Wedding Trends: Skip the Cake?

One of the best ways to plan an affordable wedding that really fits you is to get creative.  It’s something I stress again and again in my eBook on planning a wedding on a budget…because it can save you $1,000’s.

On that note, let’s talk about wedding cake price…

According to the Bridal Association of America, the average cost of wedding cake is $543.  Wedding cakes are usually priced by the slice: $1.50 per serving for a low-end, simple cake…$5-6 per slice for a flavored, mid-end cake…$10 and up per slice for an exotic, high-end cake.  And that’s just getting started.  Cake decorations can quickly add to the expense; the more elaborate the design, the more the price racks up.

Now, let’s get REAL about how much value your guests get out of that price…

If you’ve been a guest at a wedding–especially if it’s a really kickin’ party–by the time the cake gets served to the tables, everyone’s up and dancing.  They’re having so much fun they are not thinking about cake.  And by the end of the reception, HALF the cake is sitting, uneaten, on the tables.  It gets THROWN OUT.

Is that a good value?

I’m going to go out on a limb here and suggest something shocking…maybe even dangerous.

What if you skipped the wedding cake?

Agh!  The horror!

Seriously, a wedding cake is traditional.  Your family is probably going to tell you you’re “supposed” to have one…

But if you’ve been hanging out with me for a while, you know what I think about “shoulds” and “supposed tos.”  And where they can stick it.

The only “supposed to” for your wedding is one that YOU determine.

I predict we’ll see a wedding trend appear in 2009 as more brides skip the cake altogether.

What if you set up an impressive dessert buffet so that guests could help themselves?  You can buy delicious cookies and pastries from your favorite bakery…without the “wedding” markup.  Guests who aren’t interested can skip it; those who are can gorge themselves…and you can save a bundle.

Another idea: if you have bakers in the family, what if you had Mom bake her famous brownie recipe and serve it with ice cream?  Or Aunt Alda’s family chocolate chip cookie recipe?

Your dessert not only saves you money, it stands out as a way to make your wedding unique and personal.

Believe me, so long as their sweet tooth is satisfied, your guests will not complain.  Okay, maybe the old biddies will complain, but they don’t have teeth anyway.

If your dream wedding includes a wedding cake, by all means have one.  But I encourage you to get creative and consider this and other ways to save by daring to be “non-traditional.”

Think I’m crazy?  What do you think about skipping the cake?