Charming DIY Wedding Cakes

Kate Middleton's wedding cake cost around $80,000. Many brides in the US spend hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars on a cake for their special day. However, brides-to-be can breathe easy knowing that DIY wedding cakes are a much less expensive option that lets them add a special homemade touch to their wedding.

With wedding season having just begun and many summer proposals to happen in the coming months, the Homemakers at Wayfair created 6 DIY wedding cakes and cupcakes for budget-conscious brides who don't mind rolling up their sleeves and getting creative in the kitchen before saying "I do." Catie Parrish, managing editor of Wayfair.com, has the perfect tips and tricks to making your own wedding cake.

Textured Buttercream Wedding Cake:

Tip: It's best to tint a large amount of frosting at once (more than enough for the entire cake), because if you tint your frosting in batches, it can be hard to match and there may be slight variations in your colors.

Cost: about $31 (serves 50 guests)

Berry Wedding Sheet Cake:

 Tip: To give your cake a clean, professional look, level the cake before frosting. Use a serrated knife to carefully trim off any uneven or bulging sections of cake. Be sure to keep the knife level as you cut.

Cost: about $65 (serves 80 guests)

Candy Wafer Wedding Cake:

Tip: For additional support for stacked tiered cakes like this one, use corrugated cake boards between each tier. Cake boards come in a variety of sizes and can also be cut to fit the shape you need. 

Cost: about $60 (serves 60 guests)

Peekaboo Layer Wedding Cake:

 Tip: Make the biggest impact with this style of cake by pairing the color of your cake with a contrast-colored frosting. White buttercream peeking through the layers of this chocolate cake is a dramatic look.

Cost: about $37 (serves 40 guests)

For more DIY cake and cupcake decorating ideas, tips, and imagery, please head to Wayfair's Ideas & Advice article, 6 DIY wedding cakes and cupcakes.