The comptemporary wedding cake has grown from many different traditions. One tradition which began in Ancient Rome was to break bread over the bride's head for good luck. In England during Medieval times many cakes were stacked as high as possible. The bride and groom then had to kiss over the cakes and if this was done successfully, they were guaranteed to have a prosperous life together. The wedding cake as we know it today originated in 1882 at the wedding of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany. The cake was the first to be completely edible.
The traditional white color of wedding cakes, like that of most wedding gowns is to symbolize virginity and purity. However, many modern brides choose to coordinate their cake with their wedding colors rather than have an all white cake. The cutting of the cake is also full of symbolism. Originally, only the bride was to cut the cake and distribute it amongst the guests. However, as weddings and their guests lists grew, the cake grew also. This became a monumental task for the bride alone and the groom began to help his bride. From that the tradition of the bride and groom sharing a piece of cake was born. This was to symbolize their new union and their promise to forever provide for each other. Yet another tradition that almost all couples adhere to is saving the top tier of the wedding cake. Originally this tier was saved and used at a christening. However, as time went by, the reasons for saving the top tier and it's use changed to the couple sharing the cake on their first anniversary. Generally, this serves as a wonderful reminder of their very special day.
There are many superstitions surrounding wedding cakes as well. One of the oldest of these superstitions is the breaking of bread or the cake over the brides head to ensure fertility and good luck for the couple. Another superstition that is uniquely American is for the bridesmaids to pull ribbons from beneath the wedding cake in hopes of finding a ring at the end of the ribbon. The young woman that finds the ring is sure to be the next one to marry. A more modern superstition is for the guests to eat the crumbs of the wedding cake because the cake symbolizes good luck for the couple and hence anyone eating the crumbs will also have good luck.
Choosing your wedding cake ranks very high in order of importance for most brides; right up there with choosing their wedding gown, searching for wedding venues and dressing the bridal party. This is your special day and you want everything to be perfect. Take your time. Meet with one or more highly recommended bakers and be sure to have a taste test. A good wedding cake baker/designer should be able to make a wedding cake that is both beautiful and delicious.
Take a look at the cakes below. This is only a very small sampling of the many different types and styles of wedding cakes available.
Wedding Cakes
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Traditional Wedding Cake
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Chocolate Wedding Cake
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Modern Beach Wedding Cake
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Cupcake Wedding Cake
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Topsy Turvy Wedding Cake
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Extravagant Wedding Cake
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Tags:
cakes, wedding cake, grooms cake, traditional cakes, bakery
