WEDDING NOTES™ – Cake for Dessert

As a part of the wedding celebration – rich in lore and tradition – the wedding cake is a strong and symbolic centerpiece.  There are boundless opportunities to create a cake and cake cutting tradition that can be uniquely yours.  

You can choose the traditional, tiered, all white wedding cake with a bride and groom gracing the top layer.  You can order from a wide range of cake flavors – chocolate, banana, carrot, sponge, almond or lemon.  You can get creative with fillings and frostings – ganache, mousse, mascarpone, cream cheese, butter crème or fondant.  You can select from a variety of shapes.  Squares, rectangles, pyramids and ovals are replacing the standard 3-5 tier round wedding cake.

Some brides are choosing to have many smaller wedding cakes rather than one big one – usually placed as the centerpiece at each guest table.

Some couples on a budget are choosing a smaller display cake that they will cut for photos.  Guests then dine on sheet cakes cut in the kitchen and served to guests from the cake table, buffet or passed by servers.

You can select a groom’s cake to complement the wedding cake.  It can be flavored or have special filling or be a special shape to reflect his interests.

Some couples have chosen to eliminate the wedding cake itself and offer their guests multiple dessert choices from a separate dessert buffet.  Other couples are replacing the traditional wedding cake with frosted petit fours and/or cupcakes or cake pops.

Ice cream cakes are a favorite of some couples.  While they may be a fun idea, cutting and serving these cakes requires patience and speed.

Cake tops are inventive and lovely.  While the standard bride and groom are available, they are frequently replaced by fresh flower arrangements in colors to compliment the wedding theme, porcelain or glass flower arrangements that will be kept for in home display, figurines from personal collections, a tiara filled with fresh flowers to match the bridal bouquet, or frosting flowers which reflect the fabric or design of the wedding gown itself.

WEDDING NOTES™ – Ceremony Ideas

Both religious and cultural traditions have a great deal to contribute to your wedding plans. Within the confines of your church or synagogue’s traditions, there is likely to be room for you to add touches that will make the ceremony even more meaningful.

Consider having ceremony hosts greet arriving guests at entrance doors.  Choose one from each family to insure having someone who is likely to recognize many of the guests as they arrive.  Instruct ushers to be cordial and make small talk with guests as they are seated.

The unity candle is one of the most universal ceremonial touches in weddings.  To make it even more meaningful to you consider adding the feature of having both mothers come forward and each light one of the two individual candles symbolizing the two families that are coming together in this wedding.  After the mothers have lit those candles, then the bride and groom step forward and take those two lit candles and light the larger single pillar candle.  In that moment, their two individual lights become one.

As part of the ceremony, you may wish to observe a moment of silence for or a song played in memory of a loved one who isn’t there for your wedding.  Some couples choose to have a small bouquet or single boutonniere placed on an empty chair to represent the presence of a departed loved one.

If your wedding brings together children from previous relationships, consider giving rings to the children of this new marriage.  The rings could be birthstones or diamond chips and should all be similar.  The symbolism of these rings for a new family is very powerful.

As the ceremony ends, turn and face the audience then take a small bow as a couple and pause as you begin the recessional.  Stop and hug your parents and say thank you.  Exit to special celebratory music.

If you plan a receiving line at the ceremony site, include as many bridal party and family members as you like.  It is helpful to have the last person in the line hand out directions to the reception if it is to be held at a different location.

WEDDING NOTES™ – Children and Weddings

If children are to be included in your wedding party – as ring bearers, flower girls, junior attendants or servers, they will add a special touch to the ceremony.  They will also find the reception fun and maybe, a bit intimidating.

Only you will know how involved you’d like the children to be in the reception itself, but if it will be a long one with a wedding dance, you may wish to consider a “mini” reception for the children of the wedding party and of guests.

Children of the wedding party may precede the bride and groom into the reception and if old enough, introduce the couple to the guests.  Some couples have outgoing junior attendants help to seat guests at the reception.

Consider having a separate bar set up at the reception for children.  Provide juice, water, punch or soda.  Many receptions also include a special menu for children with tried and true favorites.

For wedding celebrations with many children in attendance, most couples arrange for the children to spend some time at the reception, but then adjourn to a special children’s reception where there may be movies, TV or special entertainment.  Hire sitters or young adults to supervise the room.  Before they leave the reception, arrange to have a couple of songs popular with the young so they may dance if they wish to before they leave.

Consider providing each child with a special lunch box or backpack filled with games, coloring books and toys to keep them occupied while their parents are at the reception.  The kids will have a better time AND so will their parents, if special arrangements have been made for a kid friendly reception.