Your wedding cake can comprise a significant portion of your budget, particularly if you are having a large wedding. Wedding cake prices are worked out on a per slice basis, with additional costs for fancy flavors and intricate icing and decorations.
With the average wedding cake costing around $500 it is little wonder that many couples will look for cheaper alternatives for their wedding day. But there is also a rising trend to stray away from the traditional multi tiered cake and instead go for something a little different.
If you are looking to reduce the cost of your wedding cake then there are a few options open to you. Firstly you could have a single cake made and iced according to your requirements, this will be the cake you will cut at the wedding reception. Behind the scenes in the kitchen will be trays of cutting cake, plain iced and ready to be cut up and served to the guests. The cutting cakes will cost significantly less then a large fully decorated cake and your guests will never know they are not eating the same cake you cut into just moments earlier
Other options revolve around baking the cake yourselves and have a professional ice it for you. This can work well but it does rely you on being able to bake a fairly level cake in the first place Supermarkets are being to get in on the wedding act and some offer wedding cake services. If your local supermarket doesn’t do specific wedding cakes then have a look for un iced cakes in various sizes which would tier-up together and which are ready to be iced.
If budget isn’t a problem but you would like something different for your wedding cake then the most popular alternative is to have cupcakes instead of large cakes. However, don’t be fooled into thinking that cupcakes would be cheaper, despite their size these little cakes take more work to produce than a larger cake and typically cost upwards of $8 each.
Aside from cupcakes, mini cakes which are squares cut from a larger cake and covered in icing are a stylish option. Both cupcakes and mini cakes make good wedding favors meaning you could double them up for both roles, saving money in the process.
If you have cupcakes or mini cakes then you will need an appropriately big stand to display them on. Many couples also still want the cake cutting ceremony which means they must also order a small cake to sit on top of the stand which they will cut into.
As an alternative to a wedding cake these smaller cakes are more expensive but they do make a fabulous display and wonderful focal point in your reception.
