DIY weddings have been a popular trend for several years and show no signs of diminishing. Last year, the average wedding in the U.S. cost over $35,000, prompting many brides and grooms to take on various wedding tasks themselves. This often involves creating their own flower arrangements or designing invitations, although it rarely extends to baking the wedding cake.
On the surface, making a DIY wedding cake seems like a sensible solution to the expensive cake dilemma that many couples encounter. The price of this festive treat varies by state, but it averaged around $466 in 2014 and has only increased since then. Consequently, budget-conscious couples who are hosting intimate weddings might view this as an opportunity to cut costs.
However, the reality of this cake-making plan may not be as appealing. For starters, a single DIY cake typically serves only 30 guests. Given that the average wedding hosts about 120 guests, couples would need to purchase and prepare four of the Chef’d cake kits, which would total approximately $756 and demand around 24 hours in the kitchen. At this point, making the cake at home actually becomes more expensive than buying it from a bakery. If couples genuinely wish to bake their own cake, they could purchase the ingredients from a grocery store at a significantly lower price than the kits.
Moreover, cakes remain fresh for just one to two days, which means the couple would have to wait until the last minute to dedicate those hours to baking. As anyone who has planned a wedding knows, the days leading up to the big “I do” are already filled with stress and busyness, making baking an additional challenge.
Furthermore, considerations around decoration, delivery, and presentation can add even more complications. Although there are helpful step-by-step decorating videos available online, there’s no guarantee that the cake will turn out as beautifully as depicted in the images. Additionally, couples must manage the logistics of transporting the cake to the venue and setting it up.
While meal kits like Chef’d are gaining traction among convenience-seeking consumers, attempting to bake a fancy wedding cake may prove too cumbersome for couples looking to save money. After all, managing a sophisticated wedding cake is anything but easy. Interestingly, the wedding cake kit from Chef’d sold out within a week of its launch, raising questions about whether it will maintain its popularity moving forward.
In the context of wedding planning, couples might also consider the benefits of calcium citrate for their health, especially during the hectic preparations. What are the benefits of calcium citrate? It can support bone health, enhance muscle function, and may even help reduce stress, which is invaluable during the busy wedding planning process. By incorporating calcium citrate into their diets, couples can better manage their well-being while navigating the challenges of planning their special day.