The wedding cake has long been the focus of attention at the reception and for many years now it has been customary to have a three tiered white wedding cake which is elaborately decorated and which includes one of a number of traditional wedding cake toppers such as statue depicting the bride and groom, a pair of doves, a pair of gold rings or a horseshoe.
In medieval times guests would each bring a small piece of cake to a wedding and these would be stacked together to form a tower or pyramid. The newly married couple would then kiss over the top of the cake if they could to bring good luck to their marriage or, more often than not, would end up falling into the stack of cake much to the amusement of everyone present.
Over time the tower or pyramid formed from individual pieces of cake evolved into a single cake and the tiered design is thought to have been based upon the unusual tiered spire of the medieval church of St Bride's in London.
It was also customary for cakes to be made from fruit which was readily available and to be covered in a layer of fat and sugar to preserve the cake in the days before refrigeration.
Nowadays it is traditional for the bride and groom to cut their wedding cake together and often to feed each other with the first bites of the cake as a symbol of the establishment of their new family unit. A section of the wedding cake (typically the top tier) is then often removed and stored so that it can be used at the christening of the couple's first child.
While many people today still follow the well established pattern when it comes to planning their wedding, a growing number of couples are choosing to depart from tradition and, in particular, to look for ways in which they can make their wedding day truly unique and memorable for their guests.
As a result it is common today to not only see wedding cakes in a variety of different shapes, sizes, colors and flavors but also for couples to use wedding cake toppers as a central focal point for their cake.
Today wedding cake toppers come in all shapes and sizes and can range from exquisite and unique works of art which are specially commissioned by the bride and groom to statues depicting the couple in various hilarious poses which can be purchased quite cheaply from any one of a large number of suppliers.
As couples strive more and more to make their wedding day stand apart from the crowd we will continue to see attention focused upon the design of wedding cakes and, in particular, upon the development of increasingly unique wedding cake toppers.
Traditional Wedding Cake Toppers
Your wedding cake is not merely 'party food', but is a traditional part of the wedding celebration, with the bride and groom cutting the first piece of cake and symbolically offering one another a bite.
Clearly you would want to consider your cake design well in advance of the wedding, from the sort of cake you will want to the type of frosting and the wedding cake toppers you will want to adorn the cake.
Of course wedding cake toppers are not strictly required and you could do without them. However, adding them to your wedding cake can be an expression of your personality and make a marked different to the affect of this centerpiece of your wedding reception.
But just what is a wedding cake topper?
Traditionally, wedding cake toppers have been the small bride and groom figures that are generally put on the top of a wedding cake as a respresentation of togetherness. Traditional wedding cake toppers show the couple in formal dress and are frequently the only part of the wedding cake that can be kept through the years, apart of course from the photographs of the day. These toppers were most popular in the 1950s, but many people still put them on cakes.
So, just what sort of topper should we pick?
Now, there are many more designs for wedding cake toppers than the plain old bride and groom and these range from the humerous to the elegant. Should you decide to have wedding cake toppers then choose something that is appropriate for both the style and theme of your wedding reception and for you. If you are having a formal wedding then you might consider picking the time-honored toppers or possibly use your initials to create a 'monogrammed' cake topper. Simple wedding cake toppers like these can also be a good choice when you and your fianc� are having difficulty agreeing on the right toppers.
If you would like to have a more informal and relaxed wedding reception then you might want to pick a comical wedding cake topper or for something that reflects hobbies that you and your new spouse have in common. Or, if you have chosen a particular theme for your reception then look for wedding cake toppers that support that theme. For example, nothing adds a nicer touch to a reception with an 'aquatic' theme than wedding cake toppers in the form of a pair of playful dolphins.
Just ensure that the toppers selected will work with the design of the cake and, if there is any doubt then let the artistry of your wedding cake speak for itself and leave the toppers.
Having said this, with such a wide range of wedding cakes toppers to select from nowadays it is hard to imagine that you will not find the perfect wedding cake topper.
Both Donald Saunders & Don Saunders are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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