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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

WWYD - landed with whole bill for cake.

193 replies

Halloolah · 24/06/2018 10:10

As title says, this is more of a WWYD but posting here for traffic...

My DH's BIL recently had a significant birthday. His wife (my SIL) organised a big party. She was let down quite late by the people sorting the birthday cake. My Mum makes cakes semi-professionally (i.e. she makes them properly, but doesn't advertise and takes word of mouth requests), so we offered to ask if she could help and explained that this way would be cheaper than going to a cake shop. SIL said yes please, my Mum offered to make it at cost price as a favour to relatives (although my parents and in laws don't particularly know each other well and have only met once or twice).

It then turned out that the cake needed to be huge (over 150 portions) and so more of a 3 tiered wedding cake size. Mum priced it as £120 (the cost of materials, icing, cake boards etc), DH and
I offered to pay £50 towards the cost. This is much more than we'd normally spend on a present but we figured that it was a significant birthday. SIL happy with this arrangement.

Mum made the cake, it took her about four days of intense, full-time work as was intricately decorated, it looked absolutely amazing, tasted great and very well received by everyone. However, at the party itself SIL kept saying 'thank you so much to you and your mum for the cake' as if the whole thing was a gift. BIL was also very grateful. Party was over a week ago and no offer of money has been made. As I didn't want my Mum to be out of pocket, we've paid her the full amount (our £50 plus another £70) and pretended it was from SIL.

But what should we do about chasing up the £70? My DH wants to have a word with his sister as he feels the arrangements were very clear and she's being a bit cheeky. I worry that this could cause a 'thing' in the family. SIL is lovely, so I think (hope!) this is a genuine oversight rather than CFery but it's all just very awkward. WWYD?

OP posts:
hamandpease · 28/06/2018 07:49

Did the op contact her?

StealthPolarBear · 28/06/2018 08:10

She needs to be asked before being called a cf.
Presumably there's no way she'd expect your mum to pay £70 to your bils party - was she (your mum) even invited?

Cheby · 28/06/2018 08:32

“Hi SIL
Can you send over the £70 you owe us for cake ingredients please. PayPal details are xxx.
Thanks”

Oscha · 28/06/2018 08:47

Has she paid?

DaffodilLover · 28/06/2018 08:48

Awww I was hoping for an update!

snewname · 28/06/2018 08:49

Haven't you sorted it yet, op?

RestingBitchFaced · 29/06/2018 07:51

Any update?

eloisesparkle · 29/06/2018 10:47

Halloolah
Any update ?

SoftBallSophie · 29/06/2018 18:15

Still no update? That's annoying...

RoseWhiteTips · 30/06/2018 11:47

Time for a Biscuit?

Halloolah · 08/07/2018 20:08

Sorry for lack of update! For some reason, I wasn't getting emails about the latest posts so I assumed the thread had zombified itself.

Basically, a few days after I posted this thread SIL asked me if she could meet with my Mum to say thank you. DH and I decided that he should say nothing until after the meeting. I did fess up to my Mum about it all and she insisted on giving me back the 'extra' £70. When SIL met with my Mum, she tried to give her money, but my Mum then refused anything as she felt quite awkward and decided anything she'd paid out above my £50 would be a gift. This is obviously up to her and not my business.

So, I feel pretty guilty for posting the original thread, although I am also a bit worried that SIL may have seen it... My learning point is to never be the middle person in anything family/cake-related ever again!

OP posts:
Jux · 08/07/2018 21:58

Thanks for update. Glad there were no big fireworks, but aorry your mum's so out of pocket.

AlwaysTheEnd · 09/07/2018 09:52

That's ok then then. Your Mum is out of porker but only because she chose to be.

brownmouse · 09/07/2018 10:12

Oh your poor mum! How awkward! She sounds so lovely.

StaplesCorner · 09/07/2018 11:02

I think you and DH let your mum down by not sorting it out, but she was equally daft not to accept the money offered.

beanaseireann · 09/07/2018 21:36

Your Mum is an HaloStar

Sharkwithknees · 09/07/2018 23:16

You definitely should have insisted your SIL paid the £70, fancy letting your mam be out of pocket Hmm Her good nature has definitely been taken advantage of.

PieAndPumpkins · 10/07/2018 10:34

I feel dead sorry for your Mum! That was still extremely tactless of your DH sister. I would also have insisted the cake was paid for. I don't understand why your DH didn't just deal with it and avoid your Mum feeling that awkwardness and obligation to not only spend all that time making the cake, but £70 too!

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