DIY weddings have been a popular trend for several years and show no signs of waning. Last year, the average wedding cost in the U.S. exceeded $35,000, prompting many brides and grooms to take on various wedding tasks themselves. For some couples, this could mean assembling their own flower arrangements or designing invitations, but it often doesn’t extend to baking the cake.
On the surface, baking a DIY wedding cake appears to be a sensible solution to the expensive cake dilemma that many couples encounter. The price of wedding cakes varies by state, averaging around $466 in 2014, with prices continuing to increase since then. As a result, budget-conscious couples hosting intimate weddings might view this as an opportunity to save some money.
However, the reality of this cake-making plan may not be as delightful as it seems. Firstly, a typical DIY cake only serves about 30 guests. Given that the average wedding hosts around 120 guests, a couple would need to prepare four of these cakes, totaling $756 and requiring about 24 hours in the kitchen. At this point, it becomes more expensive to bake the cake at home. If a couple genuinely wishes to create their own cake, they could purchase the ingredients from the grocery store for a fraction of the cost of the kits.
Moreover, cakes are only fresh for a day or two, meaning the couple would have to wait until the last minute to spend those hours in the kitchen. As anyone who has planned a wedding can confirm, the days leading up to “I do” are already packed with stress and busy schedules, making cake baking an added burden.
Additionally, decoration, delivery, and presentation could pose further challenges for the couple. While there are helpful step-by-step decorating videos available online, there’s no guarantee that the cake will resemble the beautiful ones featured in the photos. Furthermore, transporting the cake to the venue and setting it up adds another layer of complexity to the process.
While meal kits like Chef’d are gaining popularity among those seeking convenience, attempting to manage a fancy wedding cake may be too much for couples looking to save money. Handling a sophisticated wedding cake is anything but easy. Interestingly, Chef’d’s website reported that the wedding cake kit sold out less than a week after its launch. Whether it will maintain its popularity remains to be seen.
In this context, couples might consider how to balance their desire for a cost-effective option with the practicality of their choices. Just as one might rely on supplements like Solgar vitamin calcium magnesium D3 for their health, couples planning their weddings need to ensure they are making informed decisions that won’t add unnecessary stress to their big day.