Wedding Cake and Dessert Pricing Guide
This is a detailed guide, simply because wedding cake and dessert pricing can seem complex (and sometimes it is!).
There are many factors behind the final cost of a cake, statement dessert or dessert table, and two designs serving the same number of guests can vary considerably in price. This guide explains the starting points, what tends to increase the cost, and how different design choices can affect the final quote.
Setup at the venue is included within the quoted price where required. Delivery is charged separately and is based on the distance from the kitchen in Somerset.
Starting prices
Wedding cakes start from £500, with a typical three-tier wedding cake serving around 75 people usually falling between £700 and £950, depending on the design.
Statement desserts start from £500.
Dessert tables start from £700.
Afternoon tea starts from £700.
These are starting points rather than packages. Every wedding is quoted individually, and a clear price is always provided before anything is confirmed.
Setup is included where required. Delivery is charged separately.
Why is there a minimum spend?
Even a smaller wedding order involves much of the same work behind the scenes as a larger one.
There is time spent discussing the order, planning quantities and design, ordering ingredients, preparing components, baking, filling and finishing, packaging everything safely and, where required, setting up at the venue. A smaller cake or dessert may use fewer ingredients, but many of those hours remain the same.
The minimum spend reflects the amount of work involved in taking on a wedding booking properly, rather than simply the number of portions being served.
For smaller weddings, it also means the budget does not have to be spent on more cake than is actually needed. It can instead go towards a more detailed finish, a second dessert, individual treats or another element for guests to enjoy.
Why does a wedding cake designer ask for a budget?
Being asked for a wedding cake or dessert budget can sometimes feel a little strange, particularly before the design has been decided. In reality, an accurate budget makes the design process much easier.
There can be several ways to interpret the same idea. A floral cake might use fresh flowers or individually handmade sugar flowers. A painted design might feature artwork across one side or wrap around every tier. A four-tier cake might be made entirely from cake, or include a dummy tier simply to create height.
Knowing the budget from the beginning means those decisions can be made with it in mind. It becomes easier to see where it makes sense to spend more, where a design can be simplified, and which techniques will create the overall look without pushing the final price beyond what was planned.
It also avoids developing a design in detail only to discover afterwards that it sits considerably above budget.
An exact figure is not necessary. A realistic range is absolutely fine. The more accurate that range is, the easier it is to create something that feels exciting while remaining financially comfortable.
Wedding Cake Pricing
Wedding cakes are priced according to two main things: how much cake is needed and how much work is involved in creating the finished design.
A simple cake with a clean finish will naturally cost less than the same-sized cake covered in handmade sugar flowers, intricate piping or detailed hand-painting.
Different flavour choices do not affect the price of a wedding cake, so different tiers can have different flavours without adding an extra charge.
Wedding cake sizes and portions
Cake size has a significant effect on price because increasing the diameter adds considerably more cake than it might appear to visually.
4 inch — 8 portions
6 inch — 20 portions
8 inch — 48 portions
10 inch — 80 portions
12 inch — 120 portions
This is why adding another tier, or increasing the size of an existing one, can create a noticeable jump in price.
Moving from an 8-inch cake to a 10-inch cake, for example, does not simply add another couple of inches. It increases the serving capacity from approximately 48 portions to around 80.
The number of tiers alone therefore does not determine the cost. Their size matters just as much.
A typical three-tier wedding cake
Around 75 portions
Usually £700–£950
The final price will depend mainly on the finish and the amount of decorative work involved.
A relatively simple three-tier cake may sit towards the lower end, while extensive piping, handmade flowers or detailed artwork can move the same-sized cake considerably higher.
Sugar and wafer-paper flowers
Handmade flowers are one of the most time-intensive details that can be added to a wedding cake.
Individual petals are shaped, dried, coloured and assembled by hand, often over several stages. Some flowers involve dozens of individual pieces before a single bloom is finished.
A large arrangement can therefore involve many hours, and sometimes several days, of additional work.
For this reason, sugar and wafer-paper flowers can add significantly to the overall cost of a cake.
Where appropriate, fresh flowers can sometimes create a similar sense of abundance for less, although only cake-safe varieties should be used and availability will depend on the season.
Lambeth and highly piped cakes
Lambeth cakes require both significantly more decorating time and considerably more ganache than a simply finished cake.
The characteristic borders, swags, shells and layered piping are all created individually by hand. Depending on the design, several layers of piping may be added across multiple tiers.
The amount of ganache involved, combined with the time needed to pipe the design, makes this style more expensive than a plain cake of the same size.
A lightly piped vintage cake and a heavily layered Lambeth design will therefore not necessarily sit at the same price point, even if they serve the same number of people.
Hand-painted cakes
Painted cakes are priced mainly according to the complexity and coverage of the artwork.
A loose botanical design covering part of one tier requires very different work from a detailed landscape, architectural illustration or portrait painted across several tiers.
Coverage is particularly important.
A design concentrated on the front of the cake will cost considerably less than artwork wrapping all the way around it. Painting both sides can involve almost twice as much work as painting one side, and the final price will reflect that.
Reference images are particularly useful for painted cakes, as they make it easier to assess the level of detail and provide an accurate quote.
Are dummy tiers cheaper?
Sometimes.
A dummy tier removes the cake inside, but it still needs to be covered, finished and decorated.
For a relatively simple design, a dummy tier can be a useful way to create height or scale without adding unnecessary portions.
For highly detailed painted, piped or floral designs, much of the cost lies in decorating the tier rather than baking it, so the saving may be much smaller.
Other wedding cake details that affect price
Structural elements such as pillars, separators and unusual tier arrangements can increase the amount of construction involved.
Edible lace, individually placed pearls, fondant ruffles, sculpted pieces, handmade figurines and other small decorative details can also add significant time when repeated across a cake.
Long or unusually shaped cakes are priced according to their overall size and design rather than being compared directly with a standard tiered cake.
The key factor is rarely one individual detail. It is the total amount of work involved in creating the finished cake.
Working within a wedding cake budget
There is usually more than one way to interpret a design.
Love handmade flowers? Fresh flowers may create a similar sense of scale for less.
Want four tiers but do not need the portions? A dummy tier may be an option.
Love a painted design? Concentrating the artwork on the front can reduce the amount of painting required.
Want intricate detail? It can be focused on one statement tier while the others remain deliberately simple.
Knowing the budget allows these choices to be considered during the design process rather than afterwards.
Statement Dessert Pricing
Statement desserts start from £500 and are priced according to the dessert itself, the number of portions required and the complexity of its construction and finish.
Each type of dessert brings its own practical requirements, so a tiramisu, croquembouche, pavlova, cheesecake or mille-feuille is quoted according to what is involved in making, transporting and setting it up safely at the venue.
Tiramisu
Tiramisu is generally priced according to the number of portions required and the format of the finished dessert.
A large traditional tiramisu, long rectangular design or tiered presentation will each involve slightly different construction and setup requirements.
Because tiramisu is chilled and particularly delicate, transport and timing also need to be considered carefully.
Croquembouche
Croquembouche is particularly labour-intensive because every choux bun must be baked, filled and assembled before the finished structure is built.
Guest numbers therefore have a direct impact on both the quantity of ingredients and the amount of preparation involved.
Decoration, flowers and more elaborate finishes can then be added depending on the overall style of the wedding.
Pavlova, cheesecake, mille-feuille and beyond
Other statement desserts are quoted according to their size, ingredients, finish and the practicalities of creating them at wedding scale.
A table-length mille-feuille, for example, involves very different preparation and assembly from a tiered cheesecake or large pavlova.
If there is a favourite dessert that is not already listed, it is always worth asking. Many of the most interesting designs begin with the question of whether something can be turned into a wedding centrepiece.
Dessert Table Pricing
Dessert tables start from £700.
The final price is based on guest numbers, the number of different desserts included, the complexity of those desserts and the amount of styling required.
A dessert table might include tarts, choux, macarons, madeleines, cakes, cheesecakes, cookies, opera cakes, pavlovas or almost anything else that works with the wider menu.
There does not need to be one of every item for every guest. A well-planned dessert table is based on the overall quantity of food and enough variety for guests to choose from.
What increases the cost of a dessert table?
The number of different items is one of the biggest factors.
Producing 100 portions across three different desserts is generally much more efficient than producing the same number of portions across eight or nine recipes.
Each additional dessert brings its own preparation, baking, finishing and assembly.
Highly technical patisserie, individually decorated pieces and desserts that need finishing at the venue can also increase the price.
A table built around relatively simple cakes, cookies and tarts will therefore be priced differently from one made up predominantly of macarons, layered entremets, choux and individually finished pastries.
Styling a dessert table
Dessert tables can be kept relatively simple or styled more extensively.
Cake stands, serving ware, linen and other display pieces can be added where required. Flowers can also be coordinated with the wedding florist so the table feels connected to the wider styling of the room.
Where additional staff are needed for replenishment, finishing or service, this will be discussed and included within the quote.
Afternoon Tea Pricing
Afternoon tea starts from £700 and is priced according to guest numbers, the menu chosen and the number of individual elements involved.
A traditional afternoon tea might include sandwiches and savouries, scones with preserves and clotted cream, followed by a selection of cakes and pastries.
It can also grow into something much larger, incorporating salads, grazing dishes, a cake for cutting or a larger dessert at the centre of the table.
As with dessert tables, variety affects the price. A larger number of different dishes means more individual preparation and production.
The menu is therefore designed as a whole, balancing variety, quantity and the available budget.
Dietary Requirements
Dietary requirements can often be accommodated, although the best solution will depend on the specific requirement and the rest of the order.
Sometimes an element can be adapted. In other cases, a separate small cake or dessert may be the safer and more practical option.
Any additional cost will always be discussed before being added to the quote.
The kitchen regularly handles gluten, dairy, eggs and nuts, so while recipes can be made without particular ingredients, a completely allergen-free environment cannot be guaranteed.
Delivery & Setup
Setup is included where required.
Delivery is charged separately and is based on the distance from the kitchen in Somerset.
Some smaller or more robust cakes may be suitable for collection, while larger tiered cakes, statement desserts and dessert tables are generally best delivered and set up at the venue.
Any unusual access requirements, long setup windows or more complex installations can be discussed as part of the quote.
Still not sure where your idea might sit?
A wedding date and location, approximate guest numbers, a few reference images and a realistic budget range are usually enough to start.
From there, the design can be shaped around what matters most.
If something here has caught your imagination, please get in touch.