Let them Eat Cake

Save on the sweetest of wedding day treats

In the grand scheme of wedding spending, the price of the cake, which can start at several hundred dollars and reach beyond $1,000, is actually one of the least expensive things you’ll purchase. Still, it doesn’t hurt to trim the budget wherever possible. Here, cake designers Sarah Resnick of City Bakery Café in Asheville and Sid Jackson of Creative Pastries by Sid in Highlands share their advice on how you can cut costs before you cut the cake.

•Choose butter cream icing ($3 per serving) over fondant ($5 per serving) and reduce your cost by nearly half.

•Since sugar embellishments are time-consuming to make and therefore expensive, fresh flowers are an attractive alternative and often cheaper.

•You can save up to $100 by opting for one cake flavor over multiple. But keep in mind, guests tend to eat more if given several choices, leaving you with minimal leftovers.

•For a large wedding, serve slices from a simple sheet cake ($2.50 per serving)—or kitchen cake since it is stored and portioned in the kitchen—in addition to a smaller, decorative wedding cake ($3-$5 per serving).

•Order a smaller cake and supplement it with other confections. Offering guests a variety of desserts is a good way to involve family and friends by asking them to make favorite treats.

•Serving cupcakes ($2 each)—displayed on a multitier platform and crowned with a six-inch cake for the bride and groom—is a less expensive alternative and can reduce delivery costs.

­­— Melissa C. Smith

Less is More: Fresh flowers add natural elegance to this classic cake.

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