A wedding cake is the traditional cake served to the guests at a wedding reception (or in parts of England, at a wedding breakfast) after a wedding. In modern Western culture, it is usually a large cake, multi-layered or tiered, and heavily decorated with icing, occasionally over a layer of marzipan or fondant, topped with a small statue representing the couple. Achieving a dense, strong cake that can support the decorations while remaining edible can be considered the epitome of the baker's art and skill. The average cost of a wedding cake in the U.S. in 2005 was $543.
A portion may be stored, and eaten by the couple at their first wedding anniversary, or at the christening of their first child. Sometimes this portion is the top tier, and sometimes a portion of the piece from which the bride and groom fed each other, depending on the local customs. The portion of the cake may be frozen for this purpose; the top tier of the cake may sometimes consist of fruitcake, which could be stored for a great length of time.
Cake pull
A Cake Pull is a Victorian tradition at weddings in the Southern United States where tiny silver charms attached to satin ribbons are placed inside part of the wedding cake. At some point during the wedding reception, female attendants (typically the single ones) gather around the wedding cake and simultaneously pull the ribbons which are attached to the charms from the cake.
The charms represent future children, travel, wealth, marriage or the dreaded thimble, predicting that the puller will be a spinster.
The charms are most often found today at the Bridesmaids Luncheon, but charm pulling has also spread to bridal showers and is no longer limited to the original categories.
Modern adaptations
Wedding cake toppers are small models that sit on top of the cake, normally a representation of a bride and groom in formal wedding attire. This custom was dominant in US wedding in the 1950s where it represented togetherness. Modern weddings have embraced more variety in design and significance. Wedding toppers today are often figures that indicate shared hobbies or other passions.
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