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From the diamond to the “I do”, each bride
has a vision of her perfect wedding. At the heart of that
dream is the iconic wedding cake, those towering tiers topped
with thumbnail versions of the blushing bride and her beau.
Essential as this frosted fantasy may be, nothing can wake
a dream like a budget-busting baker quoting four figures
for something that is, after all, just flour, sugar, and
eggs.
In today’s day and age, the happiest bride is the
clever bride. Never give up the fantasy; simply find creative
ways to execute your dream. Here are six cost-saving tips
on getting an affordable but album-worthy wedding cake you
and your guests will never forget.
Dress It Up
You know you can’t bake, but you can definitely accessorize!
Order your four-tiered cake in plain white frosting. If
the baker isn’t doing the decorating, you can get
a more delicious price even on cakes that serve 100 or more.
Send that eager-to-help relative to the reception site with
some fresh flowers or elegant lace and a photo from a bridal
magazine as a guide. Leave the decorations on long enough
for guests to enjoy and photographers to snap, then remove
and serve!
Cheat Sheets
You can have your cake and eat it too by downsizing to fewer
tiers and buying sheet cakes to feed your guests. Let the
photographers capture all your memorable moments at the
model cake, while servers dish out the delicious squares
to grateful spectators. Consider a dessert bar where guests
can add their favorite toppings like fresh fruit, chocolate
syrup, and whipped cream. Who says you can’t please
everyone?
Simply Classic
While your taste may call for a mango filling, classic flavors
are generally more appealing to the masses and to your budget.
Stick with a crowd-pleasing chocolate or vanilla and put
your savings toward an exotic honeymoon!
Family Affair
Have a lot of able-bodied bridesmaids? Gather the best bakers
in the family for a centerpiece cook off. Using round or
even heart-shaped pans, you can bake one or two layered
cakes for each table at the reception. Once the cakes are
cooled, let your bridal party frost and besprinkle with
wedding colors. Most party stores sell professional decorations
and serving platters for very affordable prices. Send your
most trusted pastry elves to the reception site to dress
the tables before the festivities begin. Lacy doilies or
scattered rose petals make an elegant finishing touch.
Assembly Required
Don’t shy away from your local grocer’s onsite
bakery. Grocery stores can offer great prices because of
the high volume of cakes they produce, and they can make
a higher-end product with the same tools and appliances
they use to make birthday cakes.
For the confident and crafty bride, why not order budget-friendly
sheet layers and build your wedding cake? Determining the
size and number of sheets is simple math. A full sheet cake
serves 100, while a half sheet serves 50. Order the sheets
iced in white and stack one on the other, leaving the cardboard
in between to help steady and support. Ready-to-use, white
frosting in a can with a nozzle makes a great touch-up tool
used to fill any gaps between layers. Three layers is the
most you can do with this method (full sheet on the bottom,
half in the middle, and quarter sheet on top) and will serve
175.
Server’s Delight
Elegant, white frosted cupcakes in white paper cups make
a sweet finish to your wedding reception at a savory price.
Servers can easily deliver these tasty treats without additional
tableware cluttering guests’ space. Or you can showcase
them as you would a cake by using a tiered serving platter.
It’s easy to assemble a fancy display by stacking
lined platters and inverted champagne flutes. |
