When planning the budget for your wedding, you’re going to need to know how much does a wedding cake cost?

Well wedding cakes run the gamut in style which results in a wide range of prices. During a wedding cake consultation with your baker, you will learn that many choices affect the total cost of your cake.

How much does a wedding cake cost? Well the price is determined by the way it is decorated. Handmade gum paste flowers, for instance, are more expensive than fresh flowers. For an independent bakery decorated cake, the price is per person, and tends to range between $3-8. There is also a setup and delivery fee generally.

If your budget is tight, you can take a “do it yourself” approach. Before your wedding day, take several cake decorating classes. Because the classes are inexpensive and the ingredients are cheap, how much does a wedding cake cost will be low when you make it yourself. All you have to do is buy a few different size pans, depending on the size and shape you want your cake to be. Bake your own cakes from scratch or from a mix the day before the wedding. Get help of friends and family in decorating your cake. To get smooth wedding cake look, buy pre-made fondant at your local craft store or bakery.

If you are going to use a baker (and most brides do,) here are some ideas to cut costs and have a big pretty cake:

o Pick a simple design.

o Have a false layer or two. The baker can decorate Styrofoam just like the cake. Then you can have a couple of sheet cakes same color schemes in the back and serve them.

o Purchase your cake from a grocery store bakery rather than a stand alone baker. Costco and Sam’s Club can make an elegant cake for less than $100.

o Have a small, ornately decorated cake for “show.” Use this cake for the pictures and cake cutting. Then serve guests from a sheet cake behind the scenes.

While intricate, over-the-top cakes can summon up the ultimate in wedding day opulence, the current shift towards modern minimalism has made inroads into the world of cake design. The result is a chic, but not budget breaker, cake. When you lose the ornate adornments and infinite skyward-stretching tiers, and opt for a clean design with an impeccably smooth surface, you save money. For adornment, you can add simple details such as a Swiss dot pattern or wide ribbon around the base.

So the answer to how much does a wedding cake cost depends on your personal preferences and the number of guests you’re serving.

How much does a wedding cake cost? Is just one question Samantha has been asked. Her website www.favoriteweddingideas.comprovides the answers to many frequently asked questions by brides.

At Favorite Wedding Ideas you can also download your copy of 7 Great Wedding Shower Themes – Free!