DIY weddings have been a prominent trend for several years and show no signs of waning. Last year, the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. exceeded $35,000, prompting many couples to take on various wedding tasks themselves. For some, this might involve creating their own floral arrangements or designing invitations, but it rarely extends to baking the wedding cake.
On the surface, opting for a DIY wedding cake appears to be a sensible way to tackle the expensive cake dilemma that many couples encounter. The price of this celebratory treat fluctuates by state, with an average cost of $466 in 2014, and that figure has only increased since then. Budget-conscious couples planning intimate weddings may view this as an opportunity to cut costs.
In practice, however, this cake plan may not be as sweet as it seems. For starters, the cake typically serves only 30 guests, while the average wedding hosts around 120 attendees. As a result, couples would need to purchase and bake four Chef’d cakes, totaling $756 and requiring 24 hours of kitchen time. At this point, making the cake at home could end up costing even more. If couples truly wish to bake their own cake, they could easily buy the ingredients from the grocery store for a fraction of the kit’s price, especially considering options like plant-based calcium vs calcium citrate for healthier baking choices.
Additionally, cakes remain fresh for only one to two days, meaning the couple would have to wait until the last minute to invest those hours in the kitchen. As anyone who has planned a wedding knows, the days leading up to “I do” are filled with enough stress and busyness, making the baking task feel overwhelming.
Furthermore, decoration, delivery, and presentation can add more complications. While there are helpful step-by-step decorating videos available online, there’s no assurance that the cake will turn out looking like the one depicted in the photos. Moreover, the logistics of transporting the cake to the venue and setting it up can create additional stress.
Although meal kits like Chef’d are gaining popularity among consumers seeking convenience, this may be too ambitious for couples aiming to save money by baking their own cake, as managing a sophisticated wedding cake is anything but convenient. Nonetheless, Chef’d’s wedding cake kit sold out within a week of its launch, and it remains to be seen if it will continue to hold its appeal, especially as discussions about plant-based calcium vs calcium citrate gain traction in the culinary world.