"Let Them Eat Cake!" Part 1

From Erik Michaels and June Hoffman of Megasound  

Several wedding traditions over the centuries have evolved into something quite different from the original tradition. The wedding cake happens to be one of them, beginning with the breaking of a thin loaf of bread over the bride's head in Roman times. This was done at the end of the ceremony to symbolize fertility. This actually came from the fact that the wheat from which the bread was made signified fertility and, as such, the guests would eagerly pick up the bread crumbs as good luck charms.

As the Roman empire grew, so did this tradition, where it had spread to England by the Middle Ages. There, the tradition transformed to have the guests bring small cakes to the wedding and stack them together. It became traditional for the bride and groom to kiss over the stacked cakes, and later, a baker decided to make things easier by putting all the cakes together and spreading frosting over them. Thus, the modern "tiered" cake became the new sensation.

Be sure to read “Part 2” tomorrow. We will also share with you how the modern “tiered” wedding cake has morphed into many different versions.