Dummy Cake?

I would suggest putting money into the actual desserts you will want to serve instead of buying a dummy cake. Non-cake desserts at weddings have become very popular and are well received. If you’d like an ice cream bar, or cupcakes, or cookies, or even donuts instead of cake - go for it! Don’t feel like you have to get a dummy cake for aesthetics.

Our baker said a lot of times that dummy cakes cost almost as much as a regular cake just because of the time and skill it still requires to decorate. I'd just buy a sheet cake and put your money into other desserts as well if you still want some cake without breaking the bank.

I’ve seen a couple do this, but they were in Minnesota. The dummy cake was affordable for them and then they served an $80 cake to their guests from Sam’s Club.

I’m also interested in this! I’m not a huge fan of cake. What im thinking about is a small cake to cut (one layer)and people can go up and chooose between cake and pie and whatnot. Sheet cake to serve maybe. It just kills me to pay for a fake cake. But then it kills me to pay for a real huge one too! Dilemma for sure. Hope you figure it out! Keep us posted on what you decide!

Sorry I have no experience with dummy cakes but another option is to get a nice cake stand and small round cake to slice with your partner and have a cute cake topper on it, then have your other desserts and sheet cakes for your guests (I highly recommend Costco for affordable and delicious sheet cakes).

You can definitely have an alternative dessert or desserts! That's completely normal these days.
I would advise against a dummy cake, they never go down well. Guests feel let down if they see a cake they don't get to eat, it's much in worse than not having cake at all! In fact I've seen people get really upset about it. I think it's a matter of either having a cake that gets served, or going completely in the direction of alternatives. You can display them nicely on a cake stand forva cake effect.

Is a dummy cake just a fake cake? I guess I dont understand why anyone would do that? We are doing a very small 2 tier cake for cutting (and then to have a tier to save), but the rest of our desserts will be a variety of mini desserts.

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Ooooh yum! Those look amazing. I think the purpose of a dummy cake is more for photos and you can stick a real slice of cake in there and have the whole cake cutting tradition. You get the look of a full on big elaborate wedding cake without paying for one. But decorated styrofoam (or whatever it is) still takes times and costs money. To me a dummy cake isn't worth it but I guess for some people it is, too each their own

We are not doing one but have been guests at weddings that did. Keep in mind they cost as much as a real stacked cake because you are paying for the labor of decorating. The weddings we attended that did have them, guests thought it was bizarre that the stacked cake was not cut. Especially during the cake cutting when the couple could not find the real slice. They loved the sheet cakes that were on display with the fake cake. The couples afterwards said they would have skipped the fake cake to save money (which they ended up spending more than they planned) and gone with just sheet cake.

I had not heard of the dummy cake until recently.

The father of the bride saw the "cake" and thought the cake had not been cut and served yet.

That added a bit of humor to the day.