Wedding Cake Guide: Cost, Sizes, Tastings & How to Order

The short version: wedding cakes are priced per slice — typically $4 to $12 ($6–8 is common), a three-tier cake feeds roughly 75–100 guests, and you should book your baker 4–6 months out with the tasting around that time.

What a wedding cake really costs

• Simple buttercream, minimal decor: $4–6 per slice
• Fondant finish, sugar flowers, metallics: $8–12+ per slice
• Delivery, setup and cake stand rental are often extra — ask upfront
• Log the quote in your budget tracker under Cake & Desserts (2–3% of most budgets)

How much cake do you need?

Count on one slice per guest, minus about 10–15% (not everyone eats cake). Two tiers feed ~50–60, three tiers ~75–100, four tiers 120+. Serving late in the evening? You can size down further.

The classic money-saver: the sheet-cake trick

Order a small, beautiful display cake for the photos and cutting moment, and have the kitchen serve slices from a plain sheet cake backstage. Guests never know; your bill absolutely does.

Timeline

• 5–6 months out: shortlist bakers, check your venue's outside-vendor and refrigeration rules
• 4–5 months out: tastings (usually 3–4 flavors per session), book your favorite
• 1 month out: confirm final guest count, design, delivery time and who cuts/serves (venues sometimes charge a cutting fee — ask!)

Buy the beautiful cake for the photo — and the sheet cake for the plates.

Compare baker quotes against your whole plan with the free wedding budget calculator — it shows what each category should roughly cost for your total budget.