Photo: By the Robinsons
Hey, it's ok to not feel totally tied to the traditional idea of a wedding cake! With tons of alternatives, like donuts and cupcakes, becoming popular options, couples are wondering exactly how far they can wander from the standard multi-tier white cake. In that light, we sought out etiquette advice on common cake-related questions so that brides and grooms can feast on sweets to their hearts' content!
Is it ok to pass on having a cake if I'm allergic to gluten and my husband doesn't have a big sweet tooth?
It's great if couples want to do it their way — personalizing your wedding is always a good idea, after all — but don't completely bypass the cake tradition. If you're more of an ice cream girl due to your allergy, put out a dessert buffet with a sundae and cookie bar. Since the cutting of the cake is such a classic wedding photo, why not have a small, gluten-free dessert or a wheel of cheese to cut into for ceremonial purposes? Or, pick a one-tier cake that you can then designate as a kids-only cake.
I really want a chocolate cake, but I've been told it's not a great idea for a wedding. Should I just do it anyway?
The biggest risk of an all-chocolate wedding cake is getting it on your teeth during the "cake face smash" or accidentally staining your wedding dress. If you're really set on chocolate, though, stick to a light-colored layer on the bottom — that's the one you'll cut into for your photo op. Save your favorite flavor for the top layer, which you can enjoy while sitting down, away from the cameras, or on your anniversary.
It seems like serving dessert in addition to wedding cake has become custom, but I'd rather not do that. Will that look cheap?
The wedding cake is the only dessert you really need; everything else, like a Viennese table, is (pardon the pun) the icing on top. Your cake is so special and meaningful, why not let it be the star of the show? If you're concerned that having this as the only dessert will look bare, you can dress it up a bit for serving with fruit, a coulis or sauce, a scoop of sorbet or ice cream, or even a truffle or two on the side.