The price of your cake can be affected by a multitude of factors that are mostly up to you. The overall price is calculated per slice, which is influenced by how labor intensive the design of the cake is. The price per slice can run from a few dollars to fifteen dollars per slice and is determined by criteria such as: Are there numerous layers inside? How many tiers does it have? Are there intricate designs on it or is it plain and simple? The price can also be affected by transportation so pay attention to details.

When deciding on decorations, the costs can run across a wide range. The least expensive option is to decorate your cake with fresh fruits or flowers, which can sometimes be applied by your florist for a small fee. However, if you want more elaborate adornment such as sugarpaste flowers, which are painstakingly created one petal at a time and are therefore extremely delicate, you will have to pay for the hard work and intensive labor. The bottom line is that any add-ons like lace points or chocolate molded flowers will increase the cost of your cake.

The shipping of your cake is also an important detail that you need to take into account. Your baker will most likely want to deliver the cake themselves because they do not want to trust their hard work masterpiece with someone else. The cost of delivery may already be included in the price of the cake or there may be an additional fee. Either way, you will want the baker to deliver the cake because they will be more experienced at it and will have the vehicle, most likely a refrigerated truck, to get the cake there safely and intact.

If you order your cake from a baker that is in a different city than where your wedding will take place, the transportation of the cake will be more difficult and more expensive. You need to be sure that the baker will be able to appropriately transport the cake to the reception site (packaging and boxes) and that the creation is sufficiently insured in case of any accidents. In some instances, the cake will have to be flown on a plane so be prepared to work this into your budget if necessary.

Finally, you need to be aware if the site of your reception has a cutting fee. If you are not using the venue’s in house baker, there may be a fee for cake cutting which can range from $1.50 to $3 a slice. This can add up to an unexpected expense so ask the reception manager or your caterer if there will be a charge before you finalize your budget.