How Many Cake Tiers Do You Need for Your Wedding?

When you’re planning a wedding cake, how many cake tiers, the stacked layers of a wedding cake that affect both appearance and serving capacity isn’t just a design choice—it’s a practical decision tied to your guest count, budget, and how much cake people will actually eat. Most couples think they need a big, tall cake to impress, but the truth? A three-tier cake for 100 guests is often more than enough. In fact, many modern weddings skip tiers entirely and go for a single large cake or even a dessert table. What you really need is enough cake to serve everyone without wasting food or money.

Cake servings, the standard portion size used to calculate how much cake is needed per guest typically run around 1x2 inches per slice—smaller than you might expect. That means a 4-tier cake with 100 servings might look impressive in a photo, but if only half your guests take a slice, you’re left with a lot of unused cake. And don’t forget: wedding cake size, the physical dimensions and layer count that determine how many people the cake can serve doesn’t always match the number of tiers. A two-tier cake with wide layers can serve more than a tall, narrow three-tier cake. The key is matching the cake’s volume to your guest list, not the number of layers.

What you’ll find in the posts below are real, no-fluff answers from couples who’ve been there. You’ll learn how to calculate exactly how much cake you need for 100 guests, why some couples skip tiers altogether, and how to avoid the trap of buying a cake that looks stunning but goes mostly uneaten. We’ll also show you what happens when you freeze your cake for a year—and whether it’s worth it. There’s no magic number for tiers. But there are smart ways to pick the right one for your day.