Ordering Your Wedding Cake

2. How Big Should My Wedding Cake Be?

Ordering a wedding cake is a task which requires a good deal of thought about the different aspects of your wedding. You will need to know the following things about your wedding when planning the size, color, and style of your cake.

Approximate number of invited guests? (Not the number of invitations)
How much other food are you planning on serving?
What time of day will the reception take place?
Are you planning on a Groom's cake and if so, how big will it be?
What type of "look" do you want?
How long into the reception will the cake be cut?

All of the questions above should be answered before attempting to decide on the size of your wedding cake. The most obvious is the number of guests attending your wedding. This number will come into play for all aspects of your wedding and it is NEVER accurate. Overall, you should plan on approximately 1/2 - 2/3 of your guest list attending, and sometimes even as high as 3/4, if a lot of them are local. Make sure you have reviewed your list and have an approximate number of attendees in mind at least 2-3 months before your wedding date, when your cake order should be placed. Remember that the top tier is usually saved for your first anniversary, so it is not calculated into the number of servings. Back to Top

If you are planning on a large buffet or a sit down dinner, you should be able to reduce the size of the cake, unless it will be served as the sole dessert. If your cake will be the only dessert, then you should plan on enough to serve each guest. Also keep in mind that if you are serving only cake and punch at your reception, you will need, at minimum, enough cake to serve all of your guests. Once you receive your response cards (usually about 2-3 weeks prior to your wedding date), please contact me to make any possible adjustments to the size of the cake being served. After 2 weeks prior to your event, I will not be able to make any adjustments to your order. Back to Top

The time of day is another factor to consider. Afternoon weddings may not need as much cake as evening ones. Note: During the summer months, an outdoor afternoon wedding may be too hot or humid for some types of icings or decorations; we will be able to discuss your options during the consultation. Back to Top

If you are having a Groom's Cake, you may be able to get by with a smaller wedding cake. Groom's cakes can vary a lot in style and size, so I usually calculate each cake's serving capacity separately, and then add them together for the final total of servings. Some people will have a piece of each, so it is a good idea to overestimate the number of servings needed. Back to Top

A lot depends on the "look" you want. You may have seen a cake at a friend's wedding, in a magazine, or on TV, and already have an exact idea of what you want. If the look you want is bigger than what you will need, we can discuss the possibility of using what is referred to as a "Cake Dummy" to stand in for the largest tiers. Once decorated, they look exactly like a real tier, and they allow you to achieve the size you want without the leftovers! There is a charge for each decorated "dummy" layer, but it is considerably less than a real cake. Please see my pricing guide for the prices of decorated "dummy" layers. If you decide to go with a larger cake than you will need, you may either hand out "Take-Home" boxes to the departing guests, or freeze the remaining cake. Back to Top

Serving the cake early enough in the reception so that it is there for guests who may leave early ensures that most if not all of your cake is eaten. You can also make sure that the entire cake has been sliced for those who wish to have another piece, or for those who may want to take a piece home. Back to Top