This guest article is featured by White Dress Films.
I think it is safe to say that most brides-to-be dream of having an absolutely beautiful wedding cake to mark their special day. While we all expect to see a fairytale wedding cake making a grand appearance during the reception, sometimes budget constraints can lead a couple to be a little disappointed with their available choices or options.
Let’s face it, the wedding cake is probably the second most admired element of a wedding after the bridal gown. The gown and the cake are the two most photographed things on most wedding days!
The thing is, as the bride, you will want to see a reaction to your wedding cake from your guests. You want your family and friends to admire the beauty and creativity that has gone into it. The wedding cake is a great conversation starter for your guests who may be unfamiliar with each other – it gives them something to talk about and to help break the ice.
Planning your budget wedding cake
There is no need to lose out on that wedding cake impact just because you are on a tight budget. Sometimes keeping it simple can be best with the size and shape of the cake. You can then add the wow-factor with the decoration rather than the actual cake design itself.
Round cakes are the most traditional shapes for a wedding cake. Because round cakes are usually the least expensive, it can be a good choice when you have a lot of people to feed. Also, round cakes are easier to decorate, so it will be easier and less costly to have a well-decorated round cake.
Heart shaped cakes are another option. They are a little more labour-intensive and costly than a round cake, but would be a perfect choice for an eternal romantic! This would be an ideal shape for a smaller wedding as there will be less cake to go around.
If you want to make a bold statement and break away from tradition, then a mad-hatter cake could be the solution. This is a cake that are designed to be uneven and slanted. They are decorated in bold colours, so ideal for an adventurous couple who don’t really like traditional flowers and lace-type decorations. These types of cake can work out cheaper because they require less fine decoration and usually only need covering in coloured fondant icing with minimal fuss. The idea is to create a bold impact that is stunning, quirky, yet quite simplistic.
Icing matters
Buttercream or fondant icing are the two most popular types of icing for wedding cakes. The thick and creamy texture of buttercream can actually be cheaper to make than fondant, plus you can use the same mix as a filling to layer up your cake, so there is no extra labour involved. This type of icing is also easier to slice, so when it comes to cutting the cake and posing for photographs, things will go more smoothly with buttercream.
The only downside of buttercream is that it will tend to melt in the heat. If you are planning an outdoor summer wedding, bear in mind that your cake won’t do well in a hot marquee, or any time spent in the sunshine. In this case, fondant would be better, although it is a pricer option.
*This is a collaborative post.