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The wedding cake is always one of the most admired attractions at most weddings and is steeped in tradition. The tradition of wedding cakes started in Medieval times when the cake was made of wheat to signify fertility and prosperity and would have been thrown at the Bride. By Roman times, the groom would eat some of the cake and then break the remainder over the bride as a sign of good fortune, long life and many children. The guests would then try and obtain a crumb for themselves to share in the prosperity of the couple. As the wedding cake evolved, it became impractical (thankfully) to break the cake over the brides head and a new tradition of stacking small buns for the bride and groom to kiss over took its place – if they could kiss over the pile, they would have a lifetime of prosperity. The stack became organised in layers during the reign of King Charles II when a French Chef visiting London thought the use of small cakes impractical and suggested using a more formal system and the first tiered wedding cake was born using short-cut broom sticks to separate its tiers. The cutting of the cake is symbolically the first task that the bride and groom perform jointly as man and wife. Tradition states that the couple should cut the first slice of their wedding cake with the grooms’ right hand laced over the brides while they cut the bottom tier. The couple then feed each other part of the cake to symbolise the commitment to provide for one another and this becomes one of the most poignant parts of many wedding videos. It is then said the bride should cut a few more slices and feed her new in-laws before the groom does the same to his, before sharing the rest of the bottom tier of the cake with all the guests. It is even suggested that it is bad luck for guests to leave the wedding without tasting the cake! Tradition then continues that the second tier of the cake should be used as gifts and the top tier should be saved for the first wedding anniversary. Some say that this is so that it can be used as the christening cake for the first born and some say that it is for the couple to eat and remember the joy of their wedding. For such a significant, and sometimes very costly, element of your wedding, how can you make sure that you get value for money? Here are some hints that may help: • Be Square - square wedding cakes yield more slices than round ones • Be Natural – handmade sugar craft on your wedding cake, whether this is flowers or caricatures takes a significant amount of time and therefore cost. Instead consider more natural elements such as real flowers or fruits that are much less costly but make an effective and modern decoration • Be Simple – As the dress, the flowers and other elements move towards simplicity, so does the cake. The more minimal the design the less man hours it takes to decorate, which can greatly reduce the budget and will ensure your cake keeps in with the new simplicity trend. Opt for a clean design with a smooth surface then add simple detail such as a wide ribbon or simple iced design. • Be Consistent – Different tiers with differing flavours greatly increases the cost of the cake. Choose one flavour for the entire cake to ensure costs are kept down • Be a Dummy – more and more of the intricate cakes we now see are actually made of Styrofoam and can be hired or commissioned for your special event. Take it to the kitchen and cut a plain fruit cake and your guests will be none the wiser. • Be Unique – the tradition is to share a cake with your partner and the guests, but no-one says that has to be a traditional wedding cake. We are seeing so many new and inventive ways of looking at this element of the wedding, what about individual cup cakes, cakes shaped as hearts, suitcases, each other or, there is an urban myth that one groom had his cake decorated as his favourite football team, but did the bride really let him get away with this? I personally love the wedding cake and the tradition covering it, as it brings together all the reasons why any two people would get married: love, commitment, prosperity and children and you then get to share it with all of those that you have invited to be at your special day. So make sure that what ever you choose, it reflects your love and commitment to one another, and we hope that we are there to capture the moment on film – then you can sit and watch your special day one year on, when you finally get to eat that top tier! Happy planning
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