Gone are the days when a wedding cake had to be a massive, towering centerpiece. Small wedding cakes are stealing the spotlight in a big way! 

Whether you’re planning a micro wedding, love a minimalist aesthetic, aren’t really a cake person, or just want a cake as unique as your love story, small cakes combining elegance and personality in a package that’s just the right size.

Oh, by the way—hi! I’m Kelsie, the sugar flower artist behind Sugar Flowers by Kelsie Cakes.

I make handmade sugar flowers that help cake decorators (and couples like you!) create show-stopping, stress-free wedding cakes. 

If you’re planning your wedding or just love beautiful cakes, you’re in the right place. 🤩 I’m sharing some of the best ideas and trends to inspire your own sweet masterpiece in 2025. Let’s dive in!

The Rise of The Small Wedding Cake 

A lil history lesson: in the past, huge multi-tiered wedding cakes were the norm as a symbol of abundance and celebration.

Guests would be like “woah look how huge that wedding cake is! That couple sure is set up for success!”

(Not really but you see what I’m getting at).

The pandemic-era micro wedding trends of 2020-2021 reshaped everything about weddings— including how couples think about the cake. 

Small cakes grew in popularity for couples eloping or hosting intimate ceremonies, and bakers embraced the trend as a way to stay in business and really let their creativity run wild.

But while big weddings are back in 2025, the small cakes haven’t lost their appeal.

Why Couples Love Small Wedding Cakes in 2025

• Simplicity—They’re elegant and perfect for intimate celebrations or a small guest list.
• Personalization— They make it easier to tell your story and get more creative with your design and flavor (more on that in a sec!).
• Budget flexibility— Couples can prioritize quality over quantity and splurge on gourmet ingredients, luxury sugar flowers, and supporting local businesses.

👉🏼 Pro Tip: Small cakes are potentially more budget-friendly, but you can spend the same budget on a stunning small cake from a boutique bakery that supports the community and offers fair wages, rather than settling for a larger, mass-produced cake from a big-box chain.

This less is more trend is all about meaningful, thoughtful celebrations where every detail— your cake included— tells a story.

Wedding Cake Design Trends for 2025

Small doesn’t mean boring! These trends for 2025 can still have a big impact with small wedding cakes.

Minimalist Cakes

For couples who are going for clean lines, subtly, and timeless vibes.

• Choose muted colors like whites, pastels, or a touch of soft metallics.
• Keep the decor simple with a single sugar flower, a delicate monogram, or a clean fondant finish.

The Chaos Cake

A Pinterest fan favorite, the Chaos Cake is the opposite of the minimalistic cake. Think— bold, imperfect, and fun.

• Texture Overload— lots of thick buttercream piping, rough edges, and layers of detail
• Vivid colors— contrasting hues or a rainbow of flowers
• Playful flair— edible paint splatters, scattered sugar flowers, rounded dome shapes

Heart Shaped Cakes

Yesssss, heart-shaped cakes are back—and they’re better (and more romantic) than ever.

According to Hitched.co.uk, searches for heart-shaped cakes grew 50% in 2024, proving that this retro design is here to stay.

Whether iced in classic Lambeth-style buttercream or decked out in vibrant florals, these cakes bring a whimsical vintage touch to modern weddings.

“We can’t lie, we’re in love with this particular wedding trend.” —hitched.co.uk

Mini Cakes

For couples who want something completely different, mini cakes are having a major moment.

If you have a small guest count, you can order an individual mini cake for each of your guests! It’s a playful, out-of-the-box option that people won’t soon forget.

• A cake for everyone— Each guest gets their own mini masterpiece which really makes them feel welcomed into your celebration!
• Flavors galore— Offer different flavors for variety and fun (or dietary restrictions).
• Interactive displays— Arrange mini cakes on stands, pair them with dessert tables, or use them as a place setting and decor for your reception tables.

Wedding Cake Flavors that Break Tradition 

When it comes to wedding cakes, flavor is just as important as aesthetics.

A small wedding cake can free you from the pressure of pleasing a crowd. Skip “safe” flavors and indulge in your personal favorites. Your wedding cake should reflect your taste— literally!

For the Bold Couple

If you’re getting a small wedding cake just for the cake cutting, then that cake is just for you. So skip the boring univalve options and let’s move beyond “vanilla or chocolate!”

I’m always in favor of couples prioritizing their own palettes over a potentially boring universal flavor, but having a small wedding cake also takes some of the pressure off to try to please everyone!

Trending Flavor Ideas for 2025

• Romantic pairings— Lavender + honey, or rose + pistachio.
• Unexpected twists— Chocolate chili, lemon basil, or salted caramel cardamom.
• Local flavors— Seasonal fruits and locally-sourced ingredients. Highlight your roots with seasonal or regional flavors! I’m thinking Kumquats in January if you’re getting married in central Florida!

Make It Personal with Intimate Wedding Cakes

Your wedding cake isn’t just dessert. A smaller cake gives you the perfect opportunity to infuse your personality and style in a way that might not be possible with a large cake.

Personalize Your Small Wedding Cake

• Custom toppers— Splurge on a custom hand crafted cake topper. I’d recommend sugar flowers, but even a Vintage Lenox topper or a hand sculpted couple tells your story!
• Symbolic details— Reference shared hobbies, travels, or favorite flowers between you and your beloved. If your wedding cake baker is also an incredible artist who uses edible paint as her medium, she could paint watercolor scenes of your love story on the sides of the cake!
• Playful quotes— Cakes with “just married” or “til death do us part” add some fun and levity to your big day. (Source.)

A personalized cake doesn’t just look beautiful—it becomes a meaningful part of your celebratio and a way to share your journey and tell your love story.

Big Weddings, Small Cakes— How to make it work

Even if your guest list is long, you can still embrace the small cake trend! (I promise.) Here’s how to make it work—

Add on cutting cakes for guests

Keep your main centerpiece cake small, then serve sheet cakes (also called cutting cakes or kitchen cakes) to your guests.

The kitchen cakes are hidden behind the scenes for the caterer to cut and plate for your guests, and your smaller, stunning cake is on display and ready for the cake-cutting ceremony.

Take-home Cake slices after the reception

You know it, I know it, we all know it— the cake cutting usually happens during peak dance floor time, which means some guests miss out because they’re too busy showing off their moves) or need to leave early.) 💃

So, instead of serving the cake while everyone is dancing, have your baker or caterer package slices in chic to-go boxes. Your guests can grab a slice as they leave and enjoy it the next day for breakfast! (Or on the ride home.) (Source.)

Dessert tables

If you don’t want more sheet cake, you can pair your small cake with a dessert table. The cake can be the centerpiece of the display, surrounded by tarts, pastries, cannolis, cookies, brownies, cupcakes, mousses— whatever your heart desires!

👉🏼 Pro Tip: Avoid the “fake cake” myth! You probably won’t save money if you order a large fake cake (aka styrofoam cakes, dummy cakes, or faux cakes) to display and kitchen cakes to serve. Decorating styrofoam cakes often takes as much time and costs as much as a real one (sometimes more). That’s why I recommend the kitchen cakes as an add-on to your main wedding cake, not a replacement.

Sugar Flowers: Your Small Cake’s Secret Weapon

One of the easiest ways to make a small wedding cake look like a million bucks? Sugar flowers! 

Why Sugar Flowers?

• Instant elegance— They elevate any design with minimal effort because they’re pre-made and shelf-stable. (No wilting flowers here!)
• Versatile customization— Available in a variety of colors and styles to match your theme. From single blooms to cascades, sugar flowers can be made to suit any cake size or theme
• Ready-to-go— No piping or time-consuming techniques required.

At Sugar Flowers by Kelsie Cakes, I design handmade sugar flowers that are perfect for decorating wedding cakes—big and small. Whether you need a single statement bloom or a cascading arrangement, my flowers make your wedding cake design look effortless—and stunning. 

Small Cakes: A Sustainable (and Sweet!) Choice 

Small wedding cakes are also a thoughtful way to cut down on food waste. And in 2025, we’re leaning into sustainability and thoughtful choices.

Small Cakes are a Smart Choice

• Less waste— Smaller cakes ensure every slice finds a happy home in someone’s tummy.
• Eco-friendly — Splurge on organic ingredients sustainably sourced from local supplies.
• Support small business—you might be able to afford a small wedding cake from a boutique bakery with the same budget as a large cake from a big box chain (and it will taste better too, so— less waste!)

Supporting Small Business is Important to Couples

In 2024, The Knot reported that “Small businesses were the most sought out type of wedding pro with one-third of couples seeking out small businesses and 2 in 5 reported seeking out businesses owned by underrepresented groups, such as Black-owned, LGBTQ+-owned, and woman-owned businesses as they researched.”

Supporting local businesses not only supports the local economy and community, but can also be a more eco-conscious choice too! (Source.)

Small Wedding Cakes Are The Sweetest Highlight for Your Wedding Day

Small wedding cakes prove that size doesn’t matter when it comes to making an impression. 

Whether you go minimalist, bold, or completely unique with mini cakes, your small wedding cake will undoubtedly be a sweet highlight of your wedding that your guests won’t forget.

Ready to create your dream cake? I’d love to chat with you about your design options and see if working together to create custom sugar flowers for your wedding cake is the finishing touch you’re looking for! 

But whether or not you use sugar flowers, I hope you feel inspired to create a wedding cake that is as meaningful and unique as you, your beloved, and your journey together. 💕

Keep Reading

• 5 Tips for Styling Your Wedding Cakes with Sugar Flowers
• Baby’s Breath: The Blooming Trend for 2025
• The Ultimate Guide to Wedding Cake Planning for the Newly Engaged

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