Wedding Cake Cutting: Why It Happens (And Whether You Should Do It)
First up I need to get something straight, "I love cake and I definitely think you should consider one for you wedding!!!"
Disclaimer over.
This post is about the whole subject of cutting the cake!
Actually, next disclaimer, "this is not me saying you shouldn't cut the cake, it's more about asking yourself, is it important to you?"
Do you even know why cake cutting is a thing at a wedding?
Well, I didn't really know, photographing this tradition for over a decade you think I would?!? I have scoured the internet for the possible reasons for it, here is some of what I found:
It's a symbol of unity, prosperity, and the first collaborative task in marital bliss.
Guests used to bring smaller cakes and the happy couple would stack them up and attempt to kiss each other over the pile of cakes, if they didn't knock it over, they would have good luck. My question is, what if it falls over? Sounds like a party pooper.
I even found an explanation that the bride would cut the cake to symbolise her losing her virginity?
And the most unusual, the brides child bearing opportunities would be increased if the cake was thrown at her, who came up with these things?
Or simply, it makes for a cool photo moment
So, as you can see, lots of traditions (extremely out of date) which you may not be aware of, some are a bit crazy but overall, it just goes to show that traditions are there to be made and replaced.
Again, is cutting the cake important to you? If not, you really, really don't need to do it. This is the beauty of weddings, you can keep any traditions you want, you can scrap some off or best of all, you can create your own.
If you are not keen on the idea of having a wedding cake, one of the benefits of not having a cake is you can invest in something else that is more important to you.
If you’re planning a wedding in Devon and just want things to happen naturally without forcing moments like this, you can see how I approach weddings here.
If you do want to cut the wedding cake, then absolutely go for it. Try to get everyone involved and make a massive deal out of it! It can make for awesome photos and happy accidents like what nearly happened in the picture above.
You could even replace the cake (Cake makers don't shoot me)
Here are a few ideas:
A Pile of Pies and Cheese - My personal favourite!
Donut Walls - From my experience, they don't last long!
Croquembouche - Yes, this French classic, 10 points if this appears at a wedding
Champagne Tower - Now this is something you can have some fun with!
No Cake at all – Shock horror!
Finally, what about blindfolds and a wedding Piñata!
Whatever you decide, if you are looking for a photographer who captures things naturally and focusses on whats important to you, get in contact here.
Your wedding, your rules. If the wedding cake cutting ceremony doesn't work for you, get rid of it and don't feel bad about it.
I’m Alex, a Devon-based wedding photographer with 15+ years experience capturing weddings as they actually happen, no directing, no awkward moments.