Wedding Cake Calculator
Find the tier sizes that cover your guest count with the least wasted cake, using the standard party-serving chart for round tiers.
| Option | Tier sizes (largest first) | Total servings | Spare servings |
|---|
How each number is worked out
Servings needed = guests x (1 + buffer / 100), rounded up. At the default 10 percent buffer, 100 guests need 110 servings.
Tier servings come from the standard party-serving chart for round tiers: 6 inch = 12 servings, 8 inch = 24, 10 inch = 38, 12 inch = 56, 14 inch = 78, 16 inch = 100.
Recommended combination: every 2-tier, 3-tier and 4-tier combination of strictly descending tier sizes (each tier at least 2 inches smaller than the one below it) is checked. The winner covers the servings needed with the smallest spare; ties go to fewer tiers, then to the smaller total. The best combination for each other tier count is shown as an alternative.
Single tier: if the servings needed are 100 or fewer, the smallest single tier that covers them is also shown.
If even the largest 4 tiers cannot cover the servings needed, the largest 4-tier cake is shown with the shortfall, and the rest is best made up with a plain kitchen (sheet) cake.
Frequently asked questions
What size wedding cake do I need for 100 guests?
With a 10 percent buffer, 100 guests need 110 servings. The closest tier combination is a 16 inch tier (100 servings) over a 6 inch tier (12 servings), giving 112 servings with 2 spare.
What size wedding cake do I need for 50 guests?
With a 10 percent buffer, 50 guests need 55 servings. The recommended combination is a 10 inch tier (38 servings) over an 8 inch tier (24 servings), giving 62 servings. A single 12 inch tier gives 56 servings if you prefer one tier.
What size wedding cake do I need for 150 guests?
With a 10 percent buffer, 150 guests need 165 servings. The closest combination is 16 inch, 12 inch and 6 inch tiers (100 + 56 + 12), giving 168 servings with 3 spare.
What size wedding cake do I need for 200 guests?
With a 10 percent buffer, 200 guests need 220 servings. The closest combination is 16 inch, 14 inch, 10 inch and 6 inch tiers (100 + 78 + 38 + 12), giving 228 servings with 8 spare.
How many servings are in each cake tier?
On the standard party-serving chart used here, a round 6 inch tier serves 12, 8 inch serves 24, 10 inch serves 38, 12 inch serves 56, 14 inch serves 78 and 16 inch serves 100.
Why add a 10 percent buffer?
A buffer covers bigger slices, second helpings and the top tier being kept. At 10 percent, 100 guests become 110 servings to plan for, and 150 guests become 165 servings.
Common guest counts (10 percent buffer)
| Guests | Servings needed | Recommended tiers | Total servings | Spare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 55 | 10" + 8" | 62 | 7 |
| 75 | 83 | 14" + 6" | 90 | 7 |
| 100 | 110 | 16" + 6" | 112 | 2 |
| 150 | 165 | 16" + 12" + 6" | 168 | 3 |
| 200 | 220 | 16" + 14" + 10" + 6" | 228 | 8 |
Tier serving chart
| Round tier size | Party servings |
|---|---|
| 6 inch | 12 |
| 8 inch | 24 |
| 10 inch | 38 |
| 12 inch | 56 |
| 14 inch | 78 |
| 16 inch | 100 |