When Should You Cut The Cake At A Wedding?

The best time to cut a wedding cake is either during a cake cutting ceremony early in the reception or whenever you want. Traditionally, the cake should be cut after dinner and before guests get ready to dance. To preserve the cake’s form and get the maximum number of slices from each tier, cut it in a straight line one or two inches in. The bride should stand slightly in front of the groom and to his side, with the groom holding the knife in one hand and placing the other around the bride. The bride should feed the groom the first bite, and the groom should feed the bride. Round cakes are common for traditional wedding cakes, and to cut them successfully, start by cutting an inch across the entire length from the bottom tier’s outer edge and repeat until reaching the other side of the base.

To cut and serve your wedding cake, use a sharp knife, be careful not to cut yourself or your guests, and cut the cake into even pieces. A standard serving size is about four inches tall, two inches long, and one inch wide. Slice the cake vertically downward the entire length of the cake, separating the cut slabs onto a cutting board. For each slab, make multiple, evenly-spaced, vertical cuts and one horizontal cut in the middle. Each serving consists of two layers of cake.

Cake cutting is usually one of the first things to happen in the reception program after the break for dinner. It should happen early on so that the catering staff or hotel kitchen can cut the cake and serve it for dessert just as guests are finishing up dinner. Additionally, have a spatula handy to help carefully plate each piece.

Separate the tiers of the cake to avoid cutting into cardboard. In modern weddings, the cake is cut just before the first dance to allow for a natural transition and ensure guests are energized. Cut the cake immediately after dinner while people are still seated from dinner so it can be wheeled away to be cut up.

Do you cut the cake before or after speeches?

Traditional Time To Cut A Wedding Cake. Traditionally, cutting the cake is the last formal moment of the day, at the end of the wedding reception. This is usually after speeches and dinner. The wedding cake is usually made up of multiple tiers, sometimes up to 5. The groom with his right hand over his bride takes a silver-plated cake knife and cuts a small piece from the bottom tier. With this first cake slice, the bride and groom feed each other. Then if they wish, serve a piece of their new in-laws. When the cake has been cut it is taken away to be cut up for all the guests to share. It is important to make sure you save some to send to guests that couldnt make it. Due to this tradition, many older guests may take the cutting of the wedding cake as the sign they are then able to head home.

Sticking To Wedding Cake Cutting Tradition?. Another tradition is to keep the top and middle tiers of the wedding cake and freeze them to use later. The top tier is saved for the christening of the first child and the middle tier is saved for the first anniversary. As you can imagine, due to this, traditional wedding cakes can be very big!

Modern Wedding Cake Cutting Choices. In more modern times, not everyone goes for a multiple tier cake because of the tradition but because they have larger wedding parties. Another reason is that they look amazing! It isnt as common now to expect a couple to have a child straight after marriage meaning the cake wouldnt last. There are many different wedding cake styles to match each unique couple. Some might even opt for a wedding cake made of cheese! What you can do instead is save any wedding toppers you may use to then add to your childrens cake if you have them.

Do you cut the cake before or after dinner?

When should we cut our cake?. While it might seem arbitrary, the timing of your cake cutting actually plays a big role in your reception. In the past, the cake cutting was the very last moment in the reception—signaling to guests that they were welcome to head home. Though it usually happens much earlier today, cutting your cake still serves that same purpose (especially for older guests). These days, the cake is usually cut toward the end of dinner, just before dancing begins, and is the last official event of the evening. Slicing on the earlier side will let your grandmother or great uncle know theyre welcome to depart whenever theyre ready and will signal that they wont miss any of the formalities if they choose to head home.

There are a few other bonuses to cutting the cake early (even before you take your seats for dinner). First, it ensures your photographer gets those pictures. If youve scheduled your photographer to leave around 9 p.m., cutting the cake at 7 p.m. means they wont miss it. It also makes slicing and serving easier for your catering staff. If you cut the cake before dinner, they can work on slicing it once entrées have been served, and can pass out pieces as a plated dessert course before dancing gets underway.

What should we say when cutting a wedding cake?. Prior to cutting your cake, an announcement should be made by someone from your wedding party that youll be cutting your wedding cake.As the crowd gathers around you and the cake, you may have your DJ play a song—one youve selected ahead of time that might be food-related or just a tune that everyone will know.While you and your spouse may have some fun banter or a traditional cake smash before and during the cake cutting, you dont really need to say a whole lot. Most of your guests will be focused on the two of you cutting the cake and serving it to one another.And thats how it should be!

At what point do you cut the wedding cake?

The cutting of the cake should be the last formal moment of the whole day, after the speeches. At this point the toastmaster or best man will then announce the cutting of the cake, and the bride, with the grooms right hand over hers, takes an elegant silver-plated cake knife to cut a small piece from the bottom tier.

Traditionally the bride and groom feed each other the first slice, and if they wish then serve a piece to their new in-laws. The cake is then taken away to be sliced before being offered to each guest, or should any guests prefer to take theirs home presented in pretty or personalised boxes. Slices of cake should also be sent to those unable to attend the wedding.

Couples used to freeze the top layer of their wedding cake to keep for the christening of the first baby that was expected to follow soon after. Of course, today couples do not necessarily christen their child or indeed choose to start a family straight after their special day, so it can also be kept together with the middle tier for the first anniversary, as a joyful reminder of the wedding day.

What is the best time to cut the cake?

Whens the best time to cut the wedding cake?. The cake cutting ceremony often serves as the last official event of a wedding and signals to guests that they can start making their way home whenever they are ready. Because of this, people typically hold their cake cutting ceremony after dinner, before the dancing begins. It is also important to consider your caterer and your photographer and/or videographer when planning when you should cut your wedding cake. If your photographer and/or videographer is only booked until a certain time, hold the cake cutting sooner, so he or she can capture the moment. Also, holding it sooner will give your caterer time to cut the cake up and serve it before guests start heading home.

Our staff at The Mackey House loves all the traditions surrounding the wedding cake cutting ceremony, and we make sure to work with brides and wedding planners to make sure the ceremony goes exactly how they want it. Couples often choose to hold their cake cutting on our clear-covered deck or inside our mansion, either one resulting in a special wedding event. We will even set you up with one of our favorite wedding cake caterers in Savannah or let you bring in your own. For more information on throwing a wedding at The Mackey House, contact us today!

190 Red Gate Farms TrailSavannah, GA 31405912-234-7404.

What happens if you cut a cake too early?

Also the center of the cake may not be fully cooked on removal – protein denaturing continues for a few minutes as the interior remains at high temperature. Many cakes get removed basically as soon as the matrix can support itself at all (not “fall”), but need a little more support for slicing, stacking, etc.

Is it rude to leave a wedding before the cake is cut?

According to some cultures, its impolite for wedding guests to leave prior to the cake cutting ceremony. Unfortunately, some guests will invariably need to leave your reception early. Many of those folks will then feel embarrassed that theyre breaking tradition and will therefore sneak out of your event.

In some instances, some guests will be strongly committed to following proper etiquette will stay at your reception no matter what—even if they would prefer to leave. I cant speak for you, but at my own reception, Id prefer that my guests have the best possible experience at my event. Id like them to feel free to come and go as they please, without the constraints of tradition.

In addition to considerations related to the tradition itself, if you serve your cake early, you increase the likelihood that everyone will be present to enjoy dessert. As the night progresses, folks are less likely to be hungry or crave late night sweets as alcohol consumption comes into play.

How long to wait before cutting cake?

2. For faster cooling, consider cutting your warm cake into layers. Give your larger cake about 20 minutes to cool slightly, then use your butter or serrated knife to cut it gently and horizontally into cake layers on a flat surface. This trick always works great for me, especially for huge-tiered cakes!

3. Consider the fridge or freezer if youre in a hurry and have little time for room-temperature cooling; just cover the entire cake in plastic wrap and store it in either option. You can warm it up later, but serving it cold is also an option!

The fridge method works well enough for short bursts, but be wary; too much cooling time there might dry out your baked cake. The freezer, for me, is a much safer bet.

Is 11pm too early to end a wedding?

If the venue doesnt have a set start time, they may have a strict end time. You can expect a more conservative reception venue to end the party around 11 pm or midnight depending on a few different factors, including: what they have booked the next day.

Do you cut the cake before or after the first dance?

After the Cake Cutting. Follow up on the momentum of cutting the cake with your first dance. Most guests will already be gathered around you and your partner, so its a natural transition. Plus, its custom to cut the cake after dinner so people will be energized and ready to continue celebrating by hitting the dance floor afterward. Just remember to wipe off your face before the big moment if smashing the wedding cake is your thing.

What is the etiquette for cutting wedding cake?

Wedding Cake-Cutting Etiquette -The bride and groom should always cut the first slice together. -The couple should feed each other the first bite of cake, either by hand or with a fork. -Think twice about smashing cake in each others faces, as this can be seen as immature or disrespectful.