The History of the Wedding Cake and Wedding Cake Topper

One of the center pieces of any modern day wedding is the wedding cake. This has a long history dating back all the day to the Roman Empire. However the wedding cake was very different back then.

The history of the wedding cake dates all the way back to the Roman Empire. At this time wedding cakes were not the sweet iced cakes that we know of today. Back then the cakes were made of a whole wheat flour. These bread cakes were then broken over the brides head and the guests of the wedding would eat the small pieces of broken break eagerly considering it good luck.

Later in the 17th century the wedding cake became known as the bride’s pie or cake. These were typically mince pies made of sweet breads. The one of the main ingredients of these pies was a glass ring. It was believed that whichever lady found the ring would be the next women to be married.

Wedding cakes have historically been white a universal symbol of purity.

Another tradition that was probably first seen in fashion in the 17th century was sleeping with a piece of cake under ones pillow. The cake was broken into small pieces and then passed through the bride’s wedding ring. The pieces of cake were then given to the female guests who would put the pieces under their pillow when they went to sleep. It was believed that with the piece of cake under their pillow they would have a dream of the future husband.

The wedding cake topper has a long history and has been a tradition in wedding for a long time. It has been so long in fact that most of the details of when it started are shrouded in mystery. Yet there is no denying the significance of the wedding cake topper.

The story goes that it was first used over 100 years ago when the daughter of a baker was getting married. She asked her dad to make some symbol of the love between her and the her groom that everyone could see.

After several attempts and carefully deliberation the baker finally came up with an idea. He secretly place two figurines on top of the wedding cake. One of them symbolized his daughter and the other her future husband. The baker felt this was the perfect symbol of their love and their unity.

On the wedding day the daughter was so excited to see the cake and she was overjoyed with the beautiful gift her father had given her. The figurines stood in the center of the cake and at the center of the wedding. This showed the importance of the love between the couple!

It is not exactly known if this is a true story or not but it is a fun story at least and one that shows the significance of the wedding cake topper.

These are just a few of the historical traditions of the modern day wedding cake. The wedding cake is one of the oldest traditions of the wedding.

Ever since its introduction, a topper on wedding cakes has long been a traditional symbol for married couples.  These are always symbolically placed on the top of the wedding cake so that everybody can see them.

Couples have many options to choose from among various designs, colors & styles.  Trying to decide what fits not only their style but their budget is something every couple must go through.

Below are some important suggestions when it comes to choosing the right cake topper for your wedding:

1.  Your wedding cake topper should be a piece that reflects your style as much as the cake it adorns.  This might take you a bit over your budget, but it will be worth it.  Brides on a tight budget may opt for the traditional bride & groom found in many department stores but keep in mind, these pieces are not exclusive to your style or personal taste and may not fit the overall design of your wedding cake.  ‘Nothing like a bad hat to ruin a beautiful outfit’.

2. Be creative. Have a personalized topper created to look like you and your fiancé.  Choose something that shows a shared hobby or interest, a special memento from a trip, etc.  A personalized wedding cake & topper makes your wedding very creative and adds a sheer layer of romance, glitz & glamour to the reception.  Stay away from the usual, generic plastic bride and groom and design your own wedding cake topper.

3. Now-a-days there are several contemporary designs being promoted in the market that couples can incorporate into their décor.  Ask the baker to come up with some ideas as well. And choose what you feel is the best fit for you.

4. Family Heirloom. To honor your parents, grandparents, or someone else that was very close to you and your fiancé, and it’s available, why not use the cake topper from that person’s wedding.  It not only adds a lot of emotional value to the decor, but also pays homage to someone special.

The idea is that whatever style you pick for your wedding cake topper, it should be a symbol of your personality, your style, and your marriage. That’s what makes it a special piece to be cherished forever.

Cake toppers are not just decorations on a cake. They serve as the symbol of love that flows between two hearts coming together as one forever!

For a list of local bakeries, visit our vendor list on TodaysBride.com

A Guide to Wedding Cake Frosting

By Amanda Jane

Next to the bridal gown, the wedding cake is perhaps the most detail intensive element of planning your event. It will take days if not weeks before the future bride can choose the exact design and color of her cake. On top of this, it may take her forever to decide the cake frosting to be used by her baker.

Cakes by West Side Bakery

This is the reason why you need to get a reputable baker so they can make intelligent suggestions as to which frosting would be best for the chosen cake design. You may know a thing or two about cakes but only those who have experienced in decorating them can tell you the pros and cons of using a specific frosting. Here are some of the types of cake frosting commonly used today.

Butter cream

Butter cream is a very versatile ingredient because it can be used both as a filling and a frosting. Bakers prefer this frosting because it is easy to color depending on the motif of the wedding. It is also easy to come up with various designs using this frosting. The only problem is that it can easily melt especially if the temperature is not controlled so watch out for butter cream if you are holding an outdoor reception.

Fondant

If you have seen satin smooth cakes that look perfect even if shaped like a gift, flower or anything at all then most probably it has been designed using fondant. Fondant icing is picture perfect and no one can argue with that. However, it does not taste as delicious as the other icing and some would even say it tastes bad. Some bakers however have a trick of using butter cream beneath the fondant to give it a really nice flavor.

Marzipan

This is a favorite among bakers as it tastes good and can be made to look like fondant icing. Marzipan contains sugar, eggs and crushed almonds making it a very tasty topping. However, using marzipan can be very expensive so be prepared for your wallet to take a hit.

Royal icing

This is perhaps the cheapest frosting anyone can use for a wedding cake. It can also produce picture perfect cakes with very intricate designs. Royal icing is actually a very hard frosting so there is seldom need to refrigerate it. You can have your baker create miniature cakes for you using some of the frosting you are interested in and then you can taste them and decide which one will look and taste the best.

Find more advice on wedding planning and wedding cakes

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amanda_Jane