Wedding cake traditions guide 

Despite the rapid pace of change with which we all live with today, some traditions stay with us and one of those surrounding the use of the wedding cake. As far as we know the wedding cake has been used for hundreds of years although it was somewhat different in the distant past. Although we try to keep up with these traditions, often they are only learnt by word of mouth and so they change slowly.

One such change is that with the history behind the wedding cake which as far as we know was originally made u of a number of tiny wheat cakes which were then broken up and thrown over the brides head. Apparently, this would bring good luck and ensure her fertility during her marriage although when this custom stopped is not known. The bride and groom must choose the cake wisely as it will be the focus of attention for many photographs which will remember the occasion for many years.

Many types of wedding cakes exist today even sponge versions and the use of the traditional three tiers is not seen so often although there isn't any real limit to how many can be used. The bride and groom have a great deal of choice nowadays as to the type of wedding cake they can choose, even designing it themselves if they wish.

Although no longer practiced, the bride was the only person who cut the wedding cake as a signal that she would very soon lose her virginity to the man she had married. This has changed in recent times so that now the bride and groom cut the cake together and the meaning has altered to so that it now symbolizes their devotion to each other.

Many years ago it was quite normal for a single woman to have a piece of wedding cake placed under her pillow which would allow her to dream of her intended. Some people now recite this story at their reception even though the practice has long since been stopped. The top tier of the wedding cake was traditionally kept and used at the christening of the couple's first child but today this tradition has been modified slightly and the top tier is saved to be used at the couple's first anniversary.

Another tradition was to place charms in the wedding cake, which were attached to ribbons so a bridesmaid would pull at a ribbon and depending on the charm that she uncovered, her fortune would be indicated. There are a large number of charms but probably he best known are those shaped like a heart (bringer of love) and of course the horseshoe (lucky in life).

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