{"id":4758,"date":"2022-02-01T13:34:46","date_gmt":"2022-02-01T18:34:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bakingnook.com\/?p=4758"},"modified":"2022-05-01T23:53:10","modified_gmt":"2022-05-02T03:53:10","slug":"what-does-cutting-a-wedding-cake-symbolize","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bakingnook.com\/what-does-cutting-a-wedding-cake-symbolize\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does Cutting A Wedding Cake Symbolize? Meaning & Origin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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The wedding cake is usually the staple of the reception, and there is a lot of history that surrounds it. What wedding cakes mean and symbolize have changed over time. When my husband and I were ordering the cake for our wedding, I was wondering what the cake-cutting at a wedding actually symbolizes? Where did this tradition even come from?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The symbolism of the cake-cutting ceremony is that the couple holds each other’s hands when cutting into the cake which symbolizes a promise that the couple will take care of and support each other throughout their marriage.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I found this to be a very fascinating idea and I decided to dig a little further into where this tradition originated from and what actually happens during a cake-cutting ceremony. In this article, I’ll answer these and many other related questions that I had during the planning of my wedding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does cutting a wedding cake symbolize?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In general, cutting a wedding cake symbolizes the first thing the married couple does together and showcases the couple\u2019s promises to support and take care of each other. There are many other representations for a couple to cut their wedding cake.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the past, brides were responsible for cutting the wedding cake alone, and it symbolized the loss of their “purity”.<\/strong> During that time, it was also the bride\u2019s responsibility to pass out the cake slices to the couple\u2019s wedding guests in order to aid in their fertility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, it\u2019s typical for the newlyweds to cut the cake together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This act is important because it is usually one of the first things the couple does together after getting married. It is customary for the bride to hold the knife while the groom places his hand over hers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Bride
Bride & Groom Cutting Wedding Cake Hand on Hand!<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

*By the way,<\/strong>\u00a0if you have a personal venue, I would recommend having the\u00a0right type of utensils for cutting your wedding cake ahead of time.<\/strong> After some research, I recently came across an awesome\u00a0Set of A Cutting Spatula and A Serrated Serving Knife<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0that\u00a0works and looks great<\/strong>\u00a0for properly cutting a wedding cake. You can check out this set on Amazon!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The groom\u2019s act of placing his hand over the bride\u2019s hand and helping her to cut the cake symbolizes that they will support each other and work together to manage their future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whereas before the guests receiving wedding cake symbolized them getting luck with their fertility, now it symbolizes them obtaining good luck in general.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another thing that cutting the wedding cake represents is the fact that it\u2019s the end of the primary wedding activities, so the elderly and other guests can leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know from experience how awkward it can be to be somewhere you want to leave but not know when it\u2019s okay to do so. The couple cutting the cake quietly tells guests that it is now socially acceptable for them to leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A final symbol that cutting the wedding cake represents is the couple\u2019s longevity.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s a common practice for newlyweds to be told to cut their cake from the bottom tier as this is thought to bring longevity to their marriage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where does the tradition of cutting the cake come from?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Generally speaking, the origin of the tradition of cutting a wedding cake comes from the belief that wheat grains bring prosperity and fertility to a couple. This belief became popular around the same time as wedding cakes started getting made with wheat grains.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As previously mentioned, the meaning of wedding cakes originally had a lot to do with the bride\u2019s fertility. During Roman times, wheat grains were thought to represent fertility.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These grains used to be thrown at the newly married couple in order to bring them fruitfulness, and Ancient Greece had a similar belief that grains could give couples prosperity and fertility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once wedding cakes became customary, the beliefs they had about grains extended to the wedding cakes the grains were baked in.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wedding cakes iced with white icing became common during the Victorian era as white was thought to represent purity similar to how white dresses were originally thought to symbolize a pure virgin bride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*By the way,<\/strong> if you’re looking for a great cake topper, I just came across several different Bride & Groom Cake Toppers<\/a><\/strong> that you can check out on Amazon! These cake toppers are exactly what you might want to place on your wedding cake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What happens during a cake-cutting ceremony?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In general, the cake-cutting ceremony consists of the following:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n