When you think of weddings, there is a good chance that you are going to think about all the different traditions that make up the big day. Some people decide to do away with some of the traditions, but there is one that often remains, this is the wedding cake.

But where does the tradition of a wedding cake come from and why is it something that we still enjoy in modern weddings?

The history of the wedding cake

You may not realise it but wedding cakes have been a part of the marriage ceremony since medieval times, although of course, things have changed since then. The early wedding cake was a bread rather than a cake, and they were not only found at weddings, but they were also part of a number of celebratory traditions too.  They were originally a symbol of fertility and prosperity and, in order to pass this luck onto the bride, the cake would be thrown at her, or crumbled over her head – not something that we could imagine a modern bride being impressed with, which meant that this tradition very quickly changed.

Over time, the wedding cake changed and developed. Rather than piling these bread like creations on top of one another, it then became a tradition to pile plum cakes one on top of another, and then the cakes would become more heavily decorated and flavoured with a variety of other things.

Why is it cut?

We all look forward to the moment that the bride and groom cut their beautiful wedding cake. Not only does this mean that the guests are going to be able to try some of the cake, but it is also one of the most popular photo opportunities of the day too.  Not only will your photographer want to make the most of this opportunity, but as your wedding DJ, I certainly want to make sure your guests don’t miss this part of the celebrations, and we can use it to transition to your first dance, or any other section of the day.

It used to be the tradition that the bride would cut the wedding cake alone without her husband, however over time this has become something that the couple do together. They then feed the cake to one another, before sharing it out amongst the guests. A symbol of their promise to each other and their union together.

The modern wedding cake

Nowadays, wedding cakes come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They can be basic and plain, or they can be large and ornate. Sometimes they are not even wedding cakes at all. They can come in the form of cupcakes, cheesecakes or even tower cakes that are made from actual cheese.

It doesn’t seem to matter how your cake looks or how it tastes, but what matters is that it is perfect for the couple. We are sure, that as time goes on, wedding cakes are going to change, grow and still stay an integral part of any wedding celebration.