Wedding cake prices, and what a wedding cake near me really costs

What suppliers publish, and what they do not

How to ask a baker for a price

1. Give the guest count first. Portions drive the price. A baker cannot cost a cake from a photograph, and the number of people who will actually eat it is the first thing they need.
2. Say what the cake is doing. A cutting cake for photographs, dessert for every guest, and an evening slice with coffee are three different sizes of order.
3. Ask what decoration adds. Sugar flowers, hand painting and structural work are hours, not ingredients. Ask which elements of a design you have seen are the expensive ones.
4. Ask about delivery and setup. Tiered cakes are assembled at the venue. Delivery distance and a setup slot are commonly charged and commonly forgotten.

Per portion, per tier, or per cake

Most bakers work from a per-portion figure and multiply. It is the fairest model for the organiser because it moves with the guest list rather than with how impressive the cake looks in a photograph, and it makes two quotes comparable as soon as you tell both bakers the same number of guests. Ask for the portion figure explicitly if a baker quotes a single total.

Tiers complicate this because a tier is a structural unit rather than a fixed number of portions. A tall four-tier cake for eighty guests exists, and so does a wide two-tier cake for the same number, and they cost differently because of the internal support and the decorating surface. If you want a particular look, describe the look and let the baker tell you what it costs in portions.

The cheaper shapes that still look right

A small decorated cutting cake with plain sheet cakes cut in the kitchen is the standard way to keep the photograph and lose the cost, and most bakers will quote it without being asked twice. The visible cake carries the decoration hours, and the hidden cake carries only ingredients and baking time.

The other real saving is choosing a decoration style rather than a decoration count. Sugar flowers priced individually add up quickly; a textured finish with fresh flowers added on the day by your florist can cost a fraction of the same visual weight. Ask the baker which of the two your florist can safely place, because not every flower is food safe.

Questions organisers ask before they book

How far ahead should I order a wedding cake?

Six to nine months for a popular baker in peak season, and less outside it. Tastings are usually a few months before the date, and the final guest count is normally confirmed a fortnight or so ahead.

Do I pay for a tasting?

Often yes, and the fee is frequently credited against the order if you book. Ask before you book several tastings in one weekend.

Is a cheaper cake obviously cheaper?

Not from a distance, and not in photographs. The visible differences are in the sharpness of the edges, the finish of the icing and the quality of hand-made decoration, which is exactly where the hours go.

Can the venue charge me to cut it?

Some venues charge a cutting or plating fee, particularly if the cake is being served as dessert. Ask the venue before you order, because it changes what size of cake makes sense.

What this costs where you are marrying

• What a wedding costs in the UK, from published supplier prices