Tips to Save on Your Wedding Cake

The wedding cake is one of the focal points of a traditional wedding celebration. Many guests will try to get a look at the cake before the meal, in anticipation of what is to come. Unfortunately, wedding cakes can be quite pricy. Below are some tips you can use to save on the wedding cake of your dreams.

Why does it cost so much to get a cake for your big day? Because quality tools and ingredients don't come cheap. The pans that bakers use are expensive, as are good eggs, butter, whippng cream, etc. Make sure you ask your baker if he uses the real deal, as replacing pricy ingredients with more economical alternatives will result in a lower quality cake, so this is not the place you want to cut back. Another reason wedding cakes cost so much is because expert bakers and decoraters charge a lot for their art. You'd probably agree that a
wedding cake should be a feast for the eyes, as well as the palette. The unique designs that expert bakers create are masterpieces in their own way. It is a advisable to ask around and get referrals and quotes, just as you might with the caterer to your event. Do some taste testing of different samples before you decide on a baker.

So how do you get a beautiful, delicious cake to fit your budget? Check out the tips we offer below.

Ask your caterer and local baker before going to the professionals. There are usually less pricy alternatives and you can strike up a good deal. Local bakers who don't specialize in wedding cakes usually charge less, and home bakers even less so, because they don't have to pay for the maintenance fees for a bakery.

Check if the pastry chef at your favorite restaurant would be willing to make you a cake. Ask about the price, and see if you can save that way. I read on a forum that some brides have done just this and still had an amazing works of art that tasted great.

Get a price quote from the bakery at a nearby grocery store. Amazing cakes can be found at the supermarket for a much lower price than the traditional wedding cake artist. Consider getting a non-wedding cake that you can upgrade, it will likely be an option that fits your budget.

Check out the prices at a local culinary school. The fee can be significantly lower than that of a wedding cake designer when students are baking and decorating wedding cakes for their program.

Since elaborate, labor-intensive cakes are more pricy, keep it simple without all the fancy frills. Try choosing a more basic cake with one colour, flavor, filling, etc, and this will be reflected in what you pay.

Do without cake tiers and fancy pillars or have the layers stacked. If you feel pillars are a must, find out if you can borrow them from your baker or use disposable ones instead of the high-end crystal ones.

Consider asking friends or relatives for a cake topper as a gift for the shower or wedding. Tell them what style you like (plastic or china).

Rent or buy a styrofoam 'dummy' cake (from the local baker) for the cake table and have pre-plated sheet cakes served to your guests from the kitchen.

Buy the fancy multi-layered cake and decorate it yourself. Doing it yourself wll save the baker time and you money.

Ask a friend or family member bake a cake for you.

Skip the cake completely and serve other deserts, such as tartlets, cheesecake, or have a desert buffet.