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June Is Known for Weddings
And what would a wedding be without a cake? I shudder to think of it. Let us look at a brief history of Wedding Cakes.
The wedding cake has been a part of the ceremony since the ancient Greeks and Romans. As part of the nuptials, the groom broke bread over the bride’s head. This was to symbolize her submission, the end of her purity, and to represent good luck and fertility.
During the Middle Ages, a new take on wedding cake began. The newer approach included cakes that were high-stacked and the newlyweds would kiss over it. If they were successful in kissing without knocking the cake over, then it was believed that they would be blessed with many children.
Taking the goal of the bride’s fertility a step further, the English decided that child-bearing would be best increased by throwing the cake at the bride.
Originally wedding cakes were not the iced confections of today. In fact, they were often plain and similar to today’s fruitcakes. However, by the 17th century and on into the 18th, sugar started to be more affordable, and white icing began being used as -not surprisingly- a symbol of the bride’s virginity as well as an indicator of the wealth of the bride’s family. Later on, having color added to the icing, as well as having tiered cakes and elaborate designs indicated even greater affluence and social status. The symbolism of the couple feeding each other is to show others that they promise to look out for each other forever.
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