100 Layer Cake
100 Layer Cake is a privately held digital editorial and marketplace platform for weddings and parties, combining a 5,000-post wedding content library with a vetted vendor directory, the MatchBook booking marketplace, a Typeform-powered concierge, and a paid Substack newsletter serving engaged couples and event professionals globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What 100 Layer Cake does
100 Layer Cake is a privately held digital media and marketplace platform serving design-minded engaged couples, party hosts, and event professionals. Founded in 2009 in Los Angeles by Amanda Dawbarn, the company operates a long-running editorial wedding/party website (100layercake.com) with nearly 5,000 published posts spanning real weddings, trend reports, fashion features, and planning advice across weddings, parties, kids events, honeymoons, and DIY projects. The site reaches over 1 million collective social followers and maintains a 77K-subscriber newsletter, monetized via branded/sponsored content and partnerships with brands such as AW Bridal, Joseph Jewelry, and Lovebird.
The company's underlying technology is a WordPress-based editorial publishing platform extended by a sister-site vendor marketplace (MatchBook, launched January 2023), a Typeform-powered Concierge matching service, and a categorized vendor directory covering 26+ professional categories across 18+ geographic regions. MatchBook enables couples to request vetted event professionals by date, style, budget, and location and to book transactions through the platform, while Pros are required to apply and are curated by the 100 Layer Cake team. A separate paid Substack newsletter, 'Behind the Veil,' launched in March 2024 at $6/month and adds a member-only community, Q&A, and curated shopping content layer.
100 Layer Cake generates revenue through four streams: (1) MatchBook Pros paying a 10% transaction fee on bookings facilitated through the platform; (2) tiered annual vendor partnership subscriptions (Base $295/yr, Preferred $1,450/yr, Signature $2,750/yr) offering directory placement, editorial features, social inclusions, and direct client inquiry links; (3) paid Substack subscriptions at $6/month; and (4) advertising and sponsored content via CafeMedia and direct brand partnerships. The platform is free for couples and hosts to use, with monetization concentrated on the vendor (Pros) side. The company operates with a small team (1–10 employees), is founder-owned with no disclosed institutional funding, and serves a global audience with the densest vendor coverage in US regional markets.
100 Layer Cake firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 100 Layer Cake
- Legal name
- 100 Layer Cake, Inc.
- Website
- https://100layercake.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- 100 Layer Cake is a privately held digital editorial and marketplace platform for weddings and parties, combining a 5,000-post wedding content library with a vetted vendor directory, the MatchBook booking marketplace, a Typeform-powered concierge, and a paid Substack newsletter serving engaged couples and event professionals globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
100 Layer Cake industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wedding Inspiration and Vendor Marketplace
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wedding Design, Decor & Floral Planning (HSACABAH)
Keywords
Where 100 Layer Cake is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
100 Layer Cake business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- MatchBook Transaction Fees: Event professionals (Pros) pay a 10% fee on bookings facilitated through the MatchBook platform. Couples browse and book for free. This is the primary transaction-based revenue stream.
- Vendor Partnership Subscriptions: Three annual subscription tiers for event professionals seeking enhanced visibility: Base ($295/yr), Preferred ($1,450/yr), and Signature ($2,750/yr). Memberships renew automatically and include directory profiles, editorial/social inclusions, and direct client inquiry links.
- Substack Newsletter Subscription: Paid newsletter subscription at $6/month offering member-exclusive content including Q&As, curated shopping guides, trend reports, color boards, editor's notes, and community access.
- Advertising & Sponsorships: Sponsored posts and brand partnerships featured on the site. The site is affiliated with CMI Marketing (d/b/a CafeMedia) for advertising placement. Partnerships with brands like AW Bridal, Joseph Jewelry, and Lovebird appear as sponsored/affiliate content.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Base — $295/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Preferred — $1,450/year (by application) |
| Subscription | Annual | Signature — $2,750/year (by application) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Behind the Veil Substack — $6/month |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | MatchBook — Free for couples; 10% fee on bookings for Pros |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
100 Layer Cake product offering
Product offeringCore offering
100 Layer Cake operates an online wedding and party inspiration destination that combines editorial content, a curated vendor directory, and a two-sided booking marketplace. The platform serves design-minded couples with wedding ideas, planning advice, and vendor discovery, while monetizing through vendor subscription tiers, transaction fees on bookings facilitated through its MatchBook platform, advertising, and a paid Substack newsletter.
Product overview
100 Layer Cake operates as a unified content-to-commerce wedding platform comprising a primary editorial website (100 Layer Cake Website) launched in 2009, a vendor marketplace (Vendor Guide) with tiered membership options, a booking platform (MatchBook) for connecting couples with vetted event professionals, a personalized matching service (Concierge), a premium newsletter (Behind the Veil Substack), and an e-commerce Shop section. The products work together to guide couples from inspiration through vendor booking and purchase.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MatchBook: A sister site and event booking platform that connects couples with curated event professionals (Pros) for weddings and events through a simple, efficient request and booking model.
- Behind the Veil
Products and services
- 100 Layer Cake Website The primary editorial website serving as a wedding and party inspiration destination with nearly 5,000 published posts covering real weddings, trend reports, party ideas, fashion, honeymoons, and DIY projects. It is free to access for couples and hosts.
- MatchBook A vendor booking and matching platform that connects couples with vetted event professionals by event date, style, location, and budget. The platform handles messaging, quote aggregation, and payment facilitation; it is free for couples and charges Pros a 10% fee on completed bookings.
- Vendor Guide A curated, categorized directory of wedding and event professionals across 26+ categories and 18+ geographic regions. Vendors can purchase tiered annual memberships (Base $295, Preferred $1,450, Signature $2,750) offering directory profiles, editorial features, social media inclusions, and direct client inquiry links.
- 100 Layer Cake Concierge A personalized vendor matching service that connects couples with venues and vendors aligned with their style, budget, and location via a Typeform-based intake form. Preferred tier members receive insider commission rates on high-intent Concierge referrals.
- Behind the Veil Substack Newsletter A paid newsletter subscription providing member-only Q&As, curated shopping guides, trend reports, color boards, editor's notes, and community access for $6/month, with a free tier offering occasional public posts.
- Shop An e-commerce section on the 100 Layer Cake website featuring curated wedding products including dresses, shoes, jewelry, invitations, and decor, with affiliate links to partner retailers and an Etsy shop for wedding printables.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1 million collective social followers; jobs booked through MatchBook featured on social channels
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use 100 Layer Cake
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
100 Layer Cake technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
100 Layer Cake partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- MatchBookcoreMatchBook is a sister-site and the official event pro booking platform of 100 Layer Cake. It enables couples to discover and book vetted event professionals (Pros) through a request-quote-book model. 100 Layer Cake editorial content drives awareness and referrals to MatchBook. Jobs booked through MatchBook are featured on 100 Layer Cake's social channels with over 1M followers. MatchBook is free for couples; Pros pay 10% on bookings.
- CMI Marketing / CafeMediaminorCafeMedia (CMI Marketing, Inc.) is an advertising partner that places display and other ads on the 100 Layer Cake site. CafeMedia collects and uses data for advertising purposes on the platform.
- Dart CollectiveminorDart Collective is an event production company featured in editorial content. MatchBook served as media sponsor for a Succession-themed party co-hosted with Dart Collective, demonstrating a co-marketing relationship between the 100LC/MatchBook ecosystem and industry event professionals.
- Folia PlannerminorFolia Planner (wedding planning app) is featured in 100 Layer Cake's wedding planning apps article. The platform offers free plans for couples ($89/year annual) and professional tier ($29/month for up to 15 weddings). Referral partnership via UTM-linked URLs.
- ZolaminorZola (all-in-one wedding planning platform) is recommended in the 100 Layer Cake wedding planning apps article as a streamlined platform for budgeting, checklists, vendor browsing, and contract management.
- LovebirdminorLovebird (wedding website and guest communication platform) is featured in multiple 100LC articles for free wedding websites, digital invitations, RSVP management, and guest polling. Multiple sponsored/featured posts showcase Lovebird's platform.
- Wedding StudiominorWedding Studio (QR wedding album tool, used by 20,000+ weddings in 2025) is recommended in the wedding planning apps article. 100 Layer Cake provides editorial coverage and referral links.
- MintedminorMinted (wedding invitation and stationery platform) is recommended in the wedding planning apps article and linked via affiliate URLs. Features independent artist designs for invitations, save the dates, and day-of paper.
- AW BridalminorAW Bridal sponsored a 100 Layer Cake article on blue bridesmaid dresses. All content and opinions are stated as those of 100 Layer Cake, with the partnership disclosed. AW Bridal provides affiliate commission on linked dress products.
- Joseph JewelryminorJoseph Jewelry (custom jeweler) was featured in a sponsored post about designing custom engagement rings online. The custom design process was highlighted as an example of approachable online ring design.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
100 Layer Cake competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Zola: All-in-one wedding planning platform featuring registries, websites, RSVPs, and a vendor marketplace. Featured as a recommended platform by 100 Layer Cake itself; competes for the same engaged couples and uses similar editorial and vendor partnership models.
- Here Comes The Guide: Long-running wedding and event vendor directory focused on venues and vendors across the US. Closest direct peer to 100 Layer Cake's curated Vendor Guide model, also using editorial content and curated vendor listings as the primary discovery mechanism.
Broad incumbents
- WeddingWire: Major wedding vendor marketplace and planning platform, now part of The Knot Worldwide. Directly comparable to 100 Layer Cake's Vendor Guide directory business, with a much larger vendor base and broader feature set including planning tools and websites.
- Brides: Condé Nast's flagship wedding media brand covering planning, fashion, vendor advice, and inspiration. Comparable editorial-driven wedding destination competing for the same design-minded couple audience as 100 Layer Cake.
- The Knot Worldwide: The largest US wedding planning platform combining The Knot, WeddingWire, and Bode, offering vendor directories, websites, registries, and planning tools. Direct overlap with 100 Layer Cake's vendor marketplace and editorial content, but at vastly larger scale and with broader end-to-end product surface.
Emerging players
- Aisle Planner: Wedding planning software for professionals (planners, vendors) with client-facing planning tools. Adjacent competitor on the professional side of 100 Layer Cake's two-sided market, providing the back-office tools that MatchBook Pros might also use.
- Carats & Cake: Wedding vendor marketplace featuring real weddings, vendor profiles, and a booking platform. Most directly comparable to 100 Layer Cake's combination of editorial real-wedding features and vendor discovery, serving a similar design-conscious couple.
- Loverly: Wedding inspiration platform with vendor listings, planning tools, and editorial content. Direct comparable in format (inspiration + vendor directory) to 100 Layer Cake, though at smaller scale.
- Ruffled: Wedding inspiration blog and vendor directory with real weddings and trend content, serving a similar design-minded audience. Closely comparable to 100 Layer Cake's editorial content-led traffic generation and curated vendor model.
Others
- Folia Planner: Wedding planning app for couples and professionals, offering digital planning checklists, timelines, and vendor management. Listed as a recommended partner on 100 Layer Cake; provides complementary planning tools rather than directly competing on inspiration or vendor marketplace.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
100 Layer Cake social profiles
Digital presence100 Layer Cake financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
100 Layer Cake leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
100 Layer Cake funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
100 Layer Cake M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about 100 Layer Cake
What does 100 Layer Cake do?
100 Layer Cake operates an online wedding and party inspiration destination that combines editorial content, a curated vendor directory, and a two-sided booking marketplace. The platform serves design-minded couples with wedding ideas, planning advice, and vendor discovery, while monetizing through vendor subscription tiers, transaction fees on bookings facilitated through its MatchBook platform, advertising, and a paid Substack newsletter.
Is 100 Layer Cake a public or private company?
100 Layer Cake is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was 100 Layer Cake founded?
100 Layer Cake was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is 100 Layer Cake based?
100 Layer Cake is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does 100 Layer Cake make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. MatchBook Transaction Fees are the primary driver. The others are vendor Partnership Subscriptions, substack Newsletter Subscription and advertising & Sponsorships.
Who are 100 Layer Cake's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Zola and Here Comes The Guide. Broad incumbents are WeddingWire, Brides and The Knot Worldwide. Emerging players are Aisle Planner, Carats & Cake, Loverly and Ruffled. Folia Planner is listed as an others.
Does 100 Layer Cake have an API?
No public API is recorded for 100 Layer Cake.
What industry is 100 Layer Cake in?
100 Layer Cake's product category is Wedding Inspiration and Vendor Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSACABAH, Wedding Design, Decor & Floral Planning.