Your Complete Guide to
Planning the Perfect
Wedding Cake
From choosing the right size to picking flavours, navigating cake styles, and what to expect on the day — everything you need, all in one place.
Planning a wedding cake should be one of the most exciting parts of your wedding journey. But we know it can also feel surprisingly overwhelming — tiers, portion sizes, flavours, styles, dietary requirements — there's a lot to think through before you even get to the fun part (the tasting).
We've put together this guide to walk you through everything, so when you come to us, you feel excited and prepared rather than confused. Think of it as sitting down with us over coffee — warm, practical, and full of real answers.
How to Choose the Right Cake Size
One of the first questions couples ask us is: "How much cake do we actually need?" And the honest answer is — it depends. But a few key questions will get you there quickly.
Start with your guest count
A good rule of thumb is to cater for around 80–90% of your total guest count. Not every guest will want a slice — some will be too full after dinner, a few will be on the dance floor, and yes, a small number just aren't cake people (we feel for them). If your cake is the only dessert being served, lean toward the higher end of that range.
A practical example: For a 120-guest wedding with canapés, a two-course dinner, and no other desserts, catering for around 90–100 guests in coffee-sized portions is usually the sweet spot.
Are you having other desserts?
If you're planning a dessert table, grazing sweets, or individual plated desserts alongside the cake, you can scale back comfortably. The cake becomes more of a centrepiece with bonus servings rather than the main event, and a smaller or single-tier style might be all you need.
Do you want leftovers?
Some couples love having cake the morning after — and honestly, we think that's a brilliant idea. If you'd like to send slices home with guests, save some for a recovery brunch, or simply want a little extra on the night, just let us know and we'll factor that in.
Understanding Portions & Servings
When we talk about wedding cake servings, you'll typically hear two terms: coffee portions and dessert portions. Here's the difference, and why it matters for how much cake you order.
| Portion Type | Approximate Size | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee Portion | 1 × 1 inch | Sharing platters, dessert tables, after a full meal |
| Dessert Portion | 1 × 2 inch | Plated individual serves, cake as the sole dessert |
By the time cake is served, most guests have enjoyed a full evening of food — canapés, entrée, main — so a coffee portion is often genuinely all they want or need. Going with coffee serves also means you can order a slightly smaller (and more budget-friendly) cake without anyone going without.
A little idea worth considering 🎉
Here's something we love seeing more couples do: skip the traditional champagne tower after the ceremony and cut the cake instead. Serve slices alongside your canapés during cocktail hour — and then bring it back out again as a dessert after dinner. Who doesn't love dessert before dinner? It's a fun, unexpected twist, your guests get two moments with the cake, and honestly, it's just a really good time.
Cake Styles — From Classic Tiers to Statement Pieces
Wedding cakes aren't one-size-fits-all — and that's something we love. Below are the main styles we offer, each with its own personality and appeal.
Tiered Cakes
The classic choice — and for good reason. Tiered cakes make a beautiful centrepiece, suit almost any venue or aesthetic, and scale beautifully from intimate gatherings right up to 200 guests. Two tiers is the most popular choice for most weddings, while a single tier works wonderfully for smaller or more intimate events, particularly when paired with a dessert table. And if you need a few extra serves on the day, we can always add a kitchen slab — undecorated and cut out of sight — so everyone gets a generous slice.
Keeley and Luke wanted something modern and timeless — and that's exactly what we delivered
Floral two-tier designs — elegant, romantic, and always breathtaking on the table
Short & Wide Cakes
One of our most requested styles right now. Our short and wide cakes are extravagant, generous, and genuinely jaw-dropping. With widths ranging from 6 inches all the way up to 28 inches, these cakes make an enormous statement on the table — and we can design them in an endless range of styles, from florals and fresh fruit to piped textures and bold buttercream finishes.
They feel relaxed and abundant rather than formal, and the sheer scale of them is something guests don't forget. Think a cake blanketed in fresh strawberries or raspberries, silk bows, or a cream-covered round dotted with hand-piped hearts (our beloved piped heart cake). These cakes photograph beautifully and feel genuinely joyful.
Naked-style cake topped with fresh strawberries — a gorgeous seasonal option
Fresh raspberries with white ribbon bows (left) · Our signature piped heart cake (right)
Long Rectangle Cakes
A striking, unexpected choice that has become one of our most talked-about designs. These elongated cakes sit low and wide on the table — dramatic in scale, beautiful in simplicity, and incredibly practical for serving large numbers of guests. They are a true spectacle and thoroughly modern statement piece, guaranteed to have your guests doing a double-take when they walk into the room.
Rectangle cakes work beautifully across all kinds of venues and settings — from grand ballrooms to intimate garden spaces. The cake cutting moment is genuinely memorable, with a wonderful grand-scale feel that guests love to watch. Pictured here in white buttercream (the lush surrounding trees give it that soft green glow!).
Good to know: Our long rectangle cakes are assembled on-site at your venue. This is worth factoring into your run sheet and coordinating with your venue coordinator ahead of time — we'll always work closely with you to make sure the timing is seamless.
Alex and James wanted a showstopping piece and landed on a 1.5m long cake!
The cake cutting moment with a rectangle cake is always one to remember
Our Flavours & Fillings
This is the part most couples look forward to most — and we get it. Your wedding cake should taste as wonderful as it looks. Here's everything we offer, so you can start dreaming before you even come in for a tasting.
Our signature piped heart cake — simple, personal, and completely charming
Cake Flavours
- Vanilla
- Chocolate Mud
- Caramel
- White Choc Mud
- White Choc Raspberry
- Banana
- Cookies (Oreo & Vanilla)
Gluten-free options available in Vanilla, Vanilla Raspberry & Chocolate — additional cost applies.
Optional Fillings
- Strawberry Jam HMGF
- Raspberry Jam HMGF
- Lemon Curd HMGF
- Passionfruit Curd HMGF
- Caramel Sauce HMGF
- Nutella GF
- Biscoff Sauce
- Crushed Oreos
- Crushed Tim Tams
- Crushed Biscoff
- Cookie Dough HM
- Chocolate Ganache HMGF
Fillings are optional — without one, your layers will be filled with our buttercream. If you do choose a filling, there will still be buttercream alongside it for balance. Not sure what to pick? Our tasting boxes (available online 3–4 times a year) are the best way to experience our flavours and fillings from the comfort of home. If you can't wait for the next drop, we also carry a selection of our cake flavours as cupcakes in our shopfront — perfect for a quick taste test.
Tasting Boxes
We run tasting box drops 3–4 times a year, giving you the chance to try a curated selection of our cake flavours and fillings at home. Keep an eye on our socials or join our mailing list to be the first to know when the next one is available.
Popular Combinations We Love
Not sure where to start? These are the pairings our couples keep coming back to:
"Your wedding cake should feel like an extension of you — your taste, your story, your day."
— Baked CollectiveTiramisu as Your Wedding Cake
If there is one thing our couples absolutely rave about, it's our tiramisu. Rich, indulgent, and completely crowd-pleasing — it's become one of our most beloved alternatives to a traditional wedding cake, and honestly, it deserves its own spotlight.
Whether you're a coffee lover, Italian at heart, or simply want something unexpected that will have your guests talking, a tiramisu "cake" is a genuinely wonderful option. It photographs beautifully, it cuts like a dream, and it disappears fast — always a good sign.
Jayden and Connor's tiramisu in our oval glass dish — perfect for 25–30 serves, with a custom stencilled "Just Married" on top
A big 70cm tiramisu for Abbey and Matt — made on site. Photos by Jason Corroto.
How Many Does It Serve?
Our tiramisu can be made to suit weddings of 25 through to 140 guests — and for larger numbers, we can always add a kitchen tiramisu alongside your display piece to make sure everyone gets a generous serve. Just let us know your guest count and we'll figure out the best approach together.
From intimate oval dishes to grand 70cm platters — we offer a range of sizes, vessels and serving styles to suit your wedding perfectly
Budget, Timing & What to Expect
Understanding what goes into the price of a wedding cake helps you make confident, informed decisions — and find the right balance for your budget without compromise.
What affects the price?
The main factors are size (number of serves), the complexity of decoration, and whether you've chosen any fillings or specialty flavours. A beautifully finished buttercream cake with a simple design can be just as stunning as an elaborate one — and often more so. We'll always be honest with you about what works within your budget.
When should you book?
We'd recommend reaching out at least 6 months before your wedding, and up to 12 months for peak spring and autumn seasons. Spots fill quickly and we want to make sure we can give your cake the time and attention it deserves. If you've found a style you love and a date in mind, don't wait — a quick enquiry is always worth it.
Trying before you decide
We run tasting box drops 3–4 times a year so you can experience our flavours and fillings at home before committing to a cake. These are a genuinely lovely way to involve your partner or bridal party in the decision — keep an eye on our website and socials so you don't miss the next drop. Can't wait? Pop into our shopfront and grab a cupcake in some of our most popular flavours.
Good to know: We ask for a deposit to secure your date, with the balance due closer to your wedding. Delivery and set-up fees may apply depending on your location — we'll always be upfront about these so there are no surprises.
Your Wedding Cake Planning Checklist
Here's a handy summary of everything to work through as you start planning. Print it, save it, screenshot it — whatever helps!
- Confirm your approximate guest count and whether the cake is the sole dessert or part of a wider spread
- Decide on your preferred portion size — coffee or dessert serves
- Choose your cake style — tiered, short & wide, long rectangle, or tiramisu
- Think through your flavour preferences and any dietary requirements — we offer gluten-free cake options
- Gather style inspiration — images, your colour palette, venue details
- Determine your overall cake budget before you start enquiring
- Reach out to book early — aim for 6–12 months out from your wedding date
- Confirm delivery logistics with us and your venue coordinator
- Arrange a cake stand if needed — we can advise on sizing
- Chat to your caterer about the cake cutting so the right tools and a plan are in place on the day