A grocery store that offers wedding cakes may appeal to budget-savvy couples. There are several reasons a bridal couple may want to investigate ordering their wedding cake from a local supermarket.
Supermarket Cakes: A Growing Wedding Trend
Although the current craze of designer wedding cakes shows no sign of slowing down, grocery store wedding cakes are quickly becoming an affordable and delicious alternative. Supermarkets across the country have bakeries that offer various wedding cake designs in addition to their regular cake options. Stores that offer wedding cakes include:
The prices and designs from each grocery store vary, as do the decorator levels. When speaking with the supermarket bakery, make sure you see designs made by the person who will actually be decorating your cake. Some grocery stores do not do fondant designs, and instead only make buttercream wedding cakes. Others have a book of design options that may or may not be customized to your wedding. Cake choices each store varies, so check out the differences before making a decision.
Grocery Store Wedding Cake Considerations
While grocery store wedding cakes are a great option for some couples, not everyone wants their cake from a local supermarket. Weigh the advantages versus the disadvantages of a grocery store cake before booking your baker and decorator.
Advantages of Grocery Store Cakes
Many families utilize grocery stores for birthday cakes and other special occasion cakes. Take your wedding cake order to a grocery store and get these potential advantages:
- Cost: The price per serving of a grocery store wedding cake is usually significantly less than that of a designer cake. Be sure to find out what the serving size is in order to make accurate comparisons of the wedding cake price, as those from the grocery store may be smaller.
- Notice: Many supermarket bakeries have several decorators on hand, with longer hours than cake bakeries. This allows couples to book their cakes much closer to the wedding, with less notice. Grocery stores may require anywhere from one to six weeks' notice, whereas cake bakeries may need to be booked several months in advance.
- Taste: Some brides and grooms grew up eating grocery store cakes. Therefore, it is only natural they will want to eat their favorite cake at their wedding, too.
Most grocery stores allow couples to come in for a cake tasting and consult before the wedding. This way, you can choose the flavors and filling for your wedding and discuss the design directly with the decorator.
Disadvantages of Grocery Store Cakes
While grocery store cakes do offer several advantages over cakes from individual bakeries, there are also some disadvantages to be considered. Think about:
- Design: Although grocery store decorators do have some skills, you may not get the unique one-of-a-kind wedding cake you would from an individual cake bakery. There may be some techniques a grocery store bakery staff is not familiar with or able to create.
- Flavors: The options for wedding cake flavors, fillings and frostings are usually limited at a grocery store. Ingredients may not be as high quality as the gourmet ones used at cake bakeries, either.
- Delivery: Although many supermarket bakeries do deliver, not all of them offer this option. If yours doesn't, you will need to arrange for the pickup and delivery of the cake yourself and possibly stack it, too.
These are just a few of the disadvantages when choosing a grocery store cake. Due to the different options at each grocery store, the advantages and disadvantages may vary, so it is important to check each store's bakery wedding cake policy.
Creative Grocery Store Cake Uses
Couples who prefer to use an individual bakery cake can still take advantage of grocery store wedding cakes. One way is to purchase wedding sheet cakes from a grocery store to supplement a tiered cake. A simple border similar to that used on the main cake is all that is needed on a sheet cake.
Another way to creatively use grocery store cakes is to purchase individual cakes or single tier cakes to put on each of the tables. Individual cakes can be boxed as a wedding favor, while larger single tier cakes can be placed on a serving platter with decorations around it and serve double-duty as the centerpieces.
Use grocery store cupcakes as part of a wedding cupcake idea in a display at the wedding. Most cupcakes come frosted in popular flavors like vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. Purchase small decorations for the top, such as hearts or flowers, and display the cupcakes as the wedding cake.
If you are supplementing a designer cake with grocery store cake, make sure you check the wedding cake contract. Some decorators have clauses that prevent couples from having outside cakes that aren't from their bakery.
Couples who enjoy cakes at their local grocery stores should consider using their local supermarket for their wedding cake. Add a few grocery stores to your wedding vendor quote list when choosing a wedding cake.
