The Move Away From Traditional Wedding Cake
Gone are the days when couples who tie the knot join hands and plunge a knife into a multi-tiered cake to mark their union. More and more couples are moving away from the age-old tradition of not only performing the cake-cutting ceremony but eliminating wedding cake from their nuptials altogether. “No one has ever said ‘wedding cake’ when asked what their favorite dessert is,” says Dana Morrissey, partner at Mana Hospitality Group.
Photo Credit: Walker Studios
Opting for Favorites
There are many factors influencing the trend of moving away from traditional wedding cake, and one of those simply comes down to flavor preferences. While some people just plainly don’t like cake, others find it repulsive, explains wedding planner Martine Dardignac. “It’s often dry and doesn’t taste great.”
Additionally, in the modern world where foodies reign supreme, many couples want to venture beyond the wedding cake, explains Debra Thompson, professional weddings and events consultant. “Some may choose a small one-tier wedding cake in keeping with the tradition but go in the direction of a fun, creative dessert for their guests.”
Having creative direction over dessert also allows the lovebirds to showcase their style and individuality. Bride-to-be Brit James has chosen to nix the cake altogether and offer donuts to her wedding guests. “We’re not huge ‘cake people,’” she explains. “Donuts allow people to grab throughout the night and bring some home.”
Photo Credit: Bella Luz Photography
Cutting Costs and Minimizing Food Waste
Varying tastes aren’t the only reason couples are opting for different dessert options. Many decide to forgo the traditional cake route because it can be quite pricy. Many venues charge an additional cake cutting fee – sometimes up to $5 per piece – which can quickly add to a wedding’s overall cost.
Nixing wedding cake also helps to cut down on needless food waste. There’s a new trend of twosomes doing mini desserts, which Morrissey says she encourages. “They are the exact right size of what most adults want to eat, and it allows the couple to offer variety in a budget-friendly way,” she tells us. “As a bonus, they are completely portable, and guests will scoop up any leftovers if there happen to be some.”
Photo Credit: Weddings by GN
Alternative Options
People are seeing more and more variety when it comes to wedding dessert — everything from chocolate-covered fruit and iced cookies to vegan cupcakes and gluten-free brownies, explains Dardignac.
One of the couples Karen Nudy Pecora, wedding and event specialist at Duportail House, recently worked with offered cookie shot glasses filled with milk as one of their desserts. And grazing stations filled with pancakes, waffles, and sticky buns, or even cheese wheels, have all been popular dessert alternatives.
Photo Credit: Kelsey H Campbell Photography
Abandoning Tradition
While there are countless ways to get creative with both sweet and savory after-dinner treats, some avoid the traditional cake-cutting ceremony for deeper reasons. “If they know the original meaning (where it represented the bride’s loss of virginity and a sign of good luck), they are even more opposed,” says Dardignac. In some cases, couples will still do the cake-cutting as a photo opp, but not stop the wedding party to watch.
Regardless of what couples choose to serve on their big day, “At the end of the day, it is about the blending of the two families, along with what is important to the couple,” sums up Pecora nicely. “It is their day done their way. The only rules are there are no rules.”