Wedding cakes are a small but significant part of the wedding. They’re not always a big cost, and in fact some venues include the wedding cake with the booking. But if that’s not the case for you, a wedding cake can get expensive, so it helps to save where you can.
Wedding cakes are an interesting part of the wedding tradition. They share the spotlight with the bride and groom for a good five to ten minutes during the cake-cutting, so they have to look good. Then they’re sent out for the guests to consume, so they have to taste good.
So, how to get a nice “show” cake for the first part, and a nice “eating” cake for the second part, is what we’re after here. Here is my list of cheap wedding cakes ideas!
For the “show” part, you can get a “show” cake. You have many options on cutting the cost of your “show” cake. The “show” cake does not need to serve everyone, it can be smaller (and cheaper!). It is there for show. You can “rent” a cake. Unfortunately that means you can’t necessarily smash it (or alternatively have a small slice hidden for smashing!). One wedding I was at the bride and groom cut into the cake for photographers and then that was it. The bakery then fixed it up and sent it to the next wedding. You can make a “fake” cake. Styrofoam or something cheap underneath. It’s the outside that counts. Correction for item 2). You can have a piece of cake on a plate nearby for the ceremonial cake smashing! Also, instead of stacking the cakes on top of each other, use a unique holder or design that is spread out more to make the cake bigger than it actually is.
Your ‘eating’ cake should taste good but doesn’t have to be too fancy. It’ll be cut by the time it reaches your guests so you can keep the decorations and frosting simple. A delicious sheet cake is a good option here. See if your local catering school can do sheet cakes for less than you’d find them elsewhere, and if it’s a good price, you could consider having them make your show cake too. Keep the fillings simple as well. A tasty sweet filling will likely be just as pleasing to your guests as a more expensive filling or fancy liqueur. Since you’re not buying an elaborate wedding cake here, don’t limit yourself when looking at cakes. Go ahead and order a ‘regular’ cake that doesn’t have the wedding markup.
A final note: you don’t have to stick with the traditional wedding cake, or even a show cake and a tasting cake.
Modern weddings and modern brides are more daring these days. With a foothold in tradition they continue to find creative ways to cut costs and express themselves. Such as cupcake “wedding cakes” or brownie “wedding cakes”.
Hopefully you can use these tips to help you find a good wedding cake that will suit your reception needs and save you money.
Are you planning a wedding? You can stop by Kennly Yakamoto’s Wedding Planning Book site full of tips and tricks for you to plan your wedding.