Tracing Tradition of Wedding Cake and Toast
Just like any other event, a union between man and wife would not be complete without food. Indeed, the sharing of wine and cake is one of the most awaited events at the reception and these are the meanings behind them:
The tradition of toasting at a marriage banquet was first introduced by the Greeks back in 6th century BC but was mainly understood as a safety measure. The groom (since he is considered as the new head of the family) would take a sip from his cup to ensure that it was not poisoned. A century later, the Romans picked up this practice but for a completely different reason. Almost any guest can stand up and wish the newly weds a prosperous and fruitful union. On the other hand, the custom of the couple drinking wine from the same cup started in France. Instead of one, there were two glasses at first and pieces of bread were placed at the bottom. Both the bride and the groom would race to finish the wine first and whoever won would make the toast. It was also believed that whoever won gets to rule the household.
As for the wedding cake, it was the ancient Romans that started this practice. Surprisingly, back then, they considered the couple's union official once the groom smashes the top of the bride's head with a loaf of barley. In medieval England, the newly weds locked lips over a pile of buns as a sign of prosperity and fortune. In the 16th century, there was plenty of sugar. As such, it soon became a trend to use white icing for cakes. People used this colour since it represented the bride's virginity or “purity.” The number of tiers signified affluence. The more tiers there were means that the couple was quite rich.
Over the years, these traditions evolved into what has been practised today. If you are about to get married and want to serve your guests with a delicious cake and other superb dishes, you can get ideas from the different recipes through Culinary Guide today!
