Planning and paying for a wedding ceremony and reception can easily become very expensive. The average American wedding costs $30,000. As such, many financially conscious couples are eagerly searching for ways to reduce the tremendous accumulation of wedding bills. Luckily, you can be comforted in knowing that there are many ways that couples can reduce the cost of their wedding ceremony and reception.
One effective way that money-savvy couples save on their wedding is by saving money on their wedding cake. You must be wondering how that can be done considering that the wedding cake is one of the most flamboyant parts of the wedding ceremony. Well, let’s see…..
Firstly, you can telephone and visit various bakeries in your city or town, and consider expanding the geographical search to include maybe a 30 mile radius thus giving you more options. Ask about price quotes for various styles of cakes and accompanying desserts. Record the price quotes and additional information in your wedding planner or notebook.
If the quotations received continue to be financially embarrassing for your pockets still, there is no shame in asking a trusted family member or friend to bake your wedding cake themselves and give it to you as a wedding present. If they are that talented, it is almost certain they would be obliged at the opportunity to help.
Nonetheless, if that is not an option, asking a close friend or family member to sponsor your wedding cake as their present to you could be the next best option.
Another option that could help you save on the cost of a wedding cake would be for you to consider alternative desserts. Options those are obviously less expensive of course. One such option would be to consider cupcakes instead of wedding cake. What? This doesn’t sound very “wedding-ly” to you? Use the link to read about cupcake wedding ideas and check out photographs at The Wedding Planner Blog.
Cutting back on the size of the wedding cake could definitely save you some money as well. Buy a wedding cake that comfortably suits the depths of your purse and not the other way around.
On the other hand, if being flamboyant and showy is your thing, consider getting a non-edible wedding cake. A non edible wedding cake is made of a foam cake frame and decorated with icing. This way you have something flashy for photo taking opportunities. Then get a smaller cake for the wedding ceremony.
Additionally, purchasing smaller sized wedding cakes compared to larger ones that are more expensive is another way to cut back on the cost of wedding cakes. As well as, buying wedding cakes that are less fancy with ornate decorating.
Check your local newspapers and magazines for coupons offered by bakeries for discounts on wedding cakes and even search wedding and bakery websites online for affordable yet beautiful wedding cakes.
Attend local wedding shows for ideas about different bakeries, different cake styles, colors, designs and flavors. Even so, some ambitious and domestic brides or grooms take cake decorating classes and actually design, bake and decorate their own wedding cake. However, special skill and extra time and pre-planning are required to bake your own cake.
Finally, if having a beautiful and top-quality wedding cake is very important to you as the bride or groom, consider splurging on the wedding cake expense and cutting back finances in another area, such as musical entertainment for the reception, or the amount of alcohol being served.
Della Mullins 
Michelle Johnson 
Edna Dodd