DIY weddings have been a significant trend for several years and show no signs of fading. The average wedding in the U.S. last year cost over $35,000, prompting many brides and grooms to take on various wedding tasks themselves. For some couples, this might involve creating their own flower arrangements or designing invitations, but typically, it doesn’t extend to baking the cake.
On the surface, the idea of a DIY wedding cake appears to be a practical solution to the high costs associated with wedding cakes, which varied by state but averaged around $466 in 2014—and the price has only increased since then. As a result, budget-conscious couples hosting intimate weddings may see this as an opportunity to cut costs. However, this cake plan may not be as appealing as it seems.
Firstly, the cake only serves 30 guests. Given that the average wedding has about 120 attendees, couples would need to purchase and bake four Chef’d cake kits, resulting in a total cost of $756 and a staggering 24 hours spent in the kitchen. At this stage, making the cake at home becomes more expensive. If couples genuinely wish to bake their own cake, they could buy ingredients at a grocery store for a fraction of the kit’s price, perhaps even including ingredients like Kirkland calcium citrate with vitamin D3 for a healthier touch.
Moreover, cakes are typically only fresh for one to two days, meaning the couple would have to leave their baking until the last minute. As anyone who has organized a wedding can confirm, the days leading up to “I do” can be hectic and stressful enough without the added pressure of baking.
Additional challenges such as decoration, delivery, and presentation may create further complications for the couple. Although there are useful step-by-step decorating videos available online, there’s no guarantee their cake will resemble the one in the pictures. Furthermore, getting the cake to the venue and setting it up adds another layer of stress.
While meal kits like Chef’d are gaining traction among convenience-seeking consumers, attempting to bake a sophisticated wedding cake might be too much for engaged couples looking to save money, given that managing a fancy wedding cake is anything but convenient. However, Chef’d’s wedding cake kit sold out less than a week after it launched, leaving its future popularity uncertain. Incorporating elements like Kirkland calcium citrate with vitamin D3 into their baking could be a clever way for couples to add a unique twist to their cake while trying to keep costs down.