In 2012, the average cost of a wedding cake for 150 people is between $520-$655. Most couples opt to have a traditional tiered wedding cake topped with some variation of buttercream frosting. Fondant is also a popular choice and is usually reserved for clean, professional cake designs.  

An easy way to save money on a wedding cake is to keep it simple.  Multiple tiers, flavors, fillings and/or decorations can add up quickly.   The longer it takes a baker to create your wedding cake, the higher the cost will be.  Skipping the cake topper is another way to help save on your wedding budget.  To keep the cost down on a wedding cake for 250 people, have your caterer server "half-servings".

Wedding cakes might be considered labor-intensive and costly, but they are deeply symbolic and truly celebrate the excitement of the day.