Please help me before I lose my mind. According to Wilton a 6, 8 and 10 inch wedding cake will serve 74 people but according to the Advanced Professional Pastry Chef Textbook it only serves 44. It does not say how big of a serving is cut in the textbook but 30 servings is a heck of a difference if you ask me. According to the book I would have to add a 12 inch cake just to get the total servings that I need.

The bride doesn't want to save the 6 inch cake for her anniversary and wants it cut along with the other cakes. This will be the second wedding cake that I will be making and the 1st one I am getting paid for. The first one was for family so price wasn't an issue as far as I was concerned so making larger cakes than needed didn't matter.

I won't be offering a cake cutting service as the caterers have agreed to do it as part of the reception.

I don't know what to do? Should I make the extra tier? When serving your cakes have you had success in getting the servings that Wilton stated you were supposed to get?

are you doing rounds? squares? etc.?

wiltons wedding slices are based on a cake 4" high, and 1" wide by 2" long. I find that even at parties, this is enough for most people. its really not that small. the other list seems like it is giving servings based on a sunday supper at grandmas house where you take an 8" round cake and cut it into 8 servings! i would use wiltons wedding (or if the couple wants larger pieces) or party serving guide. its based on 1 and1/2 x 2" by 4". slightly bigger. I would charge more for larger slices. and i would not make the extra 12" round unless they are willing to pay for it and want bigger servings. i would also suggest that you provide a serving chart with the cake as well as a cutting diagram so it is up to them to cut it according to what they are expecting to get out of their cake.

I've almost never gotten the servings that Wilton says you can, I have always made extra. I do a 6", 9", and 12" that I mark down as 70 servings, but that is without the top tier. Me, personally, I would rather have extra cake to serve rather than not enough... you know. This is just my experience though, there are people on here that know a heck of a lot more than I do!!!

I agonized over this a lot until I flipped a pan over and marked it up into 1" x 2" servings just like Wilton's cutting guides. I always got exactly as many or more than Wilton's numbers, and so I just go with Wilton's charts. I've never had anyone run out of cake, so I'm sticking with Wilton on this one; otherwise I'm up nights wondering about this kind of stuff..lol

Well, if you intend to do this as a business, at any time - I wouldn't start off by giving away free cake.

Weddding cake portions ARE smaller than restaurant dessert size portions on purpose.

Wedding cake is served as a decadent dessert after cocktails, hors d'eouvres and a big meal!

Here's a thread on serving sizes and serving charts:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-609651-.html

Opinions on serving size charts:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-57479-.html

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-31733-.html

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-54654-.html

HTH

Edited to update links.

The cakes will be rounds and 4" high.

Thank you all for the answers. With this being the first cake I am actually being paid for and the fact that the bride is driving me crazy, I am not getting much sleep as it is. LOL I am even dreaming of this darn cake and I have a month before it's even due (the tasting is this Friday).

The DH keeps laughing at me because of all the money I am spending on ingredients to make cakes so he can eat 1 slice and judge it over another recipe then throw the cake out and start over with another test recipe. It's not like she is asking for 1 single flavor for all layers - each one is different and in flavors I haven't made before. The other day he asked what size my head was so he could buy me a wig when it's all over because I keep pulling my hair. ROFL.... I am just so glad he is supportive and keeps me laughing through this whole ordeal. You should have seen him this evening figuring cake dimensions and dividing it up like an engineer.

Threads on conducting tastings:

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-14134-.html

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-34107-.html

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-19145-.html

Contracts:

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-96861-.html

HTH

JanH..thank you very much for the links. I had been wondering about a contract and took a few things from here at CC and things from various bakeries on the web. I used the basis of that contract to form a pretty nice (and IMO professional) worksheet to take with me to the tasting. The worksheet is going to be my biggest help in remembering what to ask the bride. The drawings in the link you sent are also going to be a great help. Again thanks so much for your help.

here's a suggestion...if they are flavors you have not done before(and if you have explained that to them but they want them anyway) , keep tab of the cost of your test ingredients so that you can charge them for it within the cost of the wedding cake. also, half your recipes if possible.

I say a 6 8 10 round combo serves 70, that's what I charge for it, but I think it will serve at least 5 more.
My serving sizes are based upon 4hx1wx2d and I've not ever heard of a problem
I've even made cakes for weddings where it was the main dessert, and again they had extra.
As long as you provide them with the serving size portion you are estimating for and a cake cutting guide to show how to cut to yield that, you are fine. By adding a 12" tier you are adding another 56 servings.