The groom’s cake enjoys a long history. A groom’s cake was a part of every wedding in ancient times. This cake, usually soaked in liquor and made of something decadent like dark chocolate, was included along with the wedding cake. It was an entirely separate cake that was not meant to be served at the wedding. It was supposed to be cut and at the end of the wedding sent home with guests. Single women were supposed to take their piece and sleep with it under their pillow so that they would dream of the man they would marry.

While modern brides and grooms may not believe that a cake will bring a mate to their single friends, they are choosing more and more to include the groom’s cake for the sake of tradition. It has long been a favorite tradition in the south and is now catching on in other parts of the country as well. If you choose to include a groom’s cake, it will be a lovely addition.

The groom’s cake is now being served as gourmet desserts at the rehearsal dinner or as an optional dessert at the actual reception. Or, some bridal parties are enjoying the groom’s cake after the guests have all gone home as a special treat.

What you do with the groom’s cake is up to you. If you want to include it, it’s perfectly fine to have it made of any ingredients you like. Ask the groom what his favorite flavor is and then work with that. Many bakeries are getting outrageously creative with their cake decorating. The popularity of cooking shows has caused bakeries to open the floodgates of creativity to outdo one another. So feel free to ask for a groom’s cake from your favorite bakery in any shape and style you can dream up. Is the groom a baseball fan? Have a cake made to look like Yankee Stadium. Does he love fishing? Do a cake in the shape and size of a giant bass. There is really no decoration a bakery won’t do for you. So get creative. Go with his favorite hobby or vacation destination as a starting point. Here are a few ideas that have been done:

Decide where you would like the groom’s cake to be served. If it will be cut up at the reception and sent home with guests, make sure you have cute little cake boxes on hand for the restaurant or caterer to place the pieces in. You can order lovely cake boxes just like favor boxes, find them online in just about every shape and size imaginable. Try to get a box that matches your cake’s theme or the theme of the wedding decor. Remember, the boxes will be brought out and placed in front of your guests, so make sure they are special. And make sure they’re sturdy so there are no accidents on the way to the car. Your guests will be pleasantly surprised to find an old tradition like the groom’s cake being resurrected for modern weddings.

More Wedding Traditions:

• Dollar Dance Tradition Cool or Not?
• Tossing the Garter Tradition
• Who Pays for What at a Wedding?
• Wedding Invitation History
• Wedding Superstitions

The cake-cutting ceremony happens near the end of the wedding. Your cake will have been set out for all to admire for the whole reception. After dinner, the band or DJ will signal you that it’s time to cut the cake. You and your future spouse should select a song ahead of time that you would like to have played during the cake cutting. It can be your favorite song or a sentimental song, but it should be a slow one. This is not the time to blast out the Funky Chicken.

As the music starts to play, that will be your cue to get up and go over near the cake. Your photographer should already be heading over there as well. The only set rule is that the groom’s right hand covers the bride’s right hand as you cut the bottom layer of the cake together. Use an heirloom cake knife or one that you purchased especially for this day.

One reason for cutting the bottom layer of the wedding cake is so you don’t damage the tower and end up crashing it. The other reason is so that the top layer of the cake can be saved. You and your groom will take it home, place it in the freezer, and eat it on your first anniversary. Some brides and grooms choose to eat the cake on their first month anniversary while the cake is still fresh and edible. It’s only symbolic, so you can do whichever you like.

You’ll remove your small piece of cake and put it on a cake plate. There should be two forks there for you. The groom will feed you a small piece of cake and then you will feed him a small piece of cake. This is supposed to signify the beginning of your life together and the hearth and home. Food is traditionally a symbol of home, so you’re showing your willingness to make a home together.

Some people like to smash wedding cake into each other’s faces. But when you have paid to have your makeup, hair, and gown look pristine, you’re not going to want cake splattered everywhere. It’s up to you though. If you are fun-loving and want to do it, go for it.

The next part of the tradition says that the bride cuts and serves two pieces of cake for her parents. The groom then cuts and serves two pieces of cake for his parents.

The caterer or reception hall liaison will then take over and cut and serve the rest of the cake. Don’t be alarmed if you turn around and it’s gone. The staff usually wheels it out into the kitchen so they can cut the cake there.

Everyone will be served their cake and coffee. When they are finished, traditionally the wedding reception starts to wind down. Guests will start coming up to you and saying goodbye.

More Wedding Traditions:

• Dollar Dance Tradition Cool or Not?
• Cash Bar at the Reception - Tacky or Not?
• The Wedding Sand Ceremony Trend
• Roles of Bridal Party Members

Consider your hobbies when picking a wedding cake topper and also your uniqueness as a couple. If you’re not the traditional couple, why have a traditional cake topper?

Today’s couples are choosing cake jewelry more and more as their cake toppers. They’ll have splashes of faux jewels in the shape of hearts, butterflies, rain drops, star fish or any other shape they can think of. Often, they are suspended by wire and placed into the cake for a waterfall effect. Also, rhinestone hearts with the couple’s new last initial will be featured on top of the cake. Or three letters are sometimes used for the couple’s first initials and a larger last name initial. These monogram cake toppers are really cute yet glamorous.

The brides and grooms on today’s cake toppers can be made from glass, acrylic, porcelain or really well done plastic. Many couples are choosing small pieces of sculpture for their cakes. The sculptures are more realistic, show the brides and grooms in more detail and can even be customized to look like the bride and groom. Many brides even go so far as to have their actual wedding dress recreated for the figurine on the top of the cake.

Poses are now all the rage. You may see a bride chasing after a reluctant groom on the top of the cake or a groom on bended knee kissing his new bride’s hand. The sculptural aspects can range from funny—think a guy fishing off his wedding cake while the bride looks on in mock disapproval—or sentimental, like a bride and groom in a picture frame as the “picture perfect couple.”

Many wedding cakes are now going without toppers too. Flowers are being used as sculpture. Fresh flowers can be arranged by either your cake decorator or your florist into a lovely presentation that requires no additional adornment. Some cakes even go without flowers and just have edible gold or silver jewels to dress them.

Gone are the days when you had to choose a cardboard figure off a shelf. You can shop for lovely wedding cake toppers online and find a variety of looks and styles that will perfectly suit your tastes. You’re not limited to Caucasian brides and grooms anymore either. Cake topper companies have now gotten wise and offer a wide range of ethnicities to choose from.

Today’s cakes are anything but ordinary. Your cake topper should be extraordinary too. Use your favorite colors, theme or personalities to come up with something really different. There are even skeleton brides and grooms these days, so anything goes. Go all out and your friends and family will definitely remember your topper. Make it yourself or shop online. Nothing is too wacky or too funky. Go for what really speaks to you and you’ll be right in keeping with today’s trends.

For ideas on wedding cake, try:

• Black and White Wedding Cakes
• How To Find A Fantastic Cake Baker
• Personalized Reception Items

The daisy is a sweet white flower with a yellow center. That’s what most people think of when they think of the kind of daisies that grow wild. But did you know that there are many shades of daisies from bright red to bright orange and even all green? Make use of the many colors of daisies and you can add pops of color all throughout your day.

Start off with your attire. You can either wear a daisy crown and a veil or you can choose a dress that features daisies in either beading or silk flowers. Don’t be afraid to add silk daisies to your waistline or place them in your hair.

The cake is another place that it’s lovely to add daisies. You can have them cascading down your cake in bright shades or fall colors. Or you can have a yellow cake with white daisies adorning it. The cake shown here was actually found on Flickr, it is so stunning that I had to add it to my daisy wedding inspiration board on Dessy.com - which you'll see below.

Your garter can be a crocheted daisy pattern. If you know a handy crafter who likes to crochet, ask them to make one for you. If not, you can find them online.

Of course, incorporate daisies into all your printed materials. From your save-the-date card to the invitations and table cards and programs, you’ll want to have daisies to carry your theme throughout it all. You can either have light daisies printed on vellum paper or have a card printed in black and white with a daisy motif.

Have bubbles instead of rice, which has been known to harm birds, at your ceremony for the sendoff. The tops of the bubbles can have silk daisies on them. If you can’t find them ready made at a wedding supply store, it’s easy to add a silk daisy bud to each small bottle of white wedding bubbles.

The flower girl will of course want to carry a basket of daisy petals, real or silk, to throw as she comes down the aisle. She can also be adorned in a sweet outfit featuring daisies. She can wear a daisy crown and her basket can be adorned with silk daisies. A cute idea for her dress is to have an overlay made in gauzy fabric that actually contains silk daisies inside it. She’ll look like a walking flower patch and everyone will ooh and ahh at her adorableness as she comes down the aisle and runs around the reception.

Your shoes are another place to add daisy accents. Clip-on daisies work well but you can also do a subtle sandal with rhinestone daisy accents.

Cupcakes at your reception can have daisies done in icing. Their entire tops can feature one big daisy bloom. Place them on stacking trays around the dessert table, or put one at each person’s plate for a really cute favor idea.

When all is set up, your daisy wedding accessories will look like a charming romp through a peaceful meadow. Everyone will sigh with delight.

For more yellow wedding ideas, see our post on Going Yellow With Your Wedding.

Wedding cakes have traditionally been round or square; today, however, there is no limit to the creativity of these confectionary delights.  From classic multi-tiered cakes to asymmetrical treats to cupcakes and custom designs, you can find it all.  One Texas bride celebrated the renewal of her vows with a five-foot tall replica of herself, complete with flowing, fondant wedding gown.  Your style may be a little simpler, but there’s no reason you can’t have the cake of your dreams.

Round

A round wedding cake is very traditional and elegant.  For a classic look, flowers are an inexpensive choice for decoration, and pearls never fail to impress with a larger budget.  If you want to give your cake a contemporary update, opt for “non-traditional” colors, such as pink or turquoise and chocolate.  You can alternate patterns: one layer can have polka dots, another stripes, etc., or you could alternate round and square layers.

Round cakes are practical because they cut easily and always look classic so you can enjoy looking back on your cake in twenty years.  They can be made even more practical still: have a smaller cake at the top.  The bottom layers will be made of Styrofoam and decorated to look like your “real” cake.  A sheet cake waits in the back to be served for guests.  It’s delicious, easy, and less expensive.

Square

Square cakes are easy to layer, decorate, and cut.  If your baker charges a cutting fee, this is a great benefit.  A traditional square multi-tiered cake gets progressively smaller and is beautifully symmetric.  This is a classic style, but you can give it a fresh look by offsetting the squares or decorating them to look like gifts.

A variation on this is to opt for a hexagonal or octagonal cake; this has the classic crisp lines you want, but offers a great deal of decorating freedom.  It can give a modern feel to a traditional cake.

Asymmetrical

We are seeing more asymmetrical cakes, and they are beautiful.  These are not perfectly lined up, and sometimes the tiers are not even.  The result can look like an Alice in Wonderlandesque dream or an unexpected but elegant display that your guests will never forget.

These have really become popular at modern weddings. It's kind of a fun way to show the bride and groom's personality.

Cupcakes or Individual Cakes

No matter what you call them, more couples are opting for individual cakes that surround a larger round or square cake.  These are typically as carefully decorated but are meant to be enjoyed by each guest.  This might be a great way to celebrate and honor your guests at a smaller wedding.  And they are very easy to serve.

The shape of your cake is important; but as always, it is what is inside that matters most.  Choose a delicious cake with colors and flavors you love.  The shape is, you could say, the icing on the cake.

For more cake ideas, see this article for Wedding Cake Trends.

One big trend is to use bold colors that no one would expect. Brides are going with bright purple cakes or vivid green. Any color goes and a good bakery will do anything you ask.

Another trend is the toppling cake. These cakes are designed to look like they are about to tip but are actually very sturdy. Think Alice and the Mad Hatter’s party cake. These kooky cakes are actually lovely and can be done so that they stand out as a marvel of cake engineering.

Flowers on cakes have hit new heights. Brides have long added flowers to their cake tops. But now flowers are cascading down the entire cake, wrapping around it and even being done with a mix of real and silk flowers.

Jewelry is in style now. All the finest cakes are wearing it. Cake decorators are now using rhinestones and pearls on their cakes. The finished products are attractive and really have a bling to them that you can’t get any other way. Of course, the jewels are removed when the cake is cut, but it’s a lovely way to decorate a cake that’s different from anything your guests will expect.

The cupcake trend is huge these days. Brides are opting for tiers of cupcakes rather than a full wedding cake. When stacked, they actually do look like a big wedding cake. Up close, guests will see that they are actually cupcakes. Some brides opt for the cupcake display as part of a coffee bar and then have another wedding cake off to the side for cutting and decoration.

The ornately decorated fondant cake is still going strong. Martha Stewart made the smooth fondant cake into an art form that is being taken to new heights by bakers who seem more like fine artists. The Wedgewood cake is now very popular. Cakes are being covered in smooth blue fondant and decorated with white cherubs and latticework like a Wedgewood vase or tea cup. It’s stunning to look at.

Cakes in the shapes of animals are big now. If you’re a Texas couple, a long horn cake may be just the thing. Met at the zoo? Go for an elephant cake. These cakes aren’t just decorated with the animal, they are the animal. Cakes cut into odd shapes have been made popular by The Food Network’s show Ace of Cakes. Now brides are asking for cakes in the shape of their school mascots, their dog or cat, and even animals that the couple both favor or are meaningful to them. The bakery then carves out a cake shape to look like a 3D version of the animal and ices it to near real-life perfection. Air brushing frosting tints can add details that are stunningly realistic. You can also opt for a giant shoe or handbag or any shape that you like. The groom also can have a say with his motorcycle or favorite car done in icing.

For more wedding cake ideas:

• Black & White Wedding Cake Ideas
• Wedding Cupcake Ideas
• Inspiring Chocolate Brown & Blue Wedding Cakes
• Fake Cake Budget Secrets

How does it work? Well the cake stands as a display on the cake table throughout the wedding reception. The option is to make the top layer of the cake, a real layer that is cut for your pictures and then served to your wedding party. The beautiful 'fake cake' is wheeled back into the kitchen and everyone else gets sheet cake that they'd never even guess was any different than the beautiful display you had for all to see.

Obviously sheet cake from your local baker is going to be loads cheaper, and might even taste even better than you'd expect. The best part about staging a 'fake cake' is the fact that you'll save money and it's something that no one will ever know! (Until you start bragging afterward, of course.)

There are online shops that ship the cakes to you for a fee, or your best bet might be to try to find a cake rental shop locally. This way you don't need to pay for shipping, and you can just pick it up and drop it off.

Another option is to buy the 'cake dummies' yourself and add fondant to make the whole cake yourself to your own style. These 'cake dummies' are surprisingly cheap! You can find some for great prices here... And of course when you're finished you can add your own personal touches like your wedding cake topper or pretty flowers.

Oh yeah, and one last thing. You won't have to worry about your half-cousin's wild nephew knocking over and ruining the cake. Now that's pretty nice.

For more cake ideas, see:

• Black & White Wedding Cake Ideas
• Wedding Cupcake Ideas
• Calla Lily Wedding Cakes
• Wedding Cake Trends
• How to Choose Your Cake Shape

The cake in the lower left corner is one of the most interesting overall cake presentations that I found for a Cinderella wedding.  The actual tiered wedding cake was elegant, but the real "wow" factor was in the presentation of the cake which was surrounded by flower-covered arches and four "wheels" that formed a beautiful carriage around the cake.  Talk about a focal point at the reception!

Beyond the cake itself, another great way to incorporate the wedding coach theme into the reception is through the use of accessories and fairytale favors.  I found this fun Wedding Coach Accessory Set online.  It features toasting flutes, a wedding cake serving set, a guest book and pen that all have a coach-shape in the design.  I love that the set is fully coordinated and it ties in perfectly with the Cinderella wedding theme.

More on Fairytale Themes:

• Disney Princess Style Wedding
• Fairy Tale Wedding Theme
• Cinderella Wedding Favors

These AMAZING cake creations definitely take the castle theme to the fantasy level!  Many of these cakes likely were constructed over a few days as fondant was rolled and faux bricks were made with a rolling tool. Castle towers can be sculpted from things like rice krispie treats wrapped around pipes or they can be made from non-edible components that are just wrapped in fondant.  Prince charming and princess figurines can be constructed from marzipan, fondant or even modeling chocolate.  

The intricate details of these cakes can make them quite expensive.  That said, a more affordable option would be for the designer to create an elegant tiered cake fit for a princess and then use a beautiful fairytale castle cake topper like the one shown to the right from Wedding Favors Unlimited.  The glazed porcelain castle makes a great wedding day keepsake and it says "And They Lived Happily Ever After" along the base.

And don't forget to use a castle themed cake serving set and guest book.  You can get a fully coordinated fairytale castle bridal set that includes the toasting flutes, cake server, guest book and pen set from Wedding Favors Unlimited as well.

As you can see from all the photos above, I generally prefer a white fondant or buttercream base for the cake color.  That way, the designer can easily incorporate a wide range of blue hues into the color scheme.  I especially like a navy and red or navy and light blue striped pattern around at least one of the layers.   The middle cake is also one of my very favorites as I love the nautical roping that encircles the cake tiers.  For the wedding cake topper, I prefer either a lovely sailboat or even a pair of white Adirondack chairs.

As always, I recommend finding some photos online of nautical themed cakes that you like and bring those to the bakery with you to show the designer.  Don't forget to interview a few bakers and taste lots of cake because you deserve only the best on your big day!

More Cake Ideas:

• Black & White Wedding Cake Ideas
• Wedding Cupcake Ideas
• Calla Lily Wedding Cakes
• Wedding Cake Trends