Tastries Wedding Packet

Some of our traditions and rituals are so old we have forgotten the reasons behind them. Ritual and traditions, though, are an important part of every culture. The wedding ceremony itself is one of our culture’s oldest and most significant rituals. The sacrament of marriage was ordained by God and represents the depth of love God has for each of us. “As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.” Isaiah 62:5

Taking vows, making public declarations, and serving your guests and each other are all important parts of our culture’s wedding ritual.  You will spend a lot of time and money preparing to perform these rituals. Understanding the meaning behind each one will make your wedding day even that much more meaningful and memorable for both of you. 

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Stacking of the Cake

In some cultures, the tradition of stacking the cake represented fertility. Couples would stack as many layers as they could as this symbolized the number of children they would have.
“So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” Genesis 1:27-28

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The Creative Custom Design

It is our desire to create a unique cake that captures your theme, personality, colors and taste blended in a way that expresses the simplicity of you as a couple. The theme of your wedding is the picture you see in your minds when you close your eyes and envision one of the most life changing events you will ever have.  For some it is simply seeing your future spouse for the first time on your wedding day. For others it is the décor and colors that set the tone and mood for the celebration.  Wedding colors are an important part of setting the theme and tone for your ceremony and reception. 

Making the Magical Cut

As with all wedding traditions, cutting your first slice of wedding cake together is meant to represent something. Do you know what it represents? Do you know why you have that fancy knife and cake server? Do you know why the slicing of the cake is such a popular photo opportunity?  Do you plan to smash that first slice of cake into the face of your new spouse?  Perhaps once you learn more about this tradition, you’ll re-think that plan.
“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves." Romans 12:10
Cutting your wedding cake together, hands together on the knife, is the first domestic act you will perform together. You have ordered a beautiful cake, or maybe a smaller cake with the perfect dessert bar big enough to serve all your family and friends. Just as you will offer hospitality to friends and family in your new home together, cutting and serving your cake as husband and wife is the first act of hospitality you will perform together. It is a ceremonial representation of the hospitality you will show to others, together as a new family unit. 
"But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.''

For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So, they are no longer two, but one. Therefore, what God has joined together, let man not separate." Mark 10:6-9

The second part of the cake cutting tradition involves the husband and wife feeding each other a piece of the cake they’ve just cut together.  This too, is a very important ceremonial act.  When the husband takes a piece of cake and feeds his wife, he is showing the world how he will take care of her. It is a ceremonial representation of his intention to provide food for his wife and his family. Likewise, when the wife feeds her husband, she is also ceremonially showing everyone gathered how she will take care of her husband, and provide for him as well.  Centuries before, the Romans used bread loaves in place of today’s wedding cake. The groom would break the bread loaf over his brides head hoping for lots of crumbs, showing the many blessings, they would have together.
To Smash or not to smash… HMMM?  That is the Question?
Maybe consider the hours of wedding preparation, the desire to be the most beautiful or handsome you have ever been in your life, perhaps this should be thought through but at least it isn’t as bad as having breadcrumbs all over you!
The ritual has nothing to do with who makes the money or who does the cooking. Feeding each other the first bite of their Wedding Cake is a visual representation of the vows the couple made to each other only moments before the cake was cut. It is your first opportunity to provide for each other – ritually, yes, but no less important. 

Helpful Hint: Even if you think you're a pro at cutting cakes —maybe your birthday cake?— here are your special instructions to make the first cut. You wouldn't want to place the knife in the wrong spot and cause your delicate tower to topple over. We recommend you cut from the bottom tier, but at Tastries, when you purchase your custom cake or dessert bar from us ($350+), you will receive a 6” top tier replica for your One Year Anniversary at a cost of $25, so you may save the top tier for your Honeymoon!  Traditionally, the bottom tier is used for the Magical Cut.  Tastries will have a very special design on your cake where you are to cut the cake; a little reminder we are praying for the two of you, your magical day, and a wonderful enduring love to last a lifetime blessed by God.  Remember to use the knife, not the server, for the quickest and cleanest cut in the bottom tier. Now the groom places his hand over the bride’s hand to help her slice the first piece.  Slide the slice onto the server and place it on a plate. Use the knife to cut the slice into two small pieces. You each take your pieces of cake from the same plate for the ceremonial feeding of the cake to each other.  

 Smile & Say “ Tastries ”.

Along with the Marriage Kiss, Grand Entrance, First Dance and Bouquet Toss, this charming tradition of Cutting the Cake is one of those photo opportunities that graces every wedding album. It provides both a fabulous photo opportunity and symbolizes your first joint task as newlyweds.               
             
Helpful Hint:  Before the celebration, be clear and specific on where your cake will be placed.                                        

Let us know if you would like a stand for your cake. A cake stand is an inexpensive way to “add a layer” or height to your wedding cake. 

Many photographers take pictures of the cake being set up, the cake with the guests gathered around, and the moment you make your magical cut and feed each other for the first time as man and wife.  Giving consideration to the background, lighting and visibility of your wedding cake will make these portraits extend these beautiful memories for a lifetime. 

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The Groom's Cake

Early American weddings had a groom's cake along with the wedding cake and many weddings have resurrected the tradition of this cake to showcase the groom's hobbies, individual taste,  and even their favorite sports teams.  They are usually a special color and flavor to contrast the actual wedding cake, although any flavor or design is acceptable.  Recently some newer trends have shown up:
The Half and Half Wedding cake:  Half of the cake is decorated as a beautiful white wedding cake, and the other half is a delectable chocolate design or groom themed cake.
The Grooms cake for the rehearsal dinner: A cake designed by the bride (secretly) as a gift to her future husband and a surprise for him the night before their wedding.

The Gift of Hospitality
A wedding reception is all about hospitality.  We sometimes forget that wedding guests are just that - guests. They are guests who are witnesses to, and participants in, one of our most sacred traditions. Because they have honored you  by playing important roles in your lives, and by agreeing to participate in your wedding ceremony, it is a privilege  to honor them in return with hospitality after the ceremony is complete.  In the past, the bride and groom would send guests home with a piece of their wedding cake like a wedding favor, later guests were given a little memento; something like flower seeds, mints or chocolates wrapped in a little piece of tulle or box with a matching ribbon.  That tradition has evolved into treats being taken home.  Some couples have chosen a personalized cookie with the bride and grooms  initials, or their wedding date wrapped in a clear bag with a wedding color ribbon, others give little boxes of macarons tied with a ribbon and thank you note from the two of you.   Some have chosen to have little boxes at a dessert bar with a thank you note for the guests to choose treats to take home with them…all of these are examples of appreciation to your guests for taking the time to spend the day supporting and celebrating you becoming husband and wife.

Remember, the wedding reception is the celebration of your marriage vows and a thank you to your guests.
“Therefore, a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." Genesis 2:24
 

The Wedding Cake

Many engaged couples spend hours searching for the right cake for their special celebration. But do you know that as we enjoy the variety of wedding cakes available to us now, these cakes have a long deep history? The number of tiers, the color of the cake, the cake cutting and the existence of wedding cakes comes from a carefully planned longstanding tradition dating back to Roman and Medieval times. For centuries The Wedding Cake has often been the centerpiece of the wedding, typically sitting in a place of honor at the reception.

Helpful Hint: Think about where you want your cake to be placed?  Whatever is directly behind the cake will be in your pictures.  Is there enough space for people to gather around as you complete two of the 4 traditions at your reception? What is the lighting surrounding your cake…will your guests be able to see both of you?  ​​

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“Then the LORD God said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.' So, the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man, he made into a woman and brought her to the man.” Genesis 2:18–25 

This is your day to come together as man and wife in a celebration with your family and friends.