I have a really tight budget for my wedding. There are only about 30 people on the guest list, and it will be really casual (NO SHOES ALLOWED) and on the beach. How much should I pay for a relatively simple wedding cake decorated with seashells?
2007-01-30 08:13:13 · 17 answers · asked by nicshtik 2 in Family & Relationships ➔ Weddings
For that many people, you should be able to get away with a small 2 tiered cake.
I wouldn't pay more than $100.00
2007-01-30 08:24:13 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are only having 30 people your cake should not cost more than $50-60. If you want a simple wedding cake, try a supermarket. I had mine done by the cake decorator in the bakery department of a major supermarket chain, it was just as beautiful as anything I could have gotten from a wedding cake shop, and I only paid $90 for a cake that served 75 people. No need to spend hundreds of dollars on a cake. I don't know where you live or what grocery stores they have in your area, but Albertson's and Safeway both do wedding cakes and I think Fred Meyer might as well. Supermarket prices were about 1/3 the price of the "professional" cakes. The main difference is that they typically do buttercream frosting and not fondant, which is fine because fondant tastes like paste anyway. The only thing you have to worry about with buttercream is that it will melt a bit if it's hot out so you will want to keep it refrigerated as long as possible, leaving it out during the ceremony on a hot day will not work very well.
2007-01-30 20:42:27 · answer #2 · answered by Hamlette 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Have you thought about going to a "culinary arts class" it will save you in the long run. Or do you have anyone in your family that would make the cake for you as a gift? You could also call around to you local grocery stores. Request a two layer cake for a family gathering rather than a wedding.
You could also go to www.foodnetwork.com and look up wedding cake making. There was a segment and she made it look really simple.
2007-01-30 08:18:58 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you can 'bake it yourself' or know someone who can bake it, I'd pay for the 'ingredients' plus 20% ... if you must go to a bakery, then you'll have to use their 'set prices' for the cake you describe. My husband 'ordered' what he thought would be a 'good wedding cake' that turned out to be basically garbage and was way too small, and he had to bake us a larger cake and 'blend them' into one larger good cake, including doing the frosting ... and he cried that day, and I'll never forget those tears. By the way, my husband was a professional pastry chef, and he 'should have known' the cake he ordered wasn't going to be good ... but it sure played a part in what is now a 'good bad memory' for us ten years later.
2007-01-30 08:34:03 · answer #4 · answered by Kris L 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should spend no more than $50-$75!!! Really! I spent $150 for a five-tiered cake for 100 people. After all, it's just dessert.
Do you have a friend who would make you one? That would be the most economical option. If not, shop around. Many grocery stores make good cakes for not so much money.
2007-01-30 08:23:53 · answer #5 · answered by MagPookie 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My cousin got a "mini" wedding cake from our local bakery for her wedding. It only cost about $30 and it was just enough for her 35 guests.
It was basically a round, 2-tier cake w/the bottom layer being a single layer about the diameter of a basic round cake pan, and the top layer also being a single layer about the diameter of a large coffee can.
She wanted hers decorated w/fresh flowers, so she just had the baker do plain icing w/out all the ribboning and frills (which she was able to get a discount for!) and then her mom placed the flowers on it herself. You could do the same w/shells.
I myself actually made a 3 tier cake for my daughters birthday using cake/coffe cans. I baked 3 single layers in your average size cake pan. Once the cakes were cool, I placed a large piece of saran wrap loosely on top of 2 of the cakes. I took a large coffee can (for the 2nd tier) and a smaller coffee can (for the top) and used them as "cookie cutters" to cut out perfectly round smaller layers, the saran wrap keeps the cake from sticking inside the coffe cans. Try to "dust off" any crumbs that resulted from the cutting and refrigerate the cake layers. Once the layers are very cool, put on your icing. I was even able to "texture" the icing---I took a some paper towels that had the patterned quilting/weaving in it and pulled the 2 layers apart so that I could expose the more raised pattern that is on the inside. Once the cake had chilled enough to where the icing had begun to harden, I lightly placed the paper towel on the cake top/sides and VERY gently patted the towel onto the icing. Carefully pull the towel off and there's your pattern!
2007-01-30 09:15:51 · answer #6 · answered by secret_oktober_girl 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Heck, go to walmart and buy some cake mixes, frosting and make your own. You can read a book from the library on how to decorate the thing and since your on a beach, who would have ever thought of a big fancy cake anyways. Make cupcakes. That would certainly be fun.
2007-01-30 08:19:44 · answer #7 · answered by happydawg 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
just get a regular cake like the ones for a birthday party but instead of a square cake make it a round cake they are more formal. Instead of 3 cakes one on top of the other make it two it should be under $150 maybe close to 90 if you go to a small bakery.
2007-01-30 08:44:16 · answer #8 · answered by needanswers 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can buy a wedding cake for $65 at Wal Mart to feed more than the number of people you have.
2007-01-30 12:18:24 · answer #9 · answered by layla983 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
buy 3 cakes in 3 different flavors at the grocery store 15.00 each. All with white frosting. buy shells and some small palm trees and decorate the cakes yourself . Total cost under 60,00
2007-01-30 08:25:29 · answer #10 · answered by Nora 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋