We’ve all seen the traditional tiered wedding cake during a reception, typically adorned with a tiny bride and groom. However, the cost of a cake can be quite expensive (the average was $500 in 2019, according to The Knot), and many couples are looking to place a more personal touch on their dessert options. Unique and creative options include donuts, pastries or even ice cream!
But how did this tradition begin? According to Southern Living magazine, the grooms of yesterday would take a bite of bread, then crumble the remainder over their bride’s head for good luck. Guests would attempt to pick up the falling crumbs to receive a bit of good luck, as well.
Bread eventually became cake, and the whiter the cake, the better. In the Victorian Ages, a white cake symbolized money and importance as white sugar was expensive, according to The Knot.
The bread-crumbling tradition eventually evolved, and brides began pushing pieces of cake through their rings. Guests would then take those pieces home and place them under their pillows to potentially dream of their future husbands. This was a bit easier a few centuries ago, when wedding favors were typically small replicas of the larger cake, often a less messy fruitcake, according to The Spruce Eats.
Luckily, modern couples typically cut their cake. The actual cutting of the cake symbolizes the first activity done as a couple and also the loss of the bride’s virginity, according to The Spruce Eats.
The tradition of tiered cakes comes from the Middle Ages, when confectioners often stacked layers as high as they could, according to The Knot. The couple then attempted to kiss over the cake. If they could manage to lock lips, the marriage would be blessed with good luck.
The tradition of saving the top tier of the wedding cake, on the other hand, comes from the belief that a new couple would have a child within a year of marriage. The saved cake would be used to celebrate the pregnancy announcement, birth or christening.
Whether you want to serve carbs for the sake of tradition or you just want to offer dessert to your guests, there are other options besides cake. Consider cupcakes, cake pops, macrons or petit fours. Some couples also use a small decorative cake for the ceremonial “cutting,” and then serve a sheet cake or other dessert to guests.
Bottom line: You don’t need an expensive cake, but you might still want to offer guests a sweet treat. Choose what will satisfy your sweet tooth!
And to learn more about how brides are “bucking tradition,” read our blogs on the bouquet toss, the garter toss and whether white is always right.
