The History of the Wedding Cake

Why white? Why tiered? Why do the bride and groom feed each other?! We hear these questions A LOT, especially from brides- and grooms-to-be who aren't so keen on the idea of white cake with pudding or fruit filling. It's true that wedding cake can be pretty boring, but the history of the wedding cake is anything but!

The first "cakes" were actually just loaves of bread that guests brought to break over the bride's head, thus ensuring that the newlyweds would have plenty of babies. That tradition evolved until guests were stacking actual cakes...and the happily married couple had to kiss over the pile without knocking it over.

It was only in the 1600s that an enterprising French chef transformed that pile of pastries into the tiered cakes we typically see at modern weddings. After that, cakes became standard wedding fare. Its only competition was the bride's pie, a savory dish filled with mutton and a glass ring, of all things. The lady who found the ring would be the next to marry...and in need of a dentist!

Click to learn more about wedding cakes