Full terms & conditions for Ace of Bakes are detailed below. By making an initial payment it will be deemed that the terms are understood and accepted as applying to your order.
Payment Conditions
Prices
Following your consultation / enquiry, your quote is valid for 14 days, paying your initial payment (see below) secures this price & prevents any further price increases, except in exceptional circumstances beyond our control e.g. exceptional fuel price increases etc. If no payment is received before the end of this period then the date is released and the quote is no longer valid.
Initial Payments
A non-refundable 50% booking fee is required in order to secure the commission of your item and chosen date with Ace of Bakes.
Save The Date
A non-refundable 50% booking fee is required in order to secure the commission of your item and chosen date with Ace of Bakes. Full payment will then be due no later than 3 weeks before the wedding date.
Payment
Payment should be made by bank transfer
Barclays Bank Plc
B C Gowlett
Sort Code: 20-26-08
Acc no: 63902439
Please email us with confirmation of transfer in order to prompt acknowledgement of the payment, and a receipt will be sent.
Final payment for your items is required no later than 1 week before the collection/delivery. For wedding cakes, this is required no later than 3 weeks before the wedding day.
Late Payment
If your initial payment is not paid within 1 month of quoting then we reserve the right to cancel any previous arrangements. If full payment is not received and cleared in our account before the event then the order will not be released.
Cancellation
If cancellation of the event takes places we reserve the right to retain your 50% initial payment. If cancellation takes place 3 weeks before the event then we reserve the right to keep 75% of the total price, or if cancellation occurs 7 days prior then 100% of the value with be retained to cover the costs of production of the cake.
Cancellation must be made in writing (by letter or email) to Ace of Bakes and will only be deemed to take effect from the date your letter/email is received at our premises. If you postpone the event we will endeavour to transfer your order providing the date is suitable for ourselves, otherwise it shall be treated as a cancellation.
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.
Design Condition
Alterations & Changes
You have up to seven days before the agreed date to notify me of any changes to the size, design or flavours of the cake. Any changes requested after this date cannot be guaranteed and may be subject to additional charges.
Chocolate
We recommend extreme caution if you are considering a cake decorated with chocolate for a summer wedding (May-September). We cannot accept responsibility for any melting of the cake once it has left our possession, as we have no control over the environmental / venue temperature. We can however advise you of designs that are less susceptible to melting and do everything within our control to reduce the impact on the cake.
Allergies & Special Dietary Requirements
Special Diets
Please discuss with us if any of your guests have special dietary requirements. Cakes can be made gluten free / egg free / alcohol free / without nuts by request. Please be aware that although these ingredients 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 of all traces for people who are highly sensitive.
Non-Edible Items
Most cakes contain small proportions of inedible items, it is the clients responsibility to ensure these are removed by your caterer/guests before consumption e.g. support dowels in tiered cakes, ribbon, wires in sugar flowers.
Transporting your cake
It’s very important to take special care with your cake during transportation. Ace of Bakes will ensure your cake is ready for transportation before you pick-up the cake.
When collecting your cake, please ensure that you transport the cake in a vehicle, on a flat surface, to prevent sliding. Please be aware that placing a cake on the seat of your vehicle, lap, or uneven surface may greatly affect the stability and internal structure of the cake, which could result in irreparable damage.
On hot days, it is recommended to travel with the air conditioning on to keep the cake and environment cool so the cake does not get too warm.
Upon delivery, it is recommended that the cake be taken directly to the venue and stored in a cool location before serving. If the cake is taken home before delivering to the venue, please ensure the cake is stored in a dark, cool place, away from any direct sunlight or heat. Please use the recommendation above to transport the cake from your home to the venue.
When setting up your cake at the venue, please make sure it is not placed in direct sunlight.
Once the cake has left the premise of Ace of Bakes, we are no longer liable for any damage that has incurred. If any repairs or adjustments have been made to the cake after leaving Ace of Bakes, Ace of Bakes is not responsible for the structure or design of the cake after the fact. If the guidelines above are followed, you should have no problems transporting and delivering your cake in perfect condition to your venue.
Storage & Consumption
Best Before Date
Your cake is baked to ensure it is fresh for the date of your event. After this date, we advise sponge cakes are frozen as soon as possible to ensure its condition is maintained, otherwise, we cannot guarantee its quality if it’s consumed more than 48 hours after the event. Our cakes are made entirely of natural ingredients, so we’d like to remind you that because of this they will not have the extended shelf life of most supermarket cakes, which contain additives and preservatives to ensure their prolonged life. Freezing the cake however, preserves the taste of the sponge and icing as much as feasibly possible, but please bear in mind that 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.
Once home, the cake should be wrapped in clingfilm to remove as much air as possible, then stored in an airtight container before freezing for a maximum of 3 months. The cake should not be refrozen if defrosted, therefore it may be appropriate for you to cut it into convenient portion sizes before freezing, so that it can be defrosted on a per portion basis. Sugar paste cakes should not be refrigerated, as it will cause condensation to form on the surface of the icing. Refrigeration also accelerates the staling of the flour in the cake, so should only be used with extreme caution e.g. if hot weather is compromising the quality of a chocolate decorated cake.
Complaints
If you have concerns about your cake, please notify us upon delivery / inspection so that we have the opportunity to rectify it in time for your event. We highly recommend a member of the family / event manager as the designated point for the day, to help ensure all runs smoothly. All other concerns should be made in writing, and evidence of the fault should be included. A refund is only given if the uneaten cakes are returned, and are unsuitable for consumption / not as described in the written quote. No refunds are given due to change of mind. In the unlikely event of late delivery (defined as delivery after the start of the wedding breakfast), the maximum compensation will be a refund of the delivery price. We 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. We pride ourselves on our personal yet professional service. Thank you for using our services.
Enjoy your cake and thank you very much for your custom.
Ace of Bakes