The practice of having a wedding cake to cut and share during a nuptial celebration goes back centuries. It comes as no surprise that there are so many traditions associated with it. The first version of the wedding cake came from Ancient Rome where a wheat or barley cake was broken over the bride’s head to bring prosperity to the newlyweds. They then shared the crumbs with each other called the confarreatio (‘eating together’ which in modern times is now the cutting and sharing of the cake) and guests took what was left as good luck souvenirs. Medieval England saw cakes being stacked one on top of the other as high as possible and the bride and groom had to kiss over them – succeeding meant a bountiful life together.
Make Your Wedding Cake Truly Special
Though many of these traditions are no longer in vogue, the wedding cake is nonetheless an important element in modern weddings of all denominations and cultures. Nowadays, options for one’s wedding cake are possible that never been available before in human history, made possible with advances in food technology, culinary preparation, chemistry, physics and engineering. These can bring to life some very distinctive and novel creations, and understandably, couples may sometimes feel a little overwhelmed at possibilities and options.
Here are things for you to consider if you want to have your cake and eat it too.
Budget-friendly vs. Awe-inspiring
Usually, the amount of money spent on a wedding cake is directly proportional to the wedding itself, so if you have a simple wedding, you’re not expected to have a mountainous wedding cake complete with moving sections and layers upon layers of truffle icing. When shopping around for a suitable wedding cake, consider the scale of the actual wedding, as well as the impression you want to make on your guests. Then come up with the a budget and do your best to stick to it. A stunning confectionary creation doesn’t have to break the bank – tap into your network of married friends and relatives and ask for recommendations and you may find excellent prices for quality cakework. There are also many bakeshops in areas like Katipunan or Boni Serrano with skilled artisans.
Classic vs. Creative
When it comes to the cake, the truth is the bride is the one who will be making the call. Some women dream of a towering wedding cake covered with candy delicate flowers, pearl studs and lifelike likenesses of herself and her beau. Others want a cake that symbolizes a particular emotion or the day the couple first met. It’s really all up to you – decide on what your wedding cake is supposed to represent, whether it’s the purity of your love or the rainbows you saw with your first kiss. Then, work with your wedding planner and cake maker to come up with the best and most tasteful way to bring that thought or emotion to life. Ideally, the cake should still match the theme and look of your wedding so you should ask your wedding planner to show you some photo samples of other cakes, and then you can see about choosing the best elements that you want to replicate on your own cake.
Whole vs. Segmented
In the last few years, some couple opted to make their wedding cake either a multi-tiered cascade of cupcakes or a series of easilypulled apart cakes for ease of sharing with their guests. Some even go as far as to have prepared individual boxes for guests who will want to take home a slice of happiness. For couples who want segmented cakes, you can even consider having the guests pulling a slice of cake as one of the wedding activities, or something they can do on the way home at the end of the reception. The only possible issue with a segmented cake is that it may limit some of the design options – once again, talking to your cake maker can help with this concern.
Wholly Edible vs. Ornate
To make certain cake designs possible, bakers often turn to inedible materials like wiring, Styrofoam, wood, plastic and other things. This makes the cake less edible. The truly completely edible cakes are often layered fondant cakes that work out better with simple designs and relatively light cake toppers. If your goal is to make sure your guests go home with a piece of the cake or have enough to serve during the reception, go for a wholly edible cake. If you want a fantastic creation that is more of a photo op than dessert, go for an ornately designed cake.
At the end of the day, the wedding cake represents the sweetness of your love, your promise to support and sustain each other, and the anticipated bounty of your new life together. All of which are good reasons to make your cake as personal and meaningful as you can.
