Prices of Wedding Cakes
Weddingstar "A Sweet Western Embrace" Cake Topper
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, Weddingstar Contemporary Love Birds Cake Topper
, Hortense B. Hewitt Wedding Accessories Sparkling Love Double Heart Silver-Plated Cake Top, 5-1/2-Inch Tall
The average cost of a wedding cake can start quite high. As with anything else, if you know of someone who is skilled and experienced enough to make your wedding cake this is a bonus you should take full advantage of. The average cost of wedding cakes start at about $600, according to the Bridal Association of America, and can go into the tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the size, ingredients and baker.
Retailers
There are no national retailers of wedding cakes. Since the cakes need to be assembled on site, it may be best to get your cake at a place near the reception. Otherwise you can be charged by the retailer for the price of transportation, according to Cost Helper.com.
Your Caterers
Using the wedding catering company is one way to make the cost of the wedding cake cheaper, according to Cost Helper.com. If the company is one that has its own pastry chef, it may be cheaper to use this person to create and assemble the cake on your wedding day since you may not have to pay the extra cost of delivery and cake-cutting.
Types
Wedding cakes are often tiered, meaning they have multiple layers generally becoming wider at the bottom than at the top. Depending on your taste, they may be sculptural or single-layered in form.
Expensive Features
These include extensive detailing, fondant (which is a smooth, shiny layering of icing), gold leaf and high-priced ingredients like imported chocolate.
Extras
There may be at least a $1 per slice charge for cake cutting, and another minimal $1 per slice charge for fruits and nuts in the cake. According to the Wedding Channel, the average cost for a wedding cake is $3 to $6 per slice.
Price Reduction
To decrease the price of the wedding cake, have a simple white cake with nice detailing using fresh flowers. Along with using a nearby retailer, doing this can reduce the price of the cake. Using a newly established caterer or baker is another way to reduce the price.