Let Them Eat Cake

Sharing the first piece of wedding cake is a wedding tradition beginning in early Roman times. The Romans believed that by eating the wedding cake together, a special bond was created between the couple. The wedding cake, as we know it today, was originally made of many little wheat cakes. These were broken over the head of the new bride. This tradition was meant to bestow fertility and good luck to the new bride for her married life. The wheat used to bake the cake was symbolic of fertility and a "fruitful union", while the cake's sweetness was thought to bring sweetness to all areas of the couple's new life. The guests would eagerly scramble for crumbs as good luck charms. During the Middle Ages, it became traditional for the couple to kiss over a small cluster of cakes. Later, a clever baker decided to cover the cluster of cakes in frosting. Thus, the modern tiered cake was born.

Your choice in wedding cake design makes a statement about your personality and sense of style. It should reflect you and your good taste. You may choose a sophisticated elegant look. Or, show your playfullness and sense of humor with a whimsical style. It should also fit well with the season, location, the decorating and ambience which you have created for your reception. The top tier of the wedding cake was traditionally kept and used at the christening of the couple's first child. But today, this tradition has been modified slightly, and the top tier is saved to be eaten at the couple's first anniversary.

Wedding cakes take center stage in the traditional cake cutting ceremony, symbolically the first task that the bride and groom perform jointly as husband and wife. Cutting the cake and sharing the first bite with each other, symbolizes that the wedding couple promises to share a whole new life together. Today's couples cut a slice before anyone else and feed it to each other, symbolizing the support and respect they'll provide through their many years together.

The cutting of the cake is a tradition that occurs during the reception. The groom places his right hand over the bride's right hand, and together they cut into the cake and the couple proceed to feed one another from the first slice. Please don't smash the cake into each other's face. Instead, the groom should feed the bride her first bite and the bride should feed him. This provides another lovely piece of symbolism, the mutual commitment of bride and groom to provide for one another.

I have a true story to share with you.  An extravagant wedding reception was held at a reception center in our area. The bride planned the day carefully and with much thought to detail. She warned her husband-to-be in advance that when it came time to cut and eat the cake he was not to smash it in her face. He agreed he would not. The time came to cut the cake and feed each other, and as you can guess, the groom smashed the cake in her face. After a few moments, she excused herself and went to the bride's dressing room. Quite a bit of time passed by and concern set in with the groom. He received word that she left the reception center. Within days the marriage was annulled with this simple statement from the bride: "If he cannot respect my wishes on my wedding day, how can I possibly expect him to respect me in our marriage".