To calculate a budget for your cake, first estimate the number of guests you expect may attend your reception. A good rule of thumb is to multiply the number of invitations you send by .75. For example, if you are mailing 200 invitations, 200 X .75 = 150, so you may want to plan for about 150 guests.

Then consider what’s important to you about your cake and try to find a happy balance between your wishes, your taste and your budget. Today’s wedding cakes easily cost $6 to $8 per slice. Delivery and set up are usually extra as is renting equipment such as cake stands. In addition, your reception facility may charge a fee for cutting and serving the cake, so be sure to consider all the costs and discuss options with your baker and reception site manager before finalizing your budget.

If you keep it simple and stick within a budget on the extras, you can expect your cake to range from $2 to $4.50 per slice with a good baker. Let’s say the median price of wedding cake on a budget is $3.25 per slice, so to accommodate 150 guests, 150 X $3.25 = $487.50 plus the extras. Expect to pay $500 to $600 at a minimum for a wedding cake to serve 150 guests.
Here are a few ideas to help you keep within your budget.

Simple shapes
The more basic the shape, the more likely the baker has baking pans to create what you want and the less waste of cake there will be. In addition, bakers will have more experience working with traditional shapes and can be more efficient in creating your cake. Your cake can still be unique with creative decorations and designs, colors that reflect your wedding style, and interesting flavors and fillings. Some bakers charge a bit more for fancy flavors or multiple flavors. Be sure to ask the baker for best choices to keep you cake under budget.

Simple flavors
Traditional white wedding cake, almond, spice, and pound cake are fairly standard in the industry. So, choosing one of these wonderful, traditional favorites, and consider adding an extra flavor to the icing to make your cake extra special without a lot of additional charges. Another option… if you are serving a Groom’s Cake at the reception, let this smaller cake be a more interesting flavor for guest with a gourmet cake palate.

Stacked
Stacked cakes, with their clean lines and an elegant appeal, are extremely popular with today’s brides. Rarely do you see a wedding cake with the pillars on every tier and bridges, fountains, swans, etc. The really good news is the stacked cake is also a bit easier for the baker to manage as well, so choosing a stacked cake could save you stacks of money.

Experienced bakers
While a highly skilled, trained, and talented baker may warrant a higher price, knowing you will benefit from the baker’s experience is worth it. First of all, the experienced cake designer will be able to create more beautiful designs faster than a novice. In addition, a professional baker can help you choose options that look and taste great, but cost less to produce. Finally, while it may cost a little more to work with a wedding cake specialist, in the end knowing that your cake will be beautiful, taste fabulous, and be delivered on time and reliably set up for you can save you much worry over the long run. See our Cake Calamities for good humored stories about wedding cakes gone wrong.

Cake Related Gifts
To keep within your cake budget and not sacrifice on the cake, consider asking for the wedding cake topper and the cake server set as gifts. Many of your friends and family will want to get you a gift they feel is extra-special, and nothing could be more special than something you use in your wedding.

Gift Certificates
Gift Certificates are among the most popular wedding gifts these days. Who says you have to cash in your Gift Certificate for a toaster. Give your guests a chance to add to your special day by purchasing a Gift Certificate for your cake. “Register” for your cake and baker of choice with Cakes Across America (www.cakesacrossamerica.com - 1-800-422-5387), and your guests can purchase gift certificates towards your wedding cake. Cakes Across America will send you an email with the details of your cake registration which you can forward to those who may like to help you with your cake. When someone buys a gift certificate for you, he or she will receive a special wedding cake email confirmation and “thank you” on your behalf. The Gift Certificates will be consolidated and a check mailed to your baker two weeks prior to your wedding date, so this is a great ideas for well wishers who want to send your gift a little early and want to be involved in the big event.

Toppers
Your wedding topper doesn’t have to be expensive to be fabulous. While wedding couples and metal/acrylic monograms are very popular, there are many excellent choices that cost little or nothing. Your baker may have some great ideas such as inscribing your initials in frosting on the top of the cake or creating a monogram with a wire dipped in white chocolate and covered with shimmering candy sprinkles. Alternatives such as frosting flowers, fresh flowers, or a nice ribbon are relatively inexpensive and look great. Consider using a nicely framed photo or a family heirloom in crystal or silver as a topper. If you do want a special topper, be sure to order early to avoid rush fees and priority shipping options.

Rent, Re-use and Borrow
Your professional baker will most likely have pillars, cake stand, serving pieces, etc. that you may rent or borrow. Borrow linens, champagne glasses, a cake stand or a cake knife and server set from a friend or relative. If you want to purchase items to keep, choose styles that you can use for various events for years to come. Renting, re-using and borrowing ‘once in a lifetime’ items saves money and saves the environment

Decorating the Cake Table
In addition to borrowing and renting linens, decorations, and plants/greenery, be creative with re-using items throughout your wedding. Use the same candles that were burning at your wedding to decorate your cake table. As the bridesmaids arrive at the reception, have them or the caterer add the bridesmaid’s bouquets to the table for decoration. Place a wire discreetly under the table linens before the cake is set up. It will make it easier to attach garland, vines, ribbons, or even flowers around the edge of the table using safety pins.

Cupcakes
A tower of cupcakes can be a fun alternative to a towering wedding cake. Cupcakes create a more casual feel and are generally easier for your baker to create and manage. Don’t go too plain. A nice drop flower or monogram on each cupcake will make it seem very special to each guest.

Kitchen Cake
A kitchen cake is generally a sheet cake, one or two layers, with frosting that matches your wedding cake and minimal decorations – just enough to give the impression that this is part of the wedding cake. As your wedding cake is being cut or is wheeled back to the kitchen for cutting and serving, the sheet cake is served by the wait staff from the kitchen – hence the name “kitchen cake”. The kitchen cake is less labor intensive for the baker and will normally save you from 50 cents up to a dollar per slice. Not all bakers will agree to create a kitchen cake and hardly any will work with you if you plan to offer a kitchen cake created by someone else. Bakers are very proud of the work they do, and most would not want your guests to be eating a slice of a store bought cake thinking it was made by their bakery. Many bakers will help you cut costs with a kitchen cake if you have a large number of guests attending. It never hurts to ask. Some bakers and brides take the kitchen cake to an extreme - creating a mock wedding cake (except for the layer the bride and groom with cut together at the reception) to show, but serving kitchen cakes behind the scenes. Mock cakes still require great skill in decorating and not all bakers are adept at working with Styrofoam. Talk to your baker to see if this is a good option for you.

Standard Sheet Cakes and Round Cakes
If you want the wonderful taste sensation of a bakery fresh wedding cake, but don’t feel the need for a traditional wedding cake tower, work with your baker to get creative with sheet cakes you won’t want to hide in the kitchen. A half sheet cake serves 30 to 40 people and a full sheet cake serves 70 to 80 people – so based on the number of guests you expect determine fun options for as many sheet cakes as you need to serve your guests. For example, if you have 150 guests, you may wish to have two full sheet cakes – one with your name or even your photo in frosting on the cake and one with your spouse’s name or photo. (See FrostingArt for more details on creating digital images in frosting.) Or you may wish to have three half sheet cakes – one that is decorated with an “I”, one with a heart shape, and one with a “U”. It’s your wedding day and your cake. Choose whatever will make you happy, and be happy with whatever you choose.