How Much Elvis Presley's Wedding Cake Really Cost

From his humble birth in a shotgun shack in Tupelo, Mississippi to stardom as a leather- jacket-wearing, jailhouse-rocking heartthrob, Elvis Presley has carved his name in history as the King of Rock and Roll. His legacy as one of America's first rock 'n' roll stars has been carried on through the spirits of musicians such as Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton, The Clash, and Jimi Hendrix (via Graceland).

While Presley's final years were sadly marred by addiction, Grunge reports, his earlier years of success were marked by incredible luxury and celebration. With a generous heart behind his stylish costumes and rockabilly charisma, Presley was known to use his money for selfless purposes, including making sure his parents Vernon and Gladys Presley would live in comfort, according to the Elvis Australia fan club. Of course, the King sometimes treated himself to extravagances with his enormous fortune, and perhaps one of those most memorable displays of his wealth was his wedding cake. 

On May 1, 1967, a 32-year-old Presley married 21-year-old Priscilla Ann Beaulieu at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas, according to People. The morning reception had an assortment of colorful characters, from Mafioso best men to comedian Redd Foxx, who called the ceremony "the best thing that ever happened" to him. But one of the most jaw-dropping stars of the show, aside from the King himself, was the wedding cake.

Ringing in at $3,200 dollars — a cool $22,000 in today's value — the wedding cake cost more than the average Chevy back in '67. According to pastry chef Denis Martig, employed at the Aladdin at the time, the cake was nothing short of extravagant. It was a six-tiered yellow sponge cake, he told Memphis magazine, with apricot marmalade and Bavarian cream flavored with kirsch (a clear brandy made from morello cherries) between each layer. The masterpiece was complete with kirsch-flavored fondant, royal icing, and marzipan roses. Dozens of cameras flashed as soon as the cake was unveiled, Martig said.

In addition to the cake, Presley's guests could enjoy a delicious $10,000 breakfast buffet, selecting from roast suckling pig, lobster, oysters Rockefeller, Champagne, and Southern-style fried chicken. Presley certainly knew how to throw a party.