Cake Costs? No Cake?

chasingsunlight

We are trying to decide if we want a cake at our wedding.  Neither FH or I actually like cake.  We are having a s'mores bar, but feel like we will need something more to serve our guests.  The catering hall is offing a cake for $5pp.  Is that a good price?  Would an outside bakery be better / cheaper?  

Also, has anyone done a non-cake wedding?  How did guests react?  What are the costs of something like donuts or cookies?

Maggie0829

Costs are going to vary from region to region.

As for the cake being offered by the catering hall, what does it look like?  What are the flavors?  Does it even taste good?  If it tastes like crap and look like crap then paying a penny a person is too much. But if you have a 100 guests then that is $500 for a cake which in my area is pretty reasonable.  I would also make sure that your catering hall doesn't charge a cake cutting fee on top of that as well, or make sure that if you use an outside baker that they won't charge you a cake cutting fee.

Not having a cake isn't a big deal.  But I do think that you need to have something a bit more substantial for dessert then just s'mores.  You could have pies, brownies, cookies, tarts, etc.  Just know that even though you and your FI don't like cake, cake is a favorite among the masses.

itzMS

I had no cake. DH hates cake, and it was my own personal worst nightmare to be "forced" or expected to do cake feeding pictures (not my style).

We had cookies and brownies. I think we just got them included in the cost of dinner. No one asked me where the cake was.

$5 per guest for cake you don't like seems pricey to me.

daria24

I would vote for something in addition to s'mores, but it doesn't have to be cake. Cookies, brownies, pie, mini pastries, ice cream, etc. 

$5pp for cake isn't bad, but you might be able to do it for cheaper, depending on your venue's policies. Will they charge a cutting fee if you use an outside vendor? Do they require it to be from a licensed bakery? You could just buy a bunch of 10 inch cakes from a grocery store or bakery, instead of a traditional wedding cake. 

sydwil23

Like another said, it depends on the region, and maybe yourself. I'm in Dallas, Texas and I believe $5 pp is way too much. We bought our cakes (groom cake included) for 100 guest for $582. roughly $2.25 pp is what she rated us. I'd suggest doing a cake tasting, because if it's an awful tasting cake for $5 pp, it's time to look other places. You also run into the problem where bakers have beautiful cakes, but they taste awful, so beware. 

But s'mores bar isn't enough, so I agree with maybe adding pies, brownies, and small cakes possibly?

Jen4948

The s'mores bar is good, but you do need more.  Maybe you can have finger pastries?  This allows for a variety of types of mini-desserts, like lemon and lime squares, brownies, mini-cheesecakes, tarts, petit fours, etc.

mysticl

chasingsunlight said:

We are trying to decide if we want a cake at our wedding.  Neither FH or I actually like cake.  We are having a s'mores bar, but feel like we will need something more to serve our guests.  The catering hall is offing a cake for $5pp.  Is that a good price?  Would an outside bakery be better / cheaper?  

Also, has anyone done a non-cake wedding?  How did guests react?  What are the costs of something like donuts or cookies?

That is often a basic sheet cake.  It may or may not be any good.  If you don't want cake, don't have it but I agree with others and have something besides s'mores.  

natswild

what about a cupcake tree, or something like that?

WedReMix13

Our friend is making our cake so i cant say on price, but I know one baker was going to just do a top tier for $30 if that helps at all?

We are having a large tray of cookies for DH work and it will be $1/cookie