This content originally appeared as "Sweet Ways to Save" in Brides magazine. Prices and other information in this story were accurate at press time, but are subject to change. Please confirm details with individual designers and vendors.
Cherry blossoms are wildly popular for spring weddings, according to Ana Parzych of Ana Parzych Cakes. These hand-wired gum-paste blooms are beautiful, but they are more expensive and cause the cake to take an extra three days to make.
Cream-colored wedding cake with gum-paste flowers and gold bands, $15 per slice (serves 200), Ana Parzych Cakes
The fondant flowers on this cherry blossom cake are far more affordable than the gum-paste ones, says Parzych. Skip extras like the gold bands on the other cake and yours can be decorated in a day!
Total savings: $1,200
Cream-colored wedding cake with fondant flowers, $9 per slice, (serves 200), Ana Parzych Cakes
Rodolfo Goncalves of BMQ Desserts says this trend is really in demand. This mosaic look requires that each of the 600 tiles be cut by hand, which bumps up the price per slice.
Tiled green ombré wedding cake, $14 per slice (serves 200), BMQ Desserts
These fondant ribbons dyed in a gradient pattern achieve the same effect with a lot less effort, Goncalves says. Plus, the emerald shade is Pantone's color of the year!
Total savings: $900
Green ombré wedding cake with fondant ribbons, $9.50 per slice (serves 200), BMQ Desserts
If you're looking for a pattern that's graphic and feminine, Erica O'Brien of Erica OBrien Cake Design recommends quatrefoil: Appliquéing the design's outline is time-intensive. Not to mention how labor-heavy these edible ranunculus are: Each has 100 petals!
White wedding cake with yellow quatrefoil outline pattern and ranunculus flowers, $12 per slice (serves 200), Erica OBrien Cake Design
This cookie-cutter version of the lattice pattern is easier to prepare and still looks amazing, O'Brien notes. She also suggests sticking with simple sugar flowers instead of ruffly buds.
Total savings: $800
White wedding cake with yellow quatrefoil pattern and pink sugar flowers, $8 per slice (serves 200), Erica OBrien Cake Design
This metallic paint on this cake is pretty, but it's also expensive, according to Miche Bacher of Mali B Sweets. The centered tiers also require more ribbons and orchids than an asymmetrical cake would, which increases the bottom line.
Gold wedding cake with pink flowers and orchids, $18 per slice (serves 200), Mali B Sweets
Metallic luster dust, seen here, is cheaper than metallic paint, Bacher says. As for the ribbons, an asymmetrical cake requires sashes on only one side—so flush those tiers right! Design-wise, a single (but pricey) orchid can look more modern than five, she adds.
Total savings: $1,600
Gold wedding cake with pink ribbons and a white orchid, $10 per slice (serves 200), Mali B Sweets
A tier separator can make a small cake look bigger, but sometimes it's not worth the cost, says Mark Joseph of Mark Joseph Cakes. Elevated cakes need to be assembled on site and require more decorations. Joseph notes that he and his team added hanging teardrops and Swarovski crystals to this cake—surefire ways to raise the cost.
White wedding cake with gold teardrops and Swarovski crystals, $14 per slice (serves 200), Mark Joseph Cakes
Even without the gilded fondant-covered tier separator and extra decorations, this cake achieves the same grand look for a fraction of the price.
Total savings: $800
White wedding cake with gold tear drops, $10 per slice (serves 200), Mark Joseph Cakes
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