Budget and Cost Guide
Welcome back to our second instalment in our wedding cake and sweet table information post. I hope you were able to gather some useful information from my last post.
Today, we’ll be talking about budget, design and flavour. I feel that these three elements go hand in hand as the design and flavour play a factor in the cost of your wedding cake and sweet table.
So let’s start at the beginning and see where the tradition of having a wedding cake comes from. According to Reader’s Digest a wedding cake has been around since ancient Rome, but wasn’t the sugary white icing type. That came centuries later. What they did have was a sweet bread that they would break over the bride’s head to signify luck and fertility. Simple, those were the times!
Today, not so much. With all the inspirations floating around Instagram and Pinterest, the wedding cake has become something of a more complex goodie.
Factors involved
So what’s involved when we, the bakers, have to price out your work of art for the big day? Well a few things..
- the number of people
- the time of year (hot summer days are our nemesis)
- the design: complex or simple
- fondant or buttercream
- sugar flowers vs real flowers
- labour, overhead, fixed costs (sorry for the business school analysis)
- ingredients: flavours play a huge part in this
- flavours: complex or simple
- structure of the tiers
- cake toppers
- cake stands and rentals
- tastings/ consultations
- research
Flavours
Why is this important? While many people are the vanilla and chocolate type, more and more people are going for less traditional and more exotic flavours. Like passion fruit mango and coconut with spiced rum. While this sounds delicious, it does add up in the cost. As we know, food is one of the most remembered element of your wedding. So if you’re looking to impress and wanting people to remember your wedding, this would definitely not be budget friendly, but highly recommended!
Design
This is probably the one thing that will take your budget over the top. With websites like Instagram and Pinterest showing the world what can be done, it also has been a pain in the rear. I love inspiration just as much as the next person, but people are not aware of the cost (see above) that goes into making a spectacular cake and sweet table.
I would suggest to be mindful of what you choose. If you see a lot of flowers, intricate designs know that this is expensive due to labour intensive work. If you’re looking at a buttercream cake and a couple of real flowers, then yes it wouldn’t cost as much. But again, every cake designer has their way of pricing their work.
Pricing can start as low as 6$ per person for a wedding cake and $15 per person for a sweet table, to over $20 a person. It all depends on your design. It also depends on your location. Some cities like NYC start at 10$ a person, while smaller rural towns might start at 5$. I would recommend meeting with a few cake designers that fit your needs to talk about your budget, design and flavours. These cake designers know what would best benefit your big day, so don’t be afraid to ask questions and meet with them.
Next Steps
Remember that you’re not just paying for a product. You’re paying for a representation of your big day. My job is to make sure you look good and that what you pay for tastes just as good too! I’m here to help you tick off one more box off your long wedding to do list. If you’re ready to talk, book a consult with me today and we can talk about all things cake and sweets!
Until the next table, stay sweet!
