The choice of wedding cake is something personal to the bride and groom, but in recent times choices have become more varied. Couples can now opt for sponge or chocolate cake instead of the traditional fruit cake. I have also noticed that some couples are beginning to alter traditions by not having a cake at all, but replacing it with a chocolate fountain or an alternative centre-piece.
Wedding cake designs are becoming more lavish and intricate and unfortunately prices are rising to the point where even the cake can cost several hundreds of pounds.
It may be difficult to understand why a cake made up of flour, eggs, sugar and raisins can end up costing several hundreds of pounds. However, there is considerable skill involved in icing a cake, as well as the number of hours involved in creating one of the show pieces and focal points of your wedding day.
The more elaborate the design, the higher the price. In addition, the person making the cake is responsible for keeping it safe during the creation phase, mending any mistakes or problems as they arise (e.g. cracked icing), transporting the cake safely to the venue and also assembling the cake at the venue.
There are a number of ways to reduce the amount spent on a wedding cake whilst still providing an attractive focal point for your photographs. Some of the options I have come across recently include the following
Many supermarkets now supply basic iced fruit and sponge cakes in various sizes. It is also possible to buy pillars so the layers can be assembled into a tiered cake. The packaging often gives ideas on suitable decorations to add to the top of the cake.
However, if you are using a florist for your flowers, it may be possible to ask them to produce a floral cake top to keep the theme the same. (The florist will need to ensure any flowers/foliage coming into contact with the cake have not been treated with any harmful chemicals/pesticides that could be transferred to the cake.)
Prices vary between supermarkets so it is worth shopping around. In my experience, it is not always the most expensive cakes that taste the best. This option also gives you the advantage of buying the smallest sized cake layer in advance so you can taste the cake beforehand.
In addition to the official display cake, most supermarkets will also sell rectangular iced cutting cakes. These can be sponge or fruit cake. This gives you the option of having a smaller wedding cake but still being able to supply enough cake for all your guests, as well as offering them a choice of fruit or sponge cake.
As an alternative to the above, there are some internet based companies through which you can order basic iced cakes as well as decorations. If you decide on this route, it is advisable to order sample products in advance to make sure you receive what you are expecting.
Do you have a relative who would be able to make a cake for you? This could cut the cost considerably or may even be offered as a wedding present. But make absolutely sure they are confident to do the job and will not let you down.
If you are looking for something less traditional, another option is to create a cake made up of tiers of cupcakes on a suitable cake stand. Some companies specialise in hand crafted cupcakes with sugar flowers on top. Although these are stunning they can cost in the region of £5 each. However, supermarkets can stock iced cupcakes at various times of the year with a variety of designs such as flowers on them made out of sugar paste. It is worth having a look to see what is being supplied.
A variation of this theme which would be suitable for a winter wedding is a tiered display of mince pies. If these are dusted with icing sugar and decorated with sprigs of holly and other seasonal foliage, this could make a very attractive alternative to a traditional cake.
You will need to work out how many pieces of cake you need for your guests and also to send out to people who are unable to attend the wedding.
It is difficult to say how many servings a cake will provide, but if you are buying a cake from a supermarket there should be guidelines on numbers of portions with the cake.
If you are asking someone to make the cake for you, you will need to consult with them on the size to ensure you can get enough portions for all your guests.
The actual number of portions will obviously depend on the size of the slices and how the cake is cut. You also need to remember that if you have a sponge cake and a fruit cake of the same size, you will get approximately two slices of sponge cake for every three slices of fruit cake. For example, if a fruit cake produced 15 slices, you would get about ten slices from a sponge cake of the same size.
You will also need to check in advance whether your reception venue will provide a cake knife and stand or whether you should arrange for this. Now that the bigger issues of the venue and catering are covered, we can move onto the smaller individual items that are needed to make your wedding day run smoothly. The bride is usually going to need to have transport from where she is getting ready to where the ceremony is taking place. The bride and groom then need to be taken from the wedding ceremony to the reception. However, in my experience, the mode of transport can range from a mini-bus (with all the guests) to a friend’s car, or to a hire car complete with chauffeur.
The (often) short trip from the bride’s house to the wedding ceremony and then to the reception will probably work out at an extortionate rate per mile. However, looking at it from the car owner’s point of view, they need to insure and maintain the car all year round. Again, peak demand tends to be on Saturdays during the summer, and often the car and chauffeur can only be booked for one customer per day, as there is always a risk of over-running. Therefore there is only a limited amount of business a car can be used for.
It all depends on how far you are prepared to compromise with the type of car, but having spoken to many brides and attended many weddings here are some ideas that could work out cheaper for you.
Vintage cars tend to be more expensive than modern cars, so unless this is one of the things you have dreamed of to make you wedding day complete, it should be possible to find a cheaper solution.
Do you have a family member or a friend with a car that could be used or could they hire a car for the day? (Check insurance cover if considering this option.)
If you are able to arrange your wedding ceremony and your reception at the same location, you could eliminate the need for a car altogether.
Is there anyone who could give the bridesmaids a lift, cutting out the need for a second car?
Or can the chauffeur take the bridesmaids first and then come back to pick up the bride? This would save the cost of having two cars, but does depend on the distances that have to be travelled to ensure it can be done in time.
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