One of my favorite – seriously, FAVORITE – parts of a wedding reception is the cake! I’ve had more than one chef tell me to get my paws out of the cake. I just can’t help it! It’s the best part. Steak – had it before. Trout – fish. Chicken – every night of the week. Chocolate espresso dark chocolate nutella cake with cream cheese filling?! HELLO!! Don’t get me wrong, dessert bars are fun (and I personally encourage cake and a dessert bar because I don’t believe in too many sweets) but the cake is traditional, exciting and just fun.
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Yet it’s important to remember that ordering a wedding cake isn’t as simple as saying “four tiers, round, chocolate.” There are a few things to consider – guest count and cake budget to be precise. Cakes can get expensive. And if you know your guests would be more interested in a granola bar rather than some fluffy caloric slice of joy, don’t waste the money – keep it small for just you and your man. But if you know your guests are like me, here is a sizing chart to help you figure out exactly what size cake (and tiers) you need for the perfect amount of sweetness!
Aunt Audrey’s Favourites
Maybe get a few small 8″ cakes in different flavors and colors to do a cake/dessert bar combo. Or, rather than spend all the money on a gigantic cake (which could end up being extremely costly), go smaller in size and tier number and do sheet cakes behind the scenes instead. They serve more people and don’t eat up (no pun intended) so much of your cake budget. Cut cake pieces can be more appropriate sized, becoming a bit more enticing for guests who just filled up on what was no doubt a delicious meal! Thus, you’ll have less leftover and your money will have gone much further.
Also be sure to ask your bakery this:
if all the cake is eaten on the day of the wedding, will they make a small 6″ (or whatever size and shape you prefer) for your one year anniversary? Because let’s be real – year old frozen cake just isn’t that good! However you choose to approach your cake, let this diagram be a guide so you not only get the best bang for your buck, but so you also get your dream cake!
