It’s time to pick the perfect wedding cake - but what do you need to look for? how much will this massive tower of frosting really cost?

1. Timing is Everything
It takes time to create a gorgeous cake. For Cheryl Kleinman, of Cheryl Kleinman Cakes in Brooklyn, NY, the cost of a wedding cake is mostly determined by labor. “I work 25 to 40 hours on an average wedding cake for 150 people, from interviewing the couple to baking the cake, sculpting flowers, and assembling and dressing the cake,” says Kleinman. So the larger and more intricate the cake, the more your cake will cost.

2. Magazine Wedding Cakes
Unless money is no object, stay realistic when looking at cakes from wedding magazines. “Sometimes people come in with ideas they’ve seen in magazines — they don’t realize that these are $12-per-slice designs,” says Ana Paz from Ana Paz Cakes, Miami, FL. “They want me to do the same cake at $3.50 a slice, and that’s impossible.” It may be impossible to create an exact replica of the magazine cake, but know that cake bakers are creative, and they should be able to modify your favorite design to achieve a similar cake look for less.

3. Icing Costs
Consider that not all icings cost the same. Rolled fondant is more expensive than buttercream, mostly because of the labor involved. “Fondant is an extra step — it’s very labor-intensive,” says Contino, who owns Bittersweet Pastry Shop & Cafe. Betty Baird of Sweet Tiers in Palm Beach, Florida, says she can do two or three buttercream cakes in the time it takes to create one iced with rolled fondant. So if you’re looking to save, opt for buttercream instead of fondant.

4. Elegant Embellishments and Flowers
The more add-ons and intricate detail, the higher the cost. Sheaths of chocolate draped onto the cake, or an allover scrollwork pattern costs more than a simple buttercream-covered cake trimmed with ribbon.

Gum paste flowers, which are often created by hand, also increase the price per slice. Paula Kirrane from The Icing on the Cake in Newton, MA notes that the more complicated the sugar flower, the higher the price. Sugar roses, for instance, are cheaper than hard-to-shape sugar orchids. Another way to save? Order fewer sugar flowers, or opt for fresh ones instead.

5. Slice Size
The size of your cake and number of tiers will affect cost. Cheryl Kleinman says that to help her clients save a little, she sometimes creates a smaller cake with smaller slices per guest, and then supplements the smaller pieces with a side of ice cream and strawberries.

Sylvia Weinstock also points out that the lighter the cake, the bigger the portion sizes. “You tend to get bigger slices with a more airy cake,” she says. “With a dense, chocolate cake, it’s easier to cut small slices. This scales down the size of the entire cake, reducing its price.”

Nancie Cameron of Creative Cakes in Silver Spring, Maryland, recommends additional sheet cakes for large weddings. “It lets couples buy exactly the cake they wanted, just smaller.” An example: “If you buy a three-tiered cake that feeds 100 people, plus four 10-inch side cakes, you can feed another hundred people for $160 instead of $400,” explains Contino.

6. Cake Cutting Costs
Be aware of hidden costs. If your reception site has an in-house baker, but you would like to bring in your own baker, you’ll probably pay a fee. Ask about this when you reserve your site; a “cutting fee” can tack another $1 (minimum) per person onto the cost of your wedding cake.