|
|
|
 |
 |
| | | The cost of a wedding cake varies by type of cake, the kind of baker and geographic region. | | |
| Typical costs: | - The average cost of a wedding cake is $543, according to The Bridal Association of America.
- For wedding cakes, most bakeries and pastry chefs charge by the slice. A low-end option would be a smaller tiered cake in chocolate or vanilla paired with a sheet cake for cutting for around $1.50 a slice.
- A mid-range two- or three-tiered cake in a standard flavor such as chocolate, vanilla, carrot cake or lemon poppy seed with buttercream icing and minimal fondant decorations can run $5 or $6 a slice.
- A high-end multi-tiered gourmet cake with flavored fillings, fondant icing and elaborate fondant, gum paste and sugar decorations can run $10 or more per slice.
Additional costs: | - Decorations make a big difference in the per-slice cost. Fresh flowers are one of the easiest and least expensive ways to decorate a cake.
- Fondant, which can cover a cake in a smooth, satiny shell, is one of the most expensive; it can add $1 or more per slice. Elaborate fondant decorations increase the price even more.
- Cheesecakes and cakes with nuts, dried fruits or special cream fillings can add $1 or more per slice.
- Most tiered wedding cakes must be delivered and assembled on site by the baker or a staff member to prevent a cake mishap, and delivery charges can be $50 to $100 or more, depending on distance and size of cake.
- Some caterers charge a cake-cutting fee when figuring the total cost of your wedding cake. Cake-cutting fees can run $1 or more per slice.
Discounts: | - Check to see whether your caterer can serve as your cake baker; big catering companies and hotels often employ an in-house pastry chef. By going this route, you could eliminate cake cutting and delivery fees. TheWeddingChannel.com offers tips for saving on a cake.
- If you want the look of a tall, tiered wedding cake without the price, ask your baker to put one tier of real cake, which you will cut into, on top of fake tiers made of Styrofoam and icing; then have a sheet cake waiting in the back to be cut.
- If you are on a strict budget, the Association for Wedding Professionals International suggests looking for a wedding cake baker who is fairly new to the business or attending a wedding show if you decide to sign a contract that day. The AWPI lists wedding shows by region.
Shopping for a wedding cake: | - Ask to see a portfolio, and ask for references. Weddings.About.com provides a list of questions to ask a prospective cake designer.
- Tip: Try to arrange cake tastings with several bakers before choosing one. Many bakers offer free tastings, but some charge a small fee.
- Tip: Start shopping around for a baker well in advance of your wedding date. Most bakers will do only a few weddings per week, so dates book up quickly.
- TheKnot.com offers a list of wedding cake bakers by city.
|
| |
Article updated March 2007 |
|
|
|
Recent Posts |
| Amount: $519.00 for the cake |
save on cake decorations
|
| Posted by: frugal bride in Santa Clara, CA. | Purchased: July, 2006 |
| Number of Slices: 100-125 people | Cake Type: 3 layers - stacked |
| Decorations: flowers from my garden |
| The florist was going to charge about $40 per cluster of flowers, and I was looking at 3 clusters for each layer of cake. In the end, my mom decorated the cake with fresh hydrangea blossoms from my garden -- it was beautiful, and I saved $120. |
|
|
| Amount: $250.00 for the cake |
Wedding Cake
|
| Posted by: Cindy in Plainfield, IN. | Purchased: June, 2007 |
| Number of Slices: 270 | Cake Type: Tiered |
| Decorations: Simple |
| For my daughter's wedding,I purchased white cake mixes for $0.93 & premade Wilton white creamy decorator icing(using coupons from JoAnn Fabrics & Michaels for 40-50% off. I ordered soft premade fondant pearls. I also ordered gum paste flower sprays to top off the cakes. I purchased cake boards, boxes, & accesories from our local cake making store. All these things made for quite a savings! |
|
|
| Amount: $1,200.00 for the cake |
A Fabulous Cake
|
| Posted by: Christee in Manassas, VA. | Purchased: September, 2007 |
| Number of Slices: 218 | Cake Type: 5 Tier Multi Flavor |
| Decorations: Fondant |
| The cake was huge and delicious. 3 Layers were French Vanilla Almond with Raspberry Filling, 2 Layers were Chocolate Cinnamon with Strawberry Filling. Vanilla Buttercream with Homemade Marshmallow Fondant and Royal Icing Decorations. Price included Delivery and Setup. |
|
|
| Amount: $400.00 for the cake |
Wedding Cake
|
| Posted by: Rebecca in Wheatfield, NY. | Purchased: January, 2008 |
| Number of Slices: 110 | Cake Type: Original Design |
| Decorations: Cake Top and Figurines |
| Our cake was an original design from a local vendor. The cost included everything from the consultation to the delivery and setup. We are having a snowmobile wedding with a snowmobile cake topper, with the Wilton Bride Running after the Groom cake topper. The cake is a sheet cake made into a design with mountains, evergreens and a stream running through the mountains down to an iced over pond which will be in front of the actual sheet cake. For the time and amount of detail, this is an amazing price! |
|
|
| Amount: $468.00 for the cake |
Wedding cake
|
| Posted by: GP in Naples, FL. | Purchased: January, 2008 |
| Number of Slices: 26 | Cake Type: carrot with butter cream |
| Decorations: fresh flowers |
Hi
I am an English Bride getting married in Naples FL in May. I can't help but feel my hotel where I am getting married is taking the mick a little. I am having a 6" and 8" two tiered carrot cake with buttercream icing decorated with fresh flowers. They want to charge me $18 per slice. I think this is a little excessive, thoughts welcome?! |
|
|
| Amount: $325.00 for the cake |
Wedding Cake
|
| Posted by: Christy Brown in Kingsport, TN. | Purchased: February, 2008 |
| Number of Slices: 116 | Cake Type: 3 tiered: Marble/white/choc |
| Decorations: flowers on top |
| If you know local vendors, make sure you price around, they are all different. I heard about my vendor from someone else & she priced my cake at 1/2 what the others wanted to do a 3 tier stacked cake with different flavors and little decoration. Plus, she gave a great deal for the groomscake: $50 to do a sheet cake with a soccer ball on top designed to look like it was breaking through a net!!! |
|
|
| Amount: $0.00 for the cake |
reply to GP in Naples, FL
|
| Posted by: frugal bride in Santa Clara, CA. | Purchased: 2007 |
| GP, $18 per slice sounds awfully steep. Sylvia Weinstock, the superstar cake designer for celebrities and royals, typically charges $17-20 per slice. Unless there's something extraordinary about your hotel cake, I believe they're ripping you off. Can you get the cake elsewhere, or is it a part of the hotel package? Maybe it's negotiable. |
|
|
| Amount: $3,500.00 for the cake |
Extraordinary Design
|
| Posted by: Astrid Kipperburg-Liago in Seattle, WA. | Purchased: June, 2007 |
| Number of Slices: 400 | Cake Type: 8 Different Cake Flavors, 16 Fillins |
| Decorations: Extraordinary Eiffel Tower Design |
| Mark Caldwell of Everett Washington Created a one of a kind masterpiece for my wedding. Sharing a love for France, Mark was able to artistically re-create Paris' Eiffel Tower to an brilliant likeness. The entire cake was frosted in a light buttercream then overlayed in sculpted white chocolate. The cake was then airbrushed with gorgeous color and then finished with gold leaf. After the cake was assembled on site, Mark spiraled white rununculus, white hydrangea, white roses, white miniature cala lilies, looped beargrass and swarovski crystals. Centered on top of a satin draped round table, his creation towered just over 9 feet tall! We could not have ever dreamed of something ourselves. Our cake creator sat with us and brought our love of Paris and created the very place that my husband Bradley proposed. Thank you Mark! |
|
|
| Amount: $125.00 for the cake |
wedding cake
|
| Posted by: Lorianne in Atlanta, GA. | Purchased: February, 2008 |
| Number of Slices: 3 tiered cake | Cake Type: wedding |
| Decorations: basic with trim |
I went to the local grocery store and ordered 3 indiviual cakes a 6",8" and 12" vanilla with white frosting and red trim.. I then bought a cake stand that holds the 3 cakes on individual levels. I brought the cakes with me to the reception placed the cakes on the cake stand and then put real roses on top of each cake....I saved a bundle!!
here is an example of how to do it yourself. http://www.efavormart.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1361 |
|
|
| Amount: $0.00 for the cake |
nephew's cake
|
| Posted by: CG in Lee, MA. | Purchased: September, 2008 |
| Number of Slices: 180+ | Cake Type: 2 flavors |
| Decorations: brushed embroidery |
| four tiers plus cake an extra small cake for cutting in kitchen. MMfondant covered, roayl icing for decorations. chocolate/kahlua and yellow cakes. buttercream flavored fillings. Cake topper was heart inside heart from Michael's. Gorgeous cake, much photgraphed. If you are willing to work hard, you can have a wonderful cake for very little money. |
|
|
| Amount: $600.00 for the cake |
Wedding Cake
|
| Posted by: Janice in Santa Clara, CA. | Purchased: June, 2007 |
| Number of Slices: 350 | Cake Type: 5 total tiers with 2 on pedestals |
| Decorations: basket weave, water fountain |
| Went to a local filipino bakery instead of a fancy place. The flavors were ordinary, but the cake looked like a million bucks!! |
|
|
| Amount: $350.00 for the cake |
Perfect Wedding Cake
|
| Posted by: Fiona in Denver, CO. | Purchased: September, 2008 |
| Number of Slices: 100 | Cake Type: red velvet |
| Decorations: 3 tier fondant with pearls |
| A Local Bakery called Mermaids Bakery made my red velvet cake and my favors. The cake designer Diana is a rockstar! She is full of wonderful ideas, which helped a lot. I decided on wite fondant with pearls and a tiffany blue silk ribbon and bow at the base of each round tier. I had a very strict budget and I just shopped around because I wanted it to taste great and look pretty too. I got the best of both worlds. I bought my topper from Mermaids too, it was Silver initials. my favors included silver dipped almonds in a pretty little clear box with a tiffany blue ribbon, just awesome! They delivered my cake, I have to say my Mermaids experience was perfect. |
|
|
| Amount: $0.00 for the cake |
To CG in Lee, MA
|
| Posted by: Doris in Folsom, CA. | Purchased: October, 2008 |
| Number of Slices: 180 | Cake Type: |
| The cake was not free. Someone paid to make this cake. Have you checked the cost of ingredients lately? The fondant alone had to be very expensive. Yes, it might have been free to the bridal couple but someone paid dearly to make this cake and you should be extremely grateful for the generosity. |
|
|
| Amount: $0.00 for the cake |
Styrofoam and icing still cost money!
|
| Posted by: SweetResults in Framingham, MA. | Purchased: 2008 |
| The notion that you will save money by having a "fake cake" for show and sheet cakes in the back to serve is ridiculous! It still takes ingredients and TIME and TALENT to create a "fake" cake for show. It takes just as long to decorate a Styrofoam cake as it does a real cake, no price break on that here! You are paying for the artistry. Cheap cakes aren't good and good cakes aren't cheap. :-) |
|
|
| Amount: $0.00 for the cake |
replies to Lorianne in Atlanta, GA. and GP in Naples, FL.
|
| Posted by: SweetResults in Framingham, MA. | Purchased: 2008 |
Lorianne - brilliant and realistic way to have a very nice wedding cake on a tight budget. Props to you!
GP - I would definitely see about being able to get a cake from somewhere else, while there are many places that will charge you that price, that seems a bit high for the style they are promising you. Also a 6" and 8" should feed 34 people, but you can't really make a nice tired cake smaller than that. Also beware of a cake cutting fee (maybe $1.50 per serving) if you get your cake somewhere else, valid cost on the part of the venue, but can sometimes be negotiable. |
|
|
| Amount: $425.00 for the cake |
I spent less on real cake than on Dummies!
|
| Posted by: Julie in Salem, NH. | Purchased: September, 2008 |
| Number of Slices: 150 | Cake Type: 4 tier incl. anniv. layer |
| Decorations: BC, BC swags and lots of roses |
I once was fooled by the whole "fake cake" premise too. Here's my story...
The cake I wanted was 3 stacked layers with the top one on pillars, Gold cake with strawberry preserves and buttercream, clusters of raspberry colored buttercream roses and green ivy vines and white swags. I priced it with a local baker to get real cakes and another baker who does real and dummies...
Guess what? I would have BEEN a dummy to pay $300 for an identical STYRO cake and another $300 for sheet cakes to feed my guests. $425 vs. $600? A NO BRAINER!
As it was explained to me, it costs the baker money to buy styrofoam OR real ingredients. The decorating is going to be the same artistry on either cake, so I'm still paying for someone's time/talent. Then I STILL have to pay for real ingredients and some labor to frost the sheet cakes and add at least SOME decoration to make the slices look decent when they're served to my guests and not something served in the school cafeteria!
I'm so glad I went with REAL cake. The price was better, my guests knew they were getting a slice of my beautiful and delicious wedding cake, and I wasn't left storing a fake cake in a plastic bag in my attic! |
|
|
| Amount: $350.00 for the cake |
classic rose themed
|
| Posted by: red rose cutie in IE, CA. | Purchased: 2008 |
| Number of Slices: 150 | Cake Type: 3 layer |
| Decorations: fondant and rose petals |
| my mom made my cake! the first layer was a white cake with red food coloring and white cream filling, then a globe separater from michaels (we filled with silk rose petals)and then a white cake with rasberry filling and then separated by grecian colomns and topped with a rich red velvet cake with white buttercream filling. all was covered in fondant (expensive stuff!) and plastic pearls draped around and then topped with red rose petals from my garden. the topper was from joann's and it had S with rhinestones red (CUTE!) and each layer was so pretty cut up and guests got a choice of flavors- each of which matched the linens and flowers! |
|
|
| Amount: $1,000.00 for the cake |
cake
|
| Posted by: molly90909090909 in new york city, NY. | Purchased: June, 2009 |
| Number of Slices: 89946 | Cake Type: white holly bean |
| Decorations: white with pink and green flowers |
| the cake was huge and everyone got 5 small peices |
|
|
| Amount: $140.00 for the cake |
Cupcakes
|
| Posted by: Beccaanne11 in duluth, MN. | Purchased: 2006 |
| Number of Slices: 250 | Cake Type: cupcake with top tier cake |
| Decorations: buttercream, chocolate seashells |
| For a friend's wedding she purchase a three tier cardboard stand and i decorated it with ribbon. I made white cupcakes with raspberry filling and chocolate with custard. they were decorated with buttercream and chocolate seashells. the top tier was a cake to keep. kind of a lot of work but easy to serve and a little different then an ordinary cake. got more compliments on this then anyother i've made. |
|
|
| Amount: $100.00 for the cake |
classic summer wedding
|
| Posted by: brandi2006 in tucson, AZ. | Purchased: May, 2006 |
| Number of Slices: 300 | Cake Type: tier & sheet |
| Decorations: silk flowers |
| I purchased 3 round plain decorated cakes from Sam's club and a sheet cake, we then purchased a cake stand from Michael's stacked the rounds and put our own flowers on top of the cakes. it was gorgeous delicious and affordable |
|
|
| Amount: $0.00 for the cake |
Suckers
|
| Posted by: Alexa in San Francisco, CA. | Purchased: 2009 |
| Number of Slices: 60 | Cake Type: tier |
| Decorations: frosting |
| Luckily my mother makes wedding cakes that taste fabulous (fondant looks great, but tastes disgusting), so my wedding cake is free. I feel sorry for everyone who has to be reamed by the wedding industry. Everything else in our wedding is ridiculously expensive for very little frills. If I didn't have such a talented mother, I'd go the route that the smart people have and purchase round cakes and stack them myself. But for those who have money to burn, the wedding industry is more than willing to provide the fireplace. Cheers! |
|
|
| Amount: $0.00 for the cake |
careful creating your own cake
|
| Posted by: suzy in new orleans, LA. | Purchased: 2009 |
| Decorations: any |
| Please be careful stacking layer cakes you have purchased. Most standard layers will not stand up to the weight of another cake being set on top them. Tiered cakes take supports that are placed into the cakes.I have been involved in the wedding cake business for 20 years. |
|
|
| Amount: $350.00 for the cake |
special wedding cakes
|
| Posted by: cakes by roberta in sullivans Island, SC. | Purchased: 2009 |
| Decorations: any |
| As a baker, I feel it's important to be fair about the cost of a wedding cake. There are a lots of expenses that can go along with what you may want. (more details/flavors/size = more time = $'s) The important thing is to remember this is a one time deal and decide on what you want and have it made to your liking. Shop around for the right price and talent. A wedding cake can say something about you. It is very special on your day. |
|
|
| Amount: $2.50 for the cake |
Search for small bakeries/single pastry chef companies
|
| Posted by: "The Topping" in Indianapolis, IN in Indianapolis, IN. | Purchased: August, 2009 |
| Number of Slices: any | Cake Type: any |
| Decorations: any |
| Just a note from a Cake Artist, make sure to REALLY search your local area for talented pastry chefs(or if you don't have time, that's what bridesmaids are for!) Generally, if you can find a smaller bakery or single out of house chef, they will take more time to make your special cake personal & unique and are often less expensive. Ask around, check out business cards posted at reception sites. But also note, more flavors, more details = more artistry= more $. Remember, you're buying a work of art! |
|
|
| Amount: $0.00 for the cake |
Wedding cake idea
|
| Posted by: Ketrinna in san jose, CA. | Purchased: 2009 |
| Hey my friend just got married and had about 100 guests. Instead of trying to get a cake that would feed all of them, she got a smaller cake that was beautiful and then got two sheet cakes in the same flavors. The wedding party got the actual cake while the guests were served the sheet. She saved quite a bit this way |
|
|
| Amount: $0.00 for the cake |
wedding cake
|
| Posted by: ev in philly, PA. | Purchased: 2009 |
| Number of Slices: | Cake Type: choc, white with rasp filling, lemon |
| Decorations: flowers |
| my cousin just got married and i loved her idea. she got a small tiered cake thst looked gorgeous and could serve 1/3 of the guests then she got a cupcake stand and filled it with diff flavors for everyone else. she said it was less expensive than a big cake and it was very cute. |
|
|
| Amount: $300.00 for the cake |
Look outside of your venue city
|
| Posted by: Ella in Chicago, IL. | Purchased: 2007 |
| Number of Slices: 75 | Cake Type: 1 triple tier, 1 single |
| Decorations: fondant, custom figures |
Bakers in my home city were quoting $450-$525 for the cake design we chose, and just outside the city, a newer bakery did it for $300 and a $50 delivery/setup fee.
The triple tier was fashioned to look like a castle tower, and the bride figure was placed on the top tier.
The single layer was airbrushed to be the ground that the groom figure was placed on and set up next to the castle and connected with a plastic bridge covered in fondant and detailed to look like wood.
A beautiful picturesque fairy tale, and it was delicious! |
|
|
| Amount: $30.00 for the cake |
Cake gift for my sister from me!
|
| Posted by: jessi in Oak Harbor, WA. | Purchased: September, 2009 |
| Number of Slices: ??? | Cake Type: chocolate/white |
| Decorations: marshmallow fondant |
| As a gift for my sister on her wedding day I spent $25(plus $30 to buy a really cool stand to put it on...but thats for me) on 3 cake mixes, 2 bags marshmallows, 2 bags powdered sugar, eggs, oil, bag chocolate chips, heavy whipping cream, 5 bunches faux flowers, and a spool of ribbon. She provided the cake topper. What she ended up with was three cakes (6in, 8in, 10in) filled with homemade whipped chocolate ganache filling. Each cake round had 4 thin layers filled with ganache. The cake was decorated with homemade marshmallow fondant topped with faux flowers. It left me with a very happy very smiley big sister!!! |
|
|
| Amount: $35.00 for the cake |
If you have the patience...
|
| Posted by: Miranda D in Edmonton, Other. | Purchased: 2009 |
| Number of Slices: 32 | Cake Type: Chocolate double layer |
| Decorations: Fodant w/ fondant flowers and buttercrea |
| If you have the patience and the time, it\'s not so difficult to make one yourself. This was only my second attempt at a fondant cake, and it turned out wonderful! Cost was $35 and it looks like it\'s worth a lot more. Great way to impress your guests. |
|
|
| Amount: $0.00 for the cake |
wedding cupcakes
|
| Posted by: Michele in santa rosa, CA. | Purchased: 2009 |
| just a comment on wedding cake cupcakes, sorry Martha but this is the worst rendition of a traditional wedding cake to me. Please rethink the cupcake tower maybe for a childs birthday party but ladies this is your wedding day and if the cake is important to you skip the tacky cupcakes. |
|
|
|
|
Post About Your Experience With a Wedding Cake |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Digg this
del.icio.us
E-mail
Post