07/24/2019
Wedding Trivia! Do you know the history behind the Wedding Cake Smash?
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It's a tale as old as marriage itself—the bride and groom gather their guests around them, the beautiful wedding cake is sliced, and, suddenly, frosting ends up smeared across the faces of both husband and wife. Where did this strange custom originate? Traditionally, couples feed each other cake to symbolize their commitment to provide for each other. A sweet gesture, but there's a mischievous part of the tradition that appears much more often in history.
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For instance, brides in ancient Rome had barley cake crumbled onto her heads to symbolize both male dominance and future fertility. In Yorkshire, however, a bride would have a taste of her cake and then throw the rest over her head; hopefully, this would mean a life empty of want. Newlyweds in medieval England kissed for the first time over a large pile of buns, ensuring a wealthy future. Nowadays, some couples choose to embrace tradition—they cut the cake together, feed a piece to their new spouse, and then smear cake and icing across their beloved's face. Other couples, however, have chosen to eschew this messy tradition.
