Wedding Day :: Cutting the Cake

In doing over 100 weddings and events, I've seen many so many different options when cutting the wedding cake. Everyone should make it personal and their own style! The cake cutting is the first task you complete or accomplish together as husband and wife and it symbolizes your promise to each other, so make it great! Here are a few do's and dont's, tips for choosing music, things to remember to make it go off without a hitch, and even some alternatives to having a wedding cake.... 

Choose a Great Cake-Cutting Song
It's important to choose a great wedding song! Here's a link to some great cake cutting songs to choose from! I've been asked to research alternative interesting songs for all sorts of weddings. Some want traditional songs, some want a song no one's ever heard before at a wedding....here are a few links with options for whatever you want!

9 Totally Unexpected Cake Cutting Songs from Loverly

Most Popular Cake Cutting Songs from Project Wedding

10 Country Cake Cutting Songs from Wedding-Music-Help.com

Photos :: Cut the Cake, Feed the Cake to Each Other and Smash the Cake
Your photographer is going to want to get the perfect pic of you cutting the cake, so don't feel like you have to rush through it. Go slow, take your time, laugh and enjoy the moment. Generally you want to cut the bottom tier, and the top tier is saved in the freezer to enjoy on your first anniversary. The venue may provide a cake knife and server, but most choose to buy their own and some even have them engraved.

After the cake cutting, take the slice you cut and plate it. You each take a fork and feed a bite to each other. Again, don't rush...your photographer is wanting the perfect pic for you, so go slow and enjoy the moment. Then it's on the cake smash. You take a small portion of the cake you cut and smash it in your new spouse's face. Some choose to leave this out (maybe she doesn't want to take the chance of getting chocolate frosting on the dress, or maybe she doesn't want to chance her perfect make up being smudged when cleaning off cake... Several reasons might halt this part of the tradition...and that's ok! It's your day, so do it however you choose.

When to Cut the Cake
Most weddings opt to use the wedding cake as the dessert for the evening, so that means the catering staff needs time to cut it and plate it after it's cut. Generally the best time to cut your cake is before dinner. That way, the staff has it cut to pass once the guests are finished eating. If you're not serving a plated dinner and you're having a cocktail and hors d'oeuvres type reception, you can alter the time and have it served whenever you choose.

Where to Place & Cut the Cake
Make sure to cut the cake in a central location that all the guests have a front row view...depending on your venue, maybe the center of the dance floor, maybe near the head table...just make sure to make your cake table front and center! Everyone loves to see the cake and watch as the bride and groom cut it. It's a fleeting moment that happens quickly, so make sure everyone has a shot to see it! You can even add some flare to the moment by having the bridal party line up and create an entry way to the cake location.

Options Instead of the Traditional Wedding Cake
These days it is becoming popular to provide something instead of the traditional wedding cake. No matter the situation or what you decide to use, you can still order a small cake to cut into and feed to each other so you can have the traditional moment for your reception if you prefer. Here are a few ideas of what we've used in the past instead of wedding cake:

Cupcakes - Cupcakes are a great alternative to the traditional wedding cake. They can be presented in the same fashion, as you can see in the photo there are 6 tiers for a dynamite presentation. One bonus to choosing this option is you forego the cake-cutting fee some venues charge to take your cake in the back and slice it up and plate it. This way, your guests can grab their own cupcake after you're done cutting the top tier together. If you want to keep the top tier for your first wedding anniversary, have a separate small cake like the top tier make for you to cut into...or even take a cupcake, plate it, cut it together, and feed it to each other.

Pies -  Pies can still be cut traditionally as a wedding cake and fed to each other the same way too. It is always wonderful to get a delicious different dessert when going to a wedding. the cake is expected, so the surprise of a delicious alternative is always welcomed! In this particular photo, you'll notice they opted for the small wedding cake to cut for tradition and photo purposes, then they have a pie/dessert bar available for the guests. Loved it!