Wedding Cake Traditions

 

Centuries ago, the wedding cake as we know it today, was originally made of many little wheat cakes. These were broken over the head of the new bride. This tradition was meant to bestow fertility and good luck to the new bride for her married life. This is one wedding cake tradition, which is, fortunately for the bride, not practiced any more.

The top tier of the wedding cake was traditionally kept and used at the christening of the couple's first child. But today, this tradition has been modified slightly, and the top tier is saved to be used at the couple's first anniversary.

According to another wedding cake tradition, if an unmarried person sleeps with a piece of a wedding cake under their pillow, they will dream of their future spouse that night.

Another tradition was to place charms in the wedding cake, which were attached to ribbons. A bridesmaid would pull at a ribbon, and depending on the charm that she uncovered, her fortune would be indicated. The charms that were traditionally used, and their respective meanings are:

- A Heart will bring love.
- A Clover means good luck
- An Engagement Ring means you're next to wed
- An Anchor means adventure will come
- A Flower means love is going to bloom
- A Horseshoe means you will have luck in life

The cutting of the wedding cake by the bride and groom symbolizes faithfulness, unity and shared future lives together.

The sharing of the first slice of cake by the bride and groom symbolizes fertility and good fortune.