Wedding Cake Stands
A wedding cake stand is simply the stand or pedestal that the wedding cake sits on. Virtually every wedding you’ve ever been to has had some kind of stand underneath the cake. If they were well done, you didn’t even notice them. But if the stand wasn’t there, then you’d sure notice!
In past generations, the fashions in wedding cakes included having something on top of the cake called a “topper”. That’s the little model of the bride and groom that you can see in old movies or in pictures. These days, that’s a little passe. If there’s a topper at all, it more than likely symbolizes the couple’s relationship or suggests their shared interests. In those days, the wedding cake was important, but for most of us it was a pretty standard affair.
Nowadays, weddings and wedding cakes alike are no simple affair! The news is full of brides and grooms taking great pride in creating the most memorable event with every detail perfectly designed. That includes the cake and stand. Especially the cake and stand! The trend in cakes is to be edible masterpieces to show off at the wedding. They’ve become the centerpiece of the reception. Modern couples are taking wedding cakes to the next level with stunning designs, not to mention gourmet flavors!
And the photographer! The photographer always likes to take pictures around the cake. It’s not only the centerpiece of the reception, it’s the central focus for all the photos too! Yes, the cake and its supportive stand are going to be immortalized for posterity! You know what that means. The cake and stand have got to be the best! They have to be elegant and lovely. They are at the heart of the wedding experience.
But after the wedding and that perfect reception, we have to return to the world of bills, don’t we? So we have to make everything not only as perfect as possible, but also as affordable as we can! If you’re starting to feel a little pressure, surrounded by all this anticipation, planning, floral design, invitation lists, and other details, don’t worry. This is normal! It is pretty much overwhelming for everybody.
So there you are, in the middle of all the other mini – and not so mini – projects, spending a lot of time thinking about the cake. So many questions and decisions! It’s easy to realize late in the game that you also have to come up with the cake stand! So how do you do that?
Choosing a Wedding Cake Stand
In choosing a stand, one of the first questions that comes up is its style. Cake stands come in a plethora of styles. It’s really up to your tastes, planning needs, and budget. They come in almost every kind of material: glass, ceramic, black, gold, painted wood, and plastic. They come mirrored, black, standard, or unique. The plateau or platter can be decorated, or if it’s pretty enough, not. The stand can even be a plank of wood wrapped in aluminum foil. There are zillions of designs and colors. The only limit is the designer’s creativity. One brand has an Art Deco option. The size range is smaller, but still broad. Typical sizes run from 12″ to 22″. 13”-14” is pretty common. All in all, selecting wedding cake stands is a lot like interior design. It’s complicated, arcane, and probably calls for expert help.
Once you have some idea of the style of cake stand that would match everything else, you are thrown back upon financial practicalities. Should you buy or rent? Is there a rental fee for tiers or separators? How much will you spend on the stand? Some are ready to drop $200 or more for it, others think $100 is steep. Some stumble across something for $50-$60. Some find a DIY solution.
Some of us want something more stylish than DIY can reasonably provide, but still manage to economize. You might ask if your baker will rent one at a discount since you’re already paying for the cake. Some bakers will actually loan you one for free! Some venues will do the same. Failing those lucky breaks, you’ll just have to pay full price to either rent or buy one. Welcome to yet more adventures!
As you look for the right cake stand, you may discover that a good stand is hard to find. If time is getting short and you don’t know where to search or buy, a natural reaction is to panic. When you’re new to the whole wedding scene, how are you supposed to know what to do when a company refuses to rent out-of-state and won’t let you simply purchase a stand? It can be hard to find certain size and style combinations. You might be shown an older style silver stand and have the inescapable feeling that it’s “too typical”.
What do you do? You might try an inverted cake tin with decorations. Fortune may smile upon you and you may find that your baker provides a stand along with the cake. It’s always helpful to get input from someone who knows whether it will look nice with the cake and be the right size and height.
In the end, if you’ve tried everything to find a wedding cake stand to no avail, the force may still be with you. We have resources to help. For more answers, check out the FAQ and the other helpful information we have here just for you.
Wedding Cake Stand FAQ:
Q: Are wedding cake stands really needed?
Depends on what type of wedding you are having and what type of cake or cakes you are serving. If the wedding is super casual, you could get away with just putting your wedding cake on a cutting board or something similar. However, cake stands generally aren’t very expensive and thus it might look your wedding look really cheap, which is nothing a bride wants! Also, if you aren’t serving a traditional wedding cake, but rather wedding cupcakes or mini-cakes, you won’t need a typical stand. Depending on the type of cupcakes or mini-cakes you are serving, you may be able to just place them on the serving table. However, there are some really nice tiered stands available for these types of cakes.
Q: How big are wedding cake stands?
It all depends on the size of your cake! The bigger your cake, the bigger your stand will have to be. Generally, stands are somewhere between 12″ to 16″ wide in diameter. Depending on the type of stand you have, its height can vary greatly. For a single tiered stand, it might only be a few inches tall, while multi-tiered stands, such as the 3 tiered or 5 tiered stand might stand several feet tall. If you have a tall stand, make sure your serving table isn’t too elevated!
Q: How much does a wedding cake stand cost?
A: Wedding cake stands might not cost you what you think they might. Generally, a new wedding cake stand will cost somewhere between the $30-80 dollar range while you might be able to find used ones cheaper. If you’re on a budget, you can find much cheaper stands as low as $10-20. If you choose to get a cheap stand though, make sure to test its quality and durability before purchasing though, you don’t want your cake collapsing in your wedding. If you’ve got a big budget and want an extravagant wedding, there are some really beautiful stands, although they tend to be quite pricey. For some of the high end wedding cake stands, you are looking to pay upwards to $200. However, in the grand scheme of things in your wedding, this might not be too big of an investment for the beauty it will provide.
Q: How can I know if a wedding cake stand is durable?
A: The number one thing to look for is the material it is constructed with. A stand made out of stainless steel is much more likely to withstand a lot of wedding cake weight compared to something made out of flimsy plastic. Check the actual design of the stand and ask yourself, “Does it look like it could hold my wedding cake?” Use common sense; if the width of your wedding cake is wider than the stand that will hold it, you will probably need a different stand! If your wedding cake stand has different parts to it, check how they are connected. Parts that are welded together will be more durable than parts that are glued or notched. Lastly, check where the stand for your wedding cake was created. Generally, stands created in the United States, Canada, or European Union are more durable than stands created in places such as China or Taiwan.
Q: Are there any good wedding cake stand brands?
A: Unlike a lot of other wedding products, wedding cake stands aren’t really branded. Most are pretty generic and many are custom made from local wedding companies. However, if you want the reassurance of a brand, just look for a name you recognize and trust.
Q: Where should I purchase my wedding cake stand?
There are a ton of different ways to buy your wedding cake stand. One of the most traditional ways is to purchase them from a wedding supply company. This can be a good idea because they have in the business for a long time and will likely have a large selection to choose from, and will likely provide high quality products. However, stands bought in this manner might be a little pricey. If you’re lucky, you might be able to find a local shop dedicated to making wedding cake stands. These shops usually have a few display stands, but focus on making cake stands to your specifications. If you like handling every detail of your wedding, finding this type of shop is a must. These types of stands might be even more expensive than if you bought from a wedding supply company!
If you’re on a budget, your best bet is to look online. There are a ton of good deals online, plus a global presence means more competitive pricing. One of the best online marketplaces is the legendary ebay where you can find a large selection of new and used wedding cake stands. If you want to buy a cake stand from ebay though, make sure to read the descriptions of the cake stand carefully, as pictures can often be misleading. Make sure to check the rating and feedback of the seller you are purchasing from.
Q: What is a wedding cake topper?
A topper is a small miniature that sits at the top of the wedding cake, usually made out of a plastic-like material. The most popular type of topper is a simple miniature of the bride and the groom, and it makes for an elegant finish to your wedding cake. Many couples like to pick a topper that has personal significance to them, whether it be how they first met or a hobby they both share. For example, if you and your groom are both passionate about photography, you might have a camera topper on your wedding cake. Oftentimes, toppers will also include family members who will be united with the marriage. If either the bride or groom has a child from another wedding, the child is often included in the topper. Including pets is extremely popular as well.
Q: What are mini wedding cakes? What are wedding cupcakes?
Traditionally, white cakes with black trim have been the norm for wedding cakes. While they are still popular, more and more bride and grooms have been making a transition to miniature wedding cakes or wedding cupcakes. Instead of a traditional white cake, or in addition to, these smaller cakes are both more convenient to serve and easier to customize. Basically, these types of cakes are baked extremely small, intending to serve only a single person. Depending on the type of wedding you want, these type of wedding cakes might be right for you.
Q: What are wedding cupcake stands?
There’s no “real” difference between a regular wedding cake stand and a wedding cupcake stand. Generally though, cupcake stands have more tiers for showing off the individual cupcakes. Sometimes cupcake stands will have a slim pole in the middle as well, to give it a more “individual selection” feel.
Q: Do I need some sort of special cupcake stands for weddings?
Not particularly. If you are planning on having a lot of guests at the wedding, you will want a wide stand with several tiers. The more tiers you have on your wedding cupcake stand, the easier it will be for guests to choose a cupcake. Make sure to account for the space you’ll need in between each individual wedding cupcake, so that you can space them out evenly and easily. As a lot, if not all, of your wedding cupcakes will be colored and designed differently, make sure the stand and its tiers have appropriate colors to accent them.