Wedding Cake Stands: How to Choose

How to choose a wedding cake stand

Measure the cake board, not the cake

Most wedding cakes sit on a cake board. Ask your baker how wide the bottom board will be, then choose a stand whose top is at least that wide, ideally a little wider, so nothing hangs over the edge. The Mud Pie top is about 11 inches across and the Gibson Elite top is 10 inches (an 11-inch size is also on its listing), so both suit a single-tier cake or a cutting cake. Neither listing gives a weight limit, so ask your baker before setting a stacked cake on one.

Weight comes first for tiered cakes

A stacked cake with three or more tiers is heavy, and none of these three stands is sold as a base for one. If your cake is that size, ask the baker what they deliver it on. Many bakers bring their own base or rent one, and prefer to set the cake on something they know. The Sweejar lists a maximum load of 10 pounds across its tiers, which makes it a dessert stand, not a cake base.

Pedestal or tiers

A pedestal holds one cake and gives it height. A pedestal of about 6 inches, like the Mud Pie, lifts a small cake above the plates and flowers around it on a long dessert table. A tiered stand holds more without taking much table space: the Sweejar’s three tiers are 10, 8 and 6 inches across, with about 4.6 to 4.8 inches between them, so measure your tallest cupcake or dessert against that gap. View the Sweejar tiered stand on Amazon.

Material and style

• Marble and gold look classic and suit candlelight and warm palettes. The Mud Pie listing says it is made for serving cakes and desserts, but calls the marble decorative: handle it gently, spot clean it with a damp cloth, and set the cake on its board rather than directly on the marble.
• White porcelain is neutral beside any color scheme. The Sweejar also comes in pink, purple and jade.
• Marble and wood suit a rustic, garden or barn wedding, and the Gibson Elite’s glass dome is useful outdoors, where a cake needs cover until it is cut.

Order early

Stone and porcelain can chip in transit. Order a few weeks ahead so you can unpack the stand, check it, and confirm the size with your baker while there is still time to swap it.

How to use a cake stand at the wedding

• Tell the baker and the venue. Let them know you are supplying the stand, label it with your name, and agree who sets the cake on it and who packs it up at the end.
• Consider a cutting cake. Some couples put a small, decorated cake on the stand for the cutting photo and serve guests from sheet cake kept in the kitchen. A 10 or 11-inch stand is the right size for this, such as the Gibson Elite stand with its dome or the Mud Pie marble pedestal.
• Give it space. Place the stand on a level table away from the edge where guests pass, with room beside it for the knife, the server and two plates. Keep the cake out of direct sun at an outdoor wedding.
• Use the tiers for small bites. If you serve cupcakes, macarons or a donut display, a tiered stand keeps them tidy and easy to reach.
• Afterwards, a marble stand becomes a serving piece at home, and the Gibson Elite’s dome keeps baked goods covered.

Common questions

Keep planning

• Our guide to the sparkling Mr and Mrs cake topper
• Wedding cake toppers
• Champagne flutes and toasting sets (including a set with a cake knife and server)
• Candle centerpieces for the reception tables
• 10 Amazon wedding finds that make a budget wedding look luxe
• Gifts for the bride-to-be
• How we choose products