Wedding cake servings calculator
Enter your guest count, the number of tiers and the cake shape to see which tier sizes serve everyone, starting from the smallest stack that covers your guests. Servings are wedding slices, and you can read the chart behind every number.
What to buy
100 guests, 3 tiers, round
- Smallest cake that covers
- 12 in + 10 in + 6 in serves 106 (6 spare)
- Option 2
- 12 in + 10 in + 8 in serves 118 (18 spare)
- Option 3
- 14 in + 10 in + 6 in serves 128 (28 spare)
- Option 4
- 14 in + 10 in + 8 in serves 140 (40 spare)
- Option 5
- 14 in + 12 in + 8 in serves 158 (58 spare)
- Option 6
- 14 in + 12 in + 10 in serves 172 (72 spare)
Sizes list the tiers from the bottom up, in inches. The figures are wedding slices, so ask your baker how they cut and which sizes they bake. Read our disclaimer.
Assumptions
The calculator uses these common rules of thumb. Change the inputs above to fit your guests.
| Serving size | wedding slices of 1 × 2 in, from two layers 4 in tall |
|---|---|
| Round tiers | 6 in 12, 8 in 24, 10 in 38, 12 in 56, 14 in 78, 16 in 100 |
| Square tiers | 6 in 18, 8 in 32, 10 in 50, 12 in 72, 14 in 98, 16 in 128 |
| Tier sizes | each tier is 2 or 4 in narrower than the one below, from 16 in down to 6 in |
| Buffer | none: guests often skip cake, so the figure is what the stack serves |
| Recommended | the smallest stack that serves at least your guest count; the figure in brackets is the spare servings |
How we calculate
- Servings per tier. Each tier serves the number of wedding slices in the chart above: a slice is 1 × 2 in, cut from two layers 4 in tall.
- Stacks. We list every way to stack your number of tiers, with each tier 2 or 4 in narrower than the one below it, using pans from 16 in down to 6 in.
- Servings per stack. The servings of its tiers added together.
- Recommendation. The smallest stack that serves at least your guests, then the next larger ones. There is no buffer, because a cake is cut once and some guests skip it.
Worked example: 100 guests, three round tiers
With the default inputs (100 guests, three round tiers):
- A 12 in tier serves 56, a 10 in tier serves 38 and a 6 in tier serves 12: 56 + 38 + 12 = 106 servings for 12 in + 10 in + 6 in, 6 more than the 100 you need.
- The next size up swaps the 6 in tier for an 8 in: 56 + 38 + 24 = 118 servings.
- Square tiers are cut into more slices. Three square tiers of 10 in, 8 in and 6 in serve 50 + 32 + 18 = 100 servings.
Questions
How big is a wedding slice?
A wedding slice is 1 × 2 in and about 4 in tall, which is two layers. Party slices are larger, so the same cake serves fewer people. Ask your baker how they cut, because some bakers cut larger slices than this chart.
How many tiers should I choose?
The tier count is mostly about looks. A taller cake needs more stacked supports and a larger stand, and it costs more to deliver. Many couples pick a stack for how it looks, then serve extra from a sheet cake in the kitchen to cover the rest of the guests.
Do I need a slice for every guest?
Not always. Some guests skip cake, and some couples save the top tier. The calculator has no buffer: it tells you what each stack serves, and you decide how many guests to plan for.
Why do square cakes serve more?
A square tier of the same width has more cake in it than a round tier, because the corners add area. For example, a 10 in square serves 50 and a 10 in round serves 38.
What if no stack serves all of my guests?
Add a tier (up to 5), or switch to square tiers, which serve more. The usual answer is to serve some guests from a sheet cake of the same flavor in the kitchen, which keeps the display cake smaller and costs less.