Wedding Cake v. Sheet Cake

Koch Bride, that's actually a really good point I hadn't thought of. Our caterer offers chocolate strawberries as part of the package. Not necessarily a cookie/cake type thing, but still something I think a lot of people might prefer!

And Valarie, I think you're right about the different cakes. I would definitely have the same bakery make it with the same flavors. And it's not like I'm trying to HIDE the fact that it's a sheet cake from my guests, I just wouldn't like pre-sliced pieces hanging out on the cake table obviously. We're doing an afternoon wedding, so it's not like this some huge evening gala with a plated dinner and whatnot. Just some hors d'ouerves and mocktails (dry wedding).

We're planning on doing the sheet cake thing. FH loves Dairy Queen's ice cream cakes, so I think we'll have that for him, a smaller cake for us to cut traditionally, then an extra sheet cake (probably from Publix because I personally love their cakes!!). We're planning on 125-130, so I'm thinking a tiered cake for 50, then supplement with everything else.

I don't know that most people know or care...and really a lot of people don't even like cake. I think do what will be best for your pocket books...find a sheet cake that tastes good and that is fine. Or maybe pick something other than cake all together.

I'm a baker and currently making a small, two tier cake (10-inch and 6-inch) and will have a sheet cake to supplement. However, the sheet cake will have two layers and the cake, filling, and icing will be exactly the same as the bridal cake. Doing the same for the grooms cake as well.

We have been guests at weddings where a fake cake plus sheet cake was served and it doesn’t save anything. In fact, many places, it costs more. Oddly, the baking industry is probably the only one in them world where more labor is expected/demanded to cost less for the customer, instead of the other way around. Any other industry this would never fly.


What people don’t realize or care is that cupcakes are more labor intensive than a regular stacked 10” round, fake cakes are more more labor intensive than a real cake.
We have seen as guests where the couple had a fake cake “to save money” (the couple’s parents who paid said it cost more) with full size sheet cakes for the guests from a local grocery store. Guests thought it was bizarre during the cake cutting because not only did the cutting backfire because they couldn’t find the real slice, guests were waiting for it to be cut. On the flip side, they enjoyed immensely having the sheet cakes cut to order in front of them which is taboo on WW. The sheet cakes were cut birthday cake size 2x2”, they could have 1 flavor or 3 and even went back for 3rds with leftovers sent home with them. They said that was the best cake set up but would prefer tossing out the display cake entirely. The number of people who hate cake are a vocal minority.
Often when there is a real cake on display in addition to other desserts, the single tier cake is not available for guests, which is impolite.