Traditional Trivia: The Wedding Cake...

Welcome to our blog! In this space, we're going to share with you what we learn as we further down the path of officiation. I'm not sure if that is a real word, but it's entertaining to me, and that's the whole point of this blog: FUN!

We've learned a lot about different traditions in all aspects of weddings, and our purpose here is to share it with you. It seems every culture has some similar traditions, but many are unique to that culture. As we find them, we'll post about them under "Traditional Trivia". Other posts will have our perspective on different aspects of the ceremony, perhaps a few posts highlighting the vendors we've worked with, "What To Look For" type posts, maybe some information of our favorite venues and, generally, anything we feel will be relevant to you, the engaged couple, as you're making your way to that walk down the aisle. Please feel free to make a comment and let us know what you think!

Also, as you're planning your wedding and you find yourself getting a little overwhelmed by all the details that need managing, we hope you'll use this page as a respite. A place to take a break, relax and maybe have an AHA! moment.

And so, if you will, let's get started with one of my favorites;

The Wedding Cake;

In medieval times, it was customary for guests of the wedding to bring a loaf of bread to the ceremony. Bread was a symbol of prosperity and it was given as a token. Imagine if you lived in a village of a hundred families and everyone was invited to the festivities. Can you imagine having to eat all those loaves of bread before they started growing mold???

As the guests arrives, there was usually a table just inside the church, house or building where the ceremony was taking place. As the guests entered, they would put their loaf of bread on the table. By the time all the guests arrived, the pile of bread could be quite high.

Over the centuries, this tradition evolved to a single cake, supplied by the bride and groom or their family. Yet, the tradition of the bread still remains; this is why wedding cakes are the most likely ones that have multi-tiers. Those tiers, as they grow smaller from bottom to top, actually represent the stack of loaves left by the guests!

So, the next time you attend a wedding, stay for the reception. Have a piece of the cake. You'll be toasting to the prosperity of the bride and groom!