The Wedding Cake - Traditions From The Oven To The Freezer

The wedding cake holds a very traditional place in the wedding festivities and, like all parts of that special day, the traditions carry an interesting history of their own. While few would believe in "luck," whether good or bad, knowing the historical significance might cause some to alter their plans. It was once believed that a bride who baked her own cake was asking for bad luck. That tradition probably stems from the fact that women in the family usually tended to this task, leaving a bride free on her wedding day. A woman who had no women who cared for her was less likely to have someone near when it came to the major crises in life. A stretch of the imagination? Maybe not in ancient times when the family unit cared for the needs of their own. The cake was not always a part of the bride and groom's first meal as a married couple. In some cultures, the cake was reportedly thrown at the bride as part of a fertility prayer. Later, guests all brought buns as a gift to the bride and groom but instead of eating them, they were stacked up, starting at the floor, to form a pyramid. The bride and groom then attempted to kiss over the top of the pile. If the pile was very high, it was a sign of good luck (and some say, fertility). Again, the likely source of this tradition was simple - if each person attending brought a bun, a large number of buns signified a large number of guests. Extended circles of friends and family have long been believed to be a sign of good fortune. It is believed that a chef, appalled at the stack of buns, baked the first tiered wedding cake. A relatively recent tradition is the freezing of the top tier of the wedding cake to be eaten on the couple's first anniversary. The purpose? To bring good luck!

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