Finger-sized slices are usually served at weddings unless the cake is being used as dessert. So below you will see two different tables for these two options.
Non-Dessert Cake:
This is the usual cake that couples want to order. For an intimate gathering of 90–120 guests a three-tier cake is ample. I suggest to my brides that because not everyone eats cake, a 10″, 8″ and 6″ would suffice, considering some just want to have the cake on display for the symbolic gesture of cutting the cake rather than having a slice for everyone in the audience.
Normally that size cake would accommodate 90 guests but again it depends on how generous you are in cutting!
The current trend seems to be a scaled version of a cake along with a dessert sample of tiny cookies, macaroons, cupcakes, etc. Brides have decided that they either want a large cake and then go bust or decide a little bit of everything to keep everyone happy suits most!
I think that the sizes outlined below would best suit the European palette, especially now Belgian biscuit cake has replaced the fruit cake so the bottom tier is yielding as many slices as a fruit cake. Brides just want to have enough for people to enjoy but not too much so that the cake is not left to waste!
The table below shows the portions to use if a couple wants to use the cake as dessert. Couples sometimes choose to do this if they are on a tight budget and want the cake to act as dessert. For larger numbers of guests simply add the servings as tiers.
