Today’s couples can bring their own unique ideas and personalities to the wedding cake. Here are some tips to help you choose the options that are best for you.
The Cake
Most couples still opt for a traditional layered wedding cake. The top tier, the smallest, is to be kept and frozen - to be eaten on your first wedding anniversary. While most cakes are round, any shape goes. The two most important things to remember when choosing a cake are looks and taste. Choose a bakery that has had plenty of experience with wedding cakes. Taste samples of the cake before making your final decision.
Cake Toppers
One of the most important features of the wedding cake is the topper. Typically it is the bride and groom atop the cake but it doesn’t need to be! You can top the cake however you like. Be creative – it’s your chance to put some of your imagination and personality into the event. You can keep the topper as a memento of your special day.
Cake Fillings
Cake fillings are becoming more unique. You can vary the filling per layer or keep it the same throughout. Take into account flavors that most people like and stick to those. Bananas or strawberries are common yet wonderful additions to the filling that most people love. If you want, keep a layer with plain frosting for those picky eaters.
Cupcakes
One of the hottest trends in weddings, cupcakes are a fun and unique spin on the traditional wedding cake. You can have a small round cake with a topper that can serve as the focal point. There are various cupcake holders that suspend cupcakes in spirals or swirls, making for a beautiful cake table. Each cupcake can be decorated with frosting flowers to match your colors or with some unique decorations such as the couple’s monogram.
Grooms Cake
A relatively new practice is having a separate groom’s cake. These are often whimsical in nature and are often themed. If the groom likes a particular sport of hobby, this may be incorporated into the cake decoration. The grooms cake is usually much smaller and is many times not even cut or distributed.
A word about cake placement
The wedding cake is first and foremost a dessert, but it is also a decoration. It should have a prominent placement. Make sure you discuss the table needs for the cake with both the bakery and the reception hall. You will need a sturdy table for the cake to be displayed as well as another table for the cut cake to be distributed. Most bakeries will assemble the cake at the reception hall so be sure that they will have early access for this task. Use either cake bags or boxes that are specially made for holding one slice of wedding cake. Make sure that either the baker or the reception hall has personnel to cut and bag the cake during the reception.
The wedding night dream tradition – Single women traditionally have brought home a piece of wedding cake from a wedding they have attended and slept with it under their pillow. Folklore has it that the woman will dream about the man she will marry.