The wedding cake is a traditional part of any wedding day today at least here in Australia. What part does it play in your special day though? To understand this totally you need to know a bit of history about the origins of the wedding cake. In the times of the Roman Empire an actual loaf of bread made of barley was broken on the bride’s head by the groom. This was to symbolize his dominance over the marriage and her, along with the breaking of her state of virginity.
As the years went on the wedding cake became the beautiful cake we know today. It quit being broken over the bride’s head for practical reasons. Can you imagine the mess the icing would make in her hair? Some countries though still practice breaking cake over a bride’s head but it is not like the confections we have in Australia.
Now the wedding is sliced together by the bride and groom. This is their first task as a married couple. The bride and groom then feed each other a piece of cake as a sign of their commitment. This should be a fun part of your reception by the way. You can even get icing on each other’s faces and laugh while you are feeding each other the pieces of cake.
There are many styles of wedding cakes today. Most are made in graduated layers going from big on the bottom with each layer smaller up to the top layer. On the top layer there is many times little bride and groom statues. There can be other decorations on top too though.
Flowers traditionally are thought of as being on the wedding cake either in frosting or fresh. The colour of these flowers matches the flowers you have in your Melbourne wedding and sometimes the exact flower can be replicated in icing. Of course today there are many varieties of ways the cakes are decorated that are anything but traditional. It is really a matter of the bride’s personal choice and what she wants in a wedding cake.
This cake is so special though it should be the centre of attention at the reception. The table that holds it should be positioned in a place of honour for all to see. You will be cutting the cake in front of everyone too so keep this in mind for the placement of it.
The top layer of the cake is not served to the guests. It is traditionally saved for the bride and groom to take home. It can be frozen and eaten on their first anniversary if they so choose. The guests get to enjoy the rest of the wedding cake.
Now you know what part the wedding cake plays in your wedding. Just look at all the ideas for these cakes as you can to make sure you get one that fits your special Melbourne Wedding day. You will remember this day for the rest of your life and all the special things that go into planning it.
