A dame sheathed in a wedding gown hand-crafted with sugar roses and embellished with marzipan figures beautifully manifested in a chamber with silk linens, candles, and gorgeous backdrop– she is the real show-stealer at a wedding. Well, this beautiful enchantress, receiving everyone’s applause and cheers is none other than the wedding cake.
With its layers emanating beauty, frosting submerging people into its dewiness, and cake charms embodying different meanings, it’s no wonder why everyone waits anxiously to indulge in this decadent treat.
What Do Popular Cake Cutting Traditions Signify?
The cake cutting tradition dates back to thousands of years. In a wedding ceremony, the first task that a bride and a groom perform jointly as a couple is a cake cutting ceremony. The bride along with the groom cuts the first slice of the cake, followed by the groom feeding his bride the first piece, and then she feeds him the second. These aren’t just rituals but lovely illustrations of symbolism.
Let’s unfold the hidden secrets of popular cake cutting traditions:
Cutting The Cake
Along with the embracing dance and the bouquet toss, this charming ritual is one of those moments that gives the couple a priceless opportunity to grace their wedding album with candid photos. Historically, the cake cutting activity was performed by the bride alone to symbolize the loss of her virginity. But, as these days, the cakes are more elaborated, multi-tiered, and the ceremony is performed by both the groom and bride.
Feeding The Cake
The second act that follows the traditional cake cutting is the feeding of the cake by the bride and groom to each other. This is seen as a romantic and sweet gesture symbolizing mutual commitment, love, and affection for each other. Over the years, this custom has evolved to the extent the groom or the bride smashing the cake into each other’s face.
Saving the Top Tier
Well, it’s hard to resist a piece of cake, and when it’s a wedding cake, the task seems next to impossible. But, saving the top tier of the cake is a popular cake tradition. It was saved for the christening of their first child. Now, most couples organize a small cake cutting ceremony around their first anniversary or after the child is born to relive those magical moments once again.
Cake Charms
The custom of adding gold or silver charms into wedding cakes is a long one. It is a sweet tradition to delight the guests. The charms are removed as soon as the cakes are served to the guests. Each charm baked into the cake has a special meaning and brings a different kind of luck to the receiver. For example, a rocking chair ensures long and happy life.
- An anchor or airplane: Adventure and travel fun
- Heart: True love
- Ring: Upcoming engagement
- Clover or horseshoe: Good luck
- Wedding bells: Marriage
White Wedding Cake
Have you ever wondered why the wedding cake comes draped in a white dress? It is because of the symbolism attached to the colour white. White denotes purity and relates to the white icing sugar available in Victorian times. Also, the white of the cake is seen as a representation of the bride, who is the focal point of a wedding.
