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Maegan
Frequent user August 2021 Ontario

To cake or not to cake?

Maegan, on August 7, 2018 at 12:45 Posted in Wedding reception 0 38
So my FH and I were talking recently and we can't get over how expensive a wedding cake is! All we wanted was a 3 tier cake with 2 slabs being plastic or styrafoam and only the top one edible. This is because our guests will alrrady be getting dessert included with dinner and we have a late night snack so no one should need the cake as they're hungry.
So now we're wondering if we shpuld just forgo to cake altogether. We talked to our parents about it and they get it, all the cake really is nowadays is a few photos anyways.
Has anyone just not had a wedding cake?
Thoughts? Opinions? Will we miss it?
Thanks!

38 Comments

Latest activity by Naomi, on August 20, 2018 at 14:07
  • Naomi
    Curious September 2018 British Columbia
    Naomi ·
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    Our buffet comes with desserts so we were thinking of skipping the cake, but one of my friends is a cheese maker and she asked if she could make us a baked cheese cake with Okanagan fruit for our wedding. Since my FH and I are both dairy farmers and I am a cheese maker as well, I am making a type of cream cheese with the milk from our cows and my friend is renting the kitchen from a local pie company to make and bake the cake.

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  • Holly
    Frequent user November 2019 Ontario
    Holly ·
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    We are just doing a small cake and a few cupcakes ( the cupcake are gluten free and offer an option to those who need it. I think certain elements are only as important as you make them out to be.

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  • Emily
    Devoted November 2018 Ontario
    Emily ·
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    We're having 135ish people, and we ordered 12 pies. We have lots of other desserts so we figured that would be enough Smiley smile
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  • Jackie
    Devoted April 2019 Ontario
    Jackie ·
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    We are having a small cake to cut and then cup cakes for the guest as dessert.
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  • Jamie
    Newbie September 2018 British Columbia
    Jamie ·
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    Cake-Less! Our buffet also comes with assorted desserts included. The cost of the cake and the cake cutting fee were not worth it to us so we are going cake-less. Instead of the cake ceremony/photo op we are using the "Polish Salt and Bread" traditional ceremony in its place to symbolize the switch from dinner to party. I did hear a wedding planner once not recommend pies because once they get cut into they don't look very pretty...I would have to agree that they don't have the same visual appeal as cake.

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  • Candice
    Curious October 2018 Alberta
    Candice ·
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    We are just doing a 8" cake for us to cut and cake pops for the guests. It was way too expensive for my budget as well. We also are having donuts as well.

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  • Helen
    Frequent user September 2018 British Columbia
    Helen ·
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    We're doing a pie bar also...so much better than cake and we are getting married in BC's fruit basket so it makes sense. I am getting a topper made that is short enough to stick in it, display it nicely and our baker will do some beautiful design with the pasty for our showcase pie. I think the guests will be very pleased!

    We were told a 9" will get 6 small or 5 large slices. I expect there will be seconds eaten by the boys for sure. We aren't doing any other dessert/candy table and feel this will be enough. Hope this helps!

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  • Kay
    Devoted September 2018 Nova Scotia
    Kay ·
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    We decided on a super small cake, essentially for decor and to give the venue a weddingy feel. hah. We are having a very small wedding so I wanted a wedding cake. It is only single 6" tier, but has 3 layers, so it'll be taller. We paid $80 for it, which includes some pretty gold detailing.

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  • Kaitie
    Newbie June 2019 Alberta
    Kaitie ·
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    I’m only doing a cake because I do them myself haha! I went to school for baking so decided I would do my own. I even opted for the cheaper option of having a 4” cake for me and my fiancé to cut and then the rest are all going to be cupcakes. And since it’s coming out of my pocket and I do it for a living it’s only costing me like $300. Otherwise I wouldn’t be having a cake. People are getting stupid with prices of everything now a days. I’m so glad I have friends that are willing to help me out. My old boss is catering my wedding for the dinner and my other old coworker is DJing for me.
    My advice. Find as many friend as possible willing to help you out. All my friend wants for DJing is for me to pay for his drinks. And my old boss just wants the same minus the cost of the food of course.
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  • Christine
    Frequent user October 2019 Ontario
    Christine ·
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    We're thinking of doing pies instead of cakes as well. How many people are you having at your wedding? I'm trying to get a rough estimate of how many we would need.

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  • Rhiannon
    Newbie November 2018 Ontario
    Rhiannon ·
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    We decided from the beginning that we wouldn't do wedding cake and would instead choose some other dessert or snack since we see the cake as a really expensive photo op. Smiley smile
    I don't think it would be missed at all! Most people don't even eat any of it at a wedding.

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  • T
    Frequent user August 2018 British Columbia
    Terri ·
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    We just got a 6 inch to cut and then bought dessert bars, chocolate covered strawberries and cookies. The cake wasn’t a priority in our budget
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  • Sydney
    Expert August 2018 Ontario
    Sydney ·
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    I TOTALLY get this! We weren't going to do a cake at first, but then my fiancé really wanted one, so we're doing something similar! Our top tier will be edible, and the second tier will be a "dummy" cake.

    I agree with Bianca, I don't think anyone will miss it if you decide not to do it! As you said, guests are already getting dessert anyways!

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  • Bianca
    Master August 2019 Ontario
    Bianca ·
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    When we first started wedding planning I was 100% against having a wedding cake, now, I'm considering it only if I can find one cheap enough that suits my needs.

    Honestly, I think cakes are overdone and won't be missed. I can't recall the cake from a single wedding I've attended tbh.

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  • Rachael
    Super October 2019 Ontario
    Rachael ·
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    It's totally up to you! As you said, your guests will already have dessert after dinner as per your wedding package, and you'll also have a late-night sweet station so I'd understand if you decide to skip the cake.

    You could also opt for a one-tier cake instead, and have your baker do individual slices as that should drop the price significantly, but still enable you to have a cake for pictures/cutting purposes.

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  • Vinod
    Top August 2017 Ontario
    Vinod ·
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    Alternatives is a way to go if not cake. As many people may not enjoy cake now a days, its always good to choose simpler choices to go for dessert.

    I had chosen to go two ways. One being the cake which my husband was onboard for 3 tiers enough for the family and assorted mini pastries for others. 72 guests worked out perfectly and no wastage. The main thing is that my husband was happy with everything.

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  • Megann
    Frequent user September 2018 New Brunswick
    Megann ·
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    Love this idea!!
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  • Megann
    Frequent user September 2018 New Brunswick
    Megann ·
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    We’re getting this, three tier, delivery and all for 170$, which I find it super reasonable Smiley smile

    I’m a cake girl Smiley tongue

    If you dont want a cake, biff it, enough said Smiley smile

    To cake or not to cake? 1
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  • Stephanie
    Master July 2018 Alberta
    Stephanie ·
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    We didn’t do a cake and no regrets! I can’t eat cake and hubby doesn’t really like cake, so it really would’ve been for a picture only. And, we already had lots of pictures of us from earlier in the day. Plus, it worked out because my hubby had had enough of poses photos by that time.
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  • Maegan
    Frequent user August 2021 Ontario
    Maegan ·
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    Just to clarify we were never going to do enough cake to feed the guests, they have a plated dessert and late night snack so we decided theyd be okay without it a while back. What were trying to decide is if we go without any cake at all for cutting will we regret it?
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  • Lyla
    Devoted July 2018 Alberta
    Lyla ·
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    My husband and I aren’t huge sweets fans, so we got a small 6” cake and had 120 cupcakes for the guests. All in all it ended up costing us 230$!

    To cake or not to cake? 2
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  • Emily
    Devoted November 2018 Ontario
    Emily ·
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    We are doing pies instead of cake Smiley smile It's a personal preference AND a much cheaper option. You can get 15 pies for $220 (at $15/pie), if you do one pie per table-ish, whereas a cake that feeds the same number of people would cost $400-$1000 depending on how much decoration you get!
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  • A
    Frequent user October 2018 Ontario
    Amanda ·
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    We opted to get a small single tier for us to cut and then have cupcakes for our guests!
    Our late night buffet will have cookies as well
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  • Kaisha
    Super March 2019 Nova Scotia
    Kaisha ·
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    We will not be doing cake. we will have a nice plated dessert with dinner. We are debating doing a dessert table but with like cookies, pies etc.

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  • Stefanie
    Newbie September 2019 British Columbia
    Stefanie ·
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    My best friend had cupcakes which was a cheaper option and super cute.
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  • Carmela
    Devoted April 2019 Ontario
    Carmela ·
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    We aren’t having a cake but a donut cake. We will have one tier of cake to cut into but the 5 other tiers will be Krispy Irene donuts lol

    To cake or not to cake? 3
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  • S
    Frequent user January 2021 Alberta
    Sara ·
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    If it's not something you're super excited about, I'd cut the expense and not do a cake. I can't even tell you how many weddings I have been to where they totally forgot to do the cake cutting, so this beautiful $300-400 cake ended up going to waste because it was forgotten about.

    If you don't do one, I can guarantee that pretty much no one will even notice, and if anyone does, it'll be a mere moment of curiosity and nothing more.

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  • Jennifer
    Super July 2019 Ontario
    Jennifer ·
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    We aren't doing a full cake. forget that. I don't want to spend the money when my venue includes dessert. we are getting a small round (probably a 6inch) cake for photos/cutting. and a local baker will do it for under $50. good enough for me!
    Although. I love cake. so I will probably snack on it later in the night. haha

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  • Brittany
    British Columbia
    Brittany ·
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    We are getting a very small 2 tier cake. It will be up on a pedestal, surrounded by mini-cupcakes. When I say small, I mean a 4" and 6" tiered cake. The 4" layer will be the perfect size to save for our 1 year anniversary, and the 6" layer is for the cake cutting ceremony (which I wanted to have).

    Our baker is doing the mini-cupcakes at $1 each, and the cake will be $40.

    If you're okay with getting the "decor stuff" (faux flowers, cake topper... whatever) yourself, you could go and order a 2 tier "anniversary", "birthday" or whatever cake from a bakery. Plain white buttercream frosting.... You may be finding that the expensive cakes are the price they are due to saying it's for a wedding.

    If you don't need something fancy, I suggest going with the plain, small, practical option.

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  • Gabbie
    Frequent user June 2019 Nova Scotia
    Gabbie ·
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    I was going for no cake, but my aunt was a tad too excited and bought a gorgeous mother of pearl cake cutter, so we're doing cake hahaha, it might seem like a weird decision maker, but both my parents have passed away, and I understand my aunt's need to make me feel like I'm not missing out... we're still probably doing a smallish cake and supplement it with cupcakes.

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  • Peggy
    Super May 2019 Alberta
    Peggy ·
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    We are having cake and cupcakes, but my sister is baking it for us. We don't want anything fancy, and she has basic skills with fondant and decorating. Our cost will be under 100$, because we also couldn't justify paying the cost bakeries wanted.

    Do you know anyone who might be able/willing to bake one for you?

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  • Tatiana
    Expert April 2018 Ontario
    Tatiana ·
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    We had a cake, went with a 2 tier cake and still was pricey. We also had dessert with dinner and dessert table at night. To be honest no one remembers our cake (witht the exception of me, not even hubby rememebrs what it looked like lol). And I don't remember any of my friends cakes unless I look back at pictures. Lookig back not sure cake was needed at all, and we could have saved the money to spend during our honeymoon.

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