I am sure this question has been asked a thousand times, but I am about to do my first, wedding cake for an actual customer. To this point I have only dared to them for faminily and friends. I have been asked how may tiers would be necessary to accomodate 300 + guests. I know it probably has alot to do with the cutting technique but if some one could give me a idea I would really appreciate. And do most of you figure the cost by the slice?? thanks in advance for your help.

here's a cake calculator that can help add up what each tier can yield:

http://shinymetalobjects.net/cake/calculator/cake_calculator.cgi

it's based off the Wilton charts. i usually select the 2" pans Wedding chart. there's also a link if you want to calculate strictly on volume.

6 tiers.

A 6/8/10/12/14/16 serves approx 306.
I use the wilton wedding chart: http://www.wilton.com/wedding/wedding-cakes/wedding-cake-data.cfm

In my signature is a link on how to cut a wedding cake. Feel free to print it off and give it to your client.

Ask how many people they INVITED. For the past 30 years I've used 60% Rule .... 60% of the total number invited will actually show up. So if they really invited 500 people, then they can expect about 300 to show.

The number of tiers required depends on how big each tier is! You can determine the sizes based on the overall look they want. For example, 10/14/18 squares is the right size, but would be a short, wide cake compared to Debi's stack of 6 round tiers which would be a more traditional look. Or perhaps they would like a smaller tiered cake "for show" and then make up the rest of the needed servings with separate "kitchen cakes" (sheet cakes, but layered the same way as the tiers in the display cake, which are cut and plated "behind the scenes" in the kitchen).

The 60% rule probably works well for large weddings. Which this obviously is, whether it's 300 invited or 300 expected to attend. But for an invite list of under 100, the positive response rate is generally higher. Anyway, one advantage of the "kitchen cake" method is that it's easier to change the size of the order if necessary as the RSVPs come in. (Just make sure you have set a reasonable deadline for making any such changes, in any case.)

Holly

the use of square tiers vs round makes a difference.
The use of heart pans vs paisley pans also make a huge difference.
There are many, many ways to combine shapes and sizes to come up with the number you state.
Look at the Royal Wedding cake. Using 4 cakes as a base then going up from there will give you a bit shorter cake than the example IndyDebi gave. And in my opinion a much nicer, *easier to deliver* cake