When ordering a wedding cake for the first time, setting aside a budget is tricky! As you browse for inspiration for your dream cake, there's no 'one size/price fits all' approach. Here are a few options to consider. •Size matters: Different-sized cakes can offer different portion numbers in a tiered arrangement. Ideally, cater for 80 per cent of guests unless serving the cake as dessert. •Flavours: Guests may devour a slice of each if you opt for different flavour tiers, and you may need additional cake if you save a tier for yourselves. •Design: Sugar flowers, edible gold leaf, sparkles and those beautiful ruffles you set your heart on add to the cost. A four-tiered wedding cake with fondant ruffles and sugar flowers could take 20 to 30 hours to create and, depending on design complexity, cost upwards of several hundred pounds. •Venue: If you've booked your dreamy large manor house with vaulted ceilings, a small-tiered cake could disappear within the grandeur. So faux polystyrene tiers, acrylic or metal separators can replace cake to minimise leftovers and achieve a stunning centrepiece. Cake designers will always provide a starting price using the above information to help you budget your dream cake!