...nothing worse than ungrateful people. All that work and attention to detail, she got a bargain. I think I may need to go talk to this woman...you know I have a big vehicle...I could make it look like an accident

I think I read on a previous post you were a minister so...um...you take confession right? I could go down there, meet the wonderful you, take care of business, confess (of course) and then we could scrap...simple!!

ArmyWife95 · Tue Dec 07, 2010 2:48 pm

First of all, I got married about 15 1/2 years ago and it was almost a grand, so Ms Bridezilla should consider herself very lucky. That was just for the pictures, all that other stuff would have been a lot extra.

As far as never hearing from her or her new husband, it doesn't sound like you need a friend like her. What a Biatch!

craftyfool · Tue Dec 07, 2010 2:58 pm

Wowzers.

If I get married again, will you come do all that for me???? I'll pay you...but it'll be at LEAST $1000.

Vent & Scream some more if you need to!!! Good Grief.

bfaretra · Tue Dec 07, 2010 3:47 pm

For real? You did not charge her nearly enough.

Kick, vent, scream some more.

Hopefully you will not have any more clients like her!

killarney_rose · Tue Dec 07, 2010 4:06 pm

For the amount of work done it's truly DIRT CHEAP! I've seen Wedding Planners easily hit $5000 without even spending a dime for the supplies. She should be very thankful! BRAT fits her well, hope her hubby realizes exactly what she is!

megamay · Tue Dec 07, 2010 4:08 pm

Grandma Flowers wrote:Hopefully you'll never hear from her again. Talk about taking advantage.

I agree. People who are going to take advantage like that, you are often better without them, even if they are your only friends. (which Im sure they aren't) but still you are better off alone than with people who treat you like that

beachlover · Tue Dec 07, 2010 4:39 pm

what a whack job! you did her a HUGE favor! I'd pay you that much to help me do all the invite/save the date crap for my son's wedding!

AlwaysHappy · Tue Dec 07, 2010 5:25 pm

OMG! You've got to be kidding! This is just crazy. What you charged was nothing compared to what it would have cost her elsewhere. My daughter is getting married in May and for the florist to JUST DELIVER the flowers and candles from their store to the church is $159.00. That's right, just put them in a van and drive for about 10 minutes cost $159.00! Don't even ask what the flowers cost. You did enough running around, planning, designing, creating, and using your own gas to more than justify the small fee you charged her. Not to mention everything was customized just for her. That bride just doesn't realize what a great deal she got. Either that or she's just greedy. For all of your servies, I would have expected to pay considerably more that what you charged. I hope she comes across with all of the money for your sake. Next time you take on a project of this size, you might want to consider a contract for your services. Every place my dd and I went, we had to sign a contract, even for the cake. We were provided with a detailed list of all services we would get and how much each thing would cost. We then had to put down a deposit at the time of the contract. I'm thinking probably your situation started out with the save the date cards and the invitations and then she just kept thinking of more things she wanted and adding to your list of things to do. When the "add on" stuff starts, note the additional changes to the contract and have them initial the changes. You can't be too careful when it comes to business matters now days.

Queen Mum · Tue Dec 07, 2010 5:30 pm

WHY is she unhappy?

Can she give specifics?

Otherwise, tell her to stuff it and never hear from her again - if you are lucky!

scrapaholic · Tue Dec 07, 2010 5:45 pm

talk about taking advantage of someone. That is terrible.

shayla_rose · Tue Dec 07, 2010 5:48 pm

oh that stinks! She should appreciate that esp with the pics and invites, programs, table centers and well everything.. that is a cheap price and you would think she'd appreciate that! did she say why? did she not like something??

imwickedwitch · Tue Dec 07, 2010 6:23 pm

Why didn't you have a contract and a set price for everything?

lilkoala3 · Tue Dec 07, 2010 7:44 pm

I know what happened. She thought that because you were making homeade stuff it would be cheaper than getting it done professionally. She thought, "Joey's gonna make this crap from crayons and construction paper - it will be so cheap! People will think I made them!" I've met these types of people before. Whenever some non-scrapper asks me to scrapbook for them, they say something like, "I'll give you $50 for an album!" They don't realize what we spend on a single layout. AND they don't realize how much time goes into it. Tell her to take a walk through AC Moore if she'd like an idea of how much supplies cost.

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