Traditions of the Wedding Reception
The wedding cake is more than just a tasty treat for the wedding reception. In fact, the wedding cake is steeped in tradition, starting in ancient Roman times. In ancient Rome, a thin cake made from special symbolic wheat was broken over the bride’s head as the last part of the ceremony. This symbolized fertility for the couple, and the guests grabbed up the crumbs of the cake as they were considered good luck charms.
Eventually the custom spread to England, and during the Middle Ages all of the wedding guests would bake their own small cakes to bring to the ceremony. These were stacked in a tower, and the couple would traditionally kiss over this collection of cakes. This is where the traditional tiered wedding cake originated. There was an English baker that decided to take all of these small cakes and stack them into one cake and cover it with tasty frosting. The wedding cake has been passed down since the Middle Ages, and the traditional tiered design is still popular.
In fact, the three-tier that many wedding cakes are made into comes from the shape of the Saint Bride’s Church in London. The cutting of the cake by the bride and groom together symbolizes their unity in their future life. It is important for every person in attendance to eat a portion of the cake, as this ensures good luck. Tradition says that if a single woman sleeps with wedding cake under her pillow, her dreams will tell her the identity of her future husband.
Today, the wedding cake is more an aspect of decoration than tradition. Sometimes, a couple will forgo a real cake for one made out of Styrofoam. These cakes are sometimes cheaper, and they are set up as a centerpiece for the reception. Guests are served from sheet cakes, which means that the centerpiece does not have to be destroyed in order to be eaten. Often the top of the cake is made out of cake, and is frozen for the couple to enjoy on their first anniversary. The cake will stay quite fresh if kept in a deep freeze. This is a great way for the couple to remember their special wedding day on their anniversary.
Toasting is has been passed down from the French. At ancient French ceremonies chefs would place a piece of bread in the bottom of the toasting glass, thus the name “toast.” The goal of toasting was to completely drain the glass to reach the “toast” at the bottom. Also, according to French legend, when the bride and groom drink their first toast, whichever member of the couple finishes their drink first will end up being the head of the family. Today, toasts are given by family members and friends, and usually are accompanied by well wishes and accolades for the couple.
In many cultures, the wedding feast is more important than the actual wedding ceremony. While the wedding ceremony is what unites the couple, it is the wedding feast that truly celebrates the love they share. Couples will spend much more on feeding and thanking all of their guests than they do on the ceremony.