Wedding Cakes

What Kind of Wedding Cake Should You Order? How Big? How Much?

When you plan a wedding, you know that you’re going to want a fabulous wedding cake as centerpiece of your reception. But how do you decide just how much you should spend on a cake? How big should it be? Most of your questions can be answered by the person or bakery you choose to create your cake. But a good rule of thumb for size and cost is to figure out how many servings you’ll need – remember that many of your guests will go back for seconds, so factor appetites into your estimate.

Designing the Perfect Wedding Cake

Wedding cakes can be made in any size, shape, flavor or theme – it depends on the bride and groom. Your cake should reflect the overall style of the wedding and the taste of the couple who are getting married. The shape and size of your cake will contribute to the ambiance of your celebration. A very large, tiered cake can offer an elegant, stately, sophisticated element to the reception. A big cake with tiers separated with columns is airier, lighter and looks less massive, no matter what its size. Designers also make wedding cakes that come in wild colors, shaped like everything from cityscapes to cars and hat boxes. Some brides are even opting for “cupcake trees,” and foregoing traditional wedding cakes entirely – or creating faux cakes out of tiered Krispy Kreme doughnuts! The only limit is your imagination and the mood of the wedding.

You’re certainly entitled to the classic white cake with white frosting, if that’s what you like. But in recent years, pastel colors have become more common, with the details of the cake custom-colored to make the bridesmaids dresses or the colors of the decorations or the mood of the wedding. As for flavor, the bride and groom can be as creative with the inside of their wedding cake as they are with the outside, choosing any flavor of cake and filling they like. And you’re not limited to one flavor per cake, either – each tier can be a different flavor, so that all your guests can enjoy it, no matter what their tastes and preference!

Your Decorations Are Up to You

One special service that many bakers offer is to match the details on the wedding cake with the details on the bride’s gown. Ribbons, lace, and pearls – even the fabric of the dress – can be duplicated in icing, butter cream, white chocolate and fondant. The actual trim itself can be used, too, but it’s even more delightful when everything on the wedding cake is edible. When the wedding cake is decorated in a way that reflects the theme and mood of the wedding, it’s all the more special.

Wedding cakes, traditionally, are big, elaborate affairs. But if a bride and groom have a smaller, more casual wedding, their cake can reflect that, as well. Whatever the size or style of your wedding, there are wedding cakes that will make your special day one to remember.