TERMS & CONDITIONS
Full terms & conditions for Erica Dunn Cake Design are detailed below.
You agree to pay Erica Dunn Cake Design the total amount indicated in your booking confirmation form, emails, and/or invoice.
Booking and Deposits
Confirmation of all orders and booking dates occurs only upon receipt of a non-refundable booking fee. Quotations are valid for 28 days from the date issued. Due to the high demand for bookings, we cannot reserve your date until the deposit payment is received.
Consultations
Each client is entitled to one complimentary design consultation, either in person or via video call, to discuss your wedding cake in detail. This consultation is available only to clients who have paid a deposit or booking fee. Additional in-person meetings will incur charges, and sample boxes will also have a fee and can be ordered through our website. Clients interested in a semi-naked or very minimalist cake design (such as a plain iced cake with fresh flowers) may not require a full design consultation. In those cases, details regarding this style will be communicated via email, and an in-person or video consultation may not be necessary.
Cake Design Changes
Any changes to your cake order must be made at least six weeks before your wedding date. Modifications may result in additional charges. Additions to the original quotation will incur costs based on the time and materials required. While we will strive to accommodate changes requested less than four weeks prior to the cake’s delivery, we cannot guarantee fulfilment.
Payments
To secure your booking, an initial non-refundable booking fee is necessary. The final balance must be paid no later than four weeks before the specified cake delivery date in your confirmation booking form. If the remaining balance is not paid, your order may be subject to cancellation. Although we will do our utmost to keep your order on schedule, late payment of the final balance may impede Erica Dunn Cake Design’s ability to complete your cake on time.
Late or Non-Payment
Failure to make timely payments may result in losing your booking date. If payment is late or not made at all, the order will not proceed until alternative funding is arranged, and full payment is received. In such instances, we cannot guarantee that your order will be completed by the agreed-upon date, as it will depend on availability. We will strive to fulfil your order by the initially agreed date; however, Erica Dunn Cake Design cannot be held liable for any delays caused by late or non-payment.
Delivery and Collection
Unless specified otherwise, wedding cakes will be delivered and set up at the agreed venue on the date indicated in the confirmation booking form. Delivery and setup costs will be included in your confirmation booking. If we are unable to deliver the cake due to the absence of a recipient or incorrect venue information, the cake will be held at our business address for up to 24 hours. If it is not collected or delivery is unavailable within this timeframe, Erica Dunn Cake Design reserves the right to resell the cake.
If you opt to collect your cake, it must be done on an agreed date and time. Erica Dunn Cake Design cannot be held liable for any damage that occurs during transport, delivery, or setup if the cake is collected. Once the cake has left our premises, it becomes the customer’s sole responsibility.
For wedding cakes, setup at the venue will occur at a mutually agreed time, following the details outlined in the booking form and at the final location within the venue. The cake will be photographed on-site before our departure. Any damage that occurs to the cake after this point is the responsibility of the venue, not Erica Dunn Cake Design. Furthermore, Erica Dunn Cake Design is not liable for any repairs resulting from damage at the venue or from failure to adhere to the storage or setup instructions provided.
Cancellations
If you cancel your wedding cake 12 weeks or more before your wedding date or the requested date, the booking fee will be retained. Please note that the initial booking fee is non-refundable and non-transferable under any circumstance. For cancellations made 5-11 weeks before the agreed date, 50% of the remaining balance will be due to cover costs associated with work already undertaken to create the unique elements of your cake, as well as any special items or supplies purchased. Cancellations made 4 weeks or less before the agreed date will result in the full balance being retained. If the balance has not yet been paid, full payment will be required. All cancellations must be submitted in writing to: info@ericadunncakedesign.co.uk Please be aware that verbal cancellations over the phone will not be considered binding. Should you choose to cancel your booking, the booking fee or any retained balance cannot be transferred to another booking or date under any circumstances.
Change of Wedding Dates
If you need to reschedule your wedding date for any reason, we will do our best to accommodate the changes without extra charges, provided that sufficient notice is given. However, if we are fully booked on your new wedding date and cannot provide the wedding cake, the deposit will not be refundable. The primary limitation for any cake provision is generally the cake setup. As a compromise, we may provide a cake prior to your wedding date, but in such cases, it will be your responsibility to collect, deliver, and set up the cake at the venue. If you cancel your wedding cake order after requesting a date change, no refunds will be issued to you (the client) under any circumstances.
Stand Hire
Erica Dunn Cake Design offers a selection of cake stands available for hire. Each stand can be rented for three days, including your wedding or event date, with rental fees ranging from £25 to £75 per stand, depending on the item. The person hiring is responsible for returning the rented equipment to Erica Dunn Cake Design within the agreed timeframe. Any damages or failure to return the hired items will incur a full replacement charge for the item, plus any postage and packaging costs.
Allergens
We will accommodate special requests or allergens (such as “no nuts”) whenever feasible. However, please note that your cake will be prepared in a facility that handles nuts, dairy, gluten, and soy, so we cannot guarantee a completely allergen-free product. Allergy information will be included with all orders, and it is the client’s responsibility to inform Erica Dunn Cake Design of any allergens at the time of booking.
Colour Coordination
While we strive to match colours for icing, ribbons, flowers, and other decorations as closely as possible, achieving an exact match is not always feasible. Colours may appear differently under various lighting conditions (natural, artificial, and time of day), on different devices, and are also open to personal interpretation. The colour interpretation by Erica Dunn Cake Design is considered final.
Semi-Naked and Buttercream Cakes
We make every effort to ensure that your semi-naked cake is as fresh and moist as possible. However, over time, and depending on the weather and temperature at your venue, your cake may begin to dry out. Erica Dunn Cake Design cannot be held responsible for this but will provide the most moist cake possible. Due to food hygiene regulations, we cannot use fresh cream or cream cheese-based fillings in these cakes; instead, buttercream or frosting will be utilized.
For Buttercream Cakes – If you opt for a buttercream cake, especially during warmer months, please understand that Erica Dunn Cake Design cannot be held liable for any adverse effects caused by the weather on this type of cake. High temperatures can lead to melting and/or damage to buttercream and semi-naked style cakes. We will take every precaution to minimize these risks when you choose a buttercream cake (for instance, setting up as late as possible, placing the cake in the coolest area of your venue, and discussing potential risks with your wedding coordinator/team).
Fresh Flowers
When incorporating flowers from third parties, they must be delivered with the ends sealed, ready for insertion into the cake using food-safe flower picks or for placement on top. Erica Dunn Cake Design reserves the right to reject any flowers deemed unsuitable or improperly prepared. Some flowers can be toxic, and we do not take responsibility for the selection of flowers you choose to add to your cake. Please ensure that the flowers are safe for food contact and prepared correctly. Fresh flowers must be available at the time of cake delivery; if they are not, Erica Dunn Cake Design will be unable to decorate your cake.
Cake Toppers and Cake Stands
Erica Dunn Cake Design accepts no liability for any toppers provided by the client. If a client supplies a cake stand or other accessories for the wedding cake, we will set up the cake according to the instructions outlined in the confirmation booking form. We cannot be held responsible for any issues arising from a stand that hasn’t been inspected for suitability before the cake setup. Erica Dunn Cake Design reserves the right to refuse the use of any cake stand provided by the client or venue if we believe it will not adequately support the cake. In such cases, the cake will be placed directly on the table. We will make every effort to follow the setup instructions provided in the confirmation booking form; however, in situations where this is not feasible, our decision on the setup will be final. All items intended for use or setup with the cake must be at the venue before cake delivery and setup.
Complaints
In the unlikely event that you need to lodge a complaint, please ensure that no part of the cake has been consumed. You or the venue must contact us immediately, and the cake should remain intact while you await our instructions. The cake must be returned to our premises for inspection within 24 hours of collection or delivery. If the cake is eaten, even partially (i.e., more than a couple of bites), we cannot accept any complaints. Any potential refunds will be assessed solely by the manager, and only if they determine that the issue was due to our fault. Complaints submitted seven days or more after the cake has been collected or delivered will not be addressed, as we will not have had the opportunity to rectify any problems or inspect the cake. All refunds are at the manager’s discretion, and no refunds will be issued based on differences of artistic opinion regarding design or colour tones. If you have any concerns or complaints about your order, we kindly ask that you contact us directly via email as soon as possible, providing detailed information so we can address the issue promptly. Complaints made in public forums will not be acknowledged. Any defamatory comments made publicly will be treated as libel, and we will seek legal advice to pursue damages.
Photography
We reserve the right to photograph your cake order while it is on our premises or during delivery for our reference, social media, website, publications, or our portfolio. Any images provided by you or your photographer will also be subject to these rights.
Weather / Traffic
If we are unable to deliver your cake due to circumstances such as snow, flooding, traffic jams, road closures, hurricanes, accidents, or other unforeseen events, we will notify you as soon as possible. We will explore alternative routes to deliver your cake but accept no liability for any delivery issues or delays caused by circumstances beyond our control.
Erica Dunn Cake Design is not responsible for any adverse effects that weather conditions may have on your cake once we have set it up and left the venue. We will take all possible precautions during extreme weather to ensure your cake remains in perfect condition; however, we cannot be held liable for weather-related issues.
Storage of Your Wedding Cake After Delivery
We recommend consuming your cake within a day or two after your wedding, provided it is wrapped properly and stored sensibly. However, we cannot take responsibility for the way you store the cake after your wedding or its condition thereafter.
Wedding Cake Sample boxes will be dispatched once a month; orders may be placed at any time before this date (monthly dispatch dates can be found on our website). Please be aware that postal products will not be sent out on Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays to minimise the time your order spends at a mail depot.
All postal orders will be shipped via Royal Mail 24 Tracked. Once your order has been sent, you will receive tracking information directly from Royal Mail, and it will then be out of our control.
We cannot guarantee the exact time or date of delivery, and we do not utilise a guaranteed next-day service. We appreciate your patience, as some parcels may experience delays in reaching their destination.
All items are carefully wrapped and packaged to ensure they arrive as fresh as possible.
We are not liable for any lost, missing, or damaged parcels, and we are unable to provide refunds, replacements, or gift cards for these items.
By placing your order for postal delivery, you are agreeing to these terms.