Cake Tips and Trends
<b>What It Costs</b> Most designer charge by the slice (that is, per guest). Expect to pay between $1.50 and $15 a slice, depending on where you live, the exclusivity of the designer, and the complexity of the cake.
<b>Ways to Save</b> Order a smaller cake that's exactly what you want and several sheet cakes of the same flavor to be cut in the kitchen. Stay away from tiers, handmade sugar flowers, and custom cakes involving special molded shapes. Forgo fondant; butter-cream frosting is less expensive.
<b>Sizing It Up</b> Three standard tiers will probably serve fifty to a hundred guests; you'll likely need five layers for two hundred guests or more (these are guidelines; ask your cake designer for exact numbers). If you'll have a dessert table or other sweets in addition to cake, consider a cake sized for half your number of guests (the servings will be a little smaller).
<b>Flavor Saver</b> Unless you simply can't decide, don't order different flavors by layer. Variety could cost you-and guests don't generally get to choose anyway!
<b>Topper Tips</b> Get creative with your cake topper. Riff on your wedding theme, consider your hobbies, include pictures, make it yourself.
<b>Fresh, Not Fatal</b> If you use fresh flowers, triple-check with your florist that they have not been sprayed with pesticides. Make sure that other decorative elements that are not edible are removed.
<b>Melt-aways</b> If you re getting married outdoors in a hot climate, stay away from whipped cream, meringue, and butter-cream icing, which melt!
<b>Homegrown</b> It's a nice personal touch to have your grandmother or mom bake your cake, but this works best for small weddings. Baking for two hundred or more is a feat of engineering best left to the professionals.
<b>Delivery Details</b> Cake delivery will take a little coordination. Complex cakes may not necessarily be delivered ready to go. Make sure there is time and space for assembly to take place. Refrigeration may also be required.
<b>Freezer Burn</b> Eating the top tier of your cake on your first anniversary sounds far better than it tastes, believe us. Instead, indulge on your two-week anniversary and treat yourself to a fresh cake in the same flavor when you've survived the first
year.
Courtesy of <a class='navitem2' href='http://theknot.com'>The Knot </a> via <a class='navitem2' href='http://scrippsmedia.com'>Scripps Media</a>
