If a caterer is taking care of your reception, they will normally provide someone to cut and serve the cake.  However, if your budget demands that a friend or family member stand in for cake-cutting duty, these simple steps will help.

Since most wedding cakes are tiered, start cutting with the bottom layer.  If each tier is two layers high, cut the top layer of the bottom tier first.  Slice vertically through the cake layer up to the second tier.  Then cut into wedge-shaped slices all the way around.  If your bottom tier is two layers high, do the same with the bottom layer of the bottom tier.  Then move onto the next tier, cutting the pieces in the same wedge-shape. 

Square cakes can be cut into square or rectangular-shaped pieces, following the guidelines of cutting through one tier at a time until it is even with the next tier.  Heart-shaped cakes can be cut into halves or quarters, and then sliced in rectangular-shaped pieces.  If your heart-shaped cake is more then one layer, you will need to begin with the top layer.

Don’t forget to remove and save the very top tier of the cake for the couples’ first anniversary celebration.

The origin of the groom’s cake in uncertain, although it can be traced as far back as the 19th century.  Originally, it took the form of a fruit cake which was sliced and handed out to single women at a wedding.  Legend had it that if they slept with this slice underneath their pillow, they would dream of their future husband. 

Today, this tradition is most common in the southern United States.  There are no hard fast rules as to the flavor, size or shape of the cake.  The groom’s cake of today usually represents the groom’s hobbies or interests, and has taken the shape of footballs, race cars, swiss army knives and even cartoon characters.  Flavors can range from chocolate to cheesecake.  Since it should not detract from the wedding cake (bride’s cake), it is usually placed on a separate table away from the wedding cake, although it may also be served at the rehearsal dinner.

Whether the groom takes sole ‘creative license’ with his cake, or the couple designs the cake together, groom’s cakes are just plain fun to plan.