Who Is Meant To Cut The First Slice Of A Wedding Cake?

While you're free to personalize your wedding ceremony and reception as you see fit, many couples choose to adhere to certain long-standing traditions. When it comes to the wedding cake, the first cut is usually performed as a joint venture between the bride and groom. Much like other aspects of a wedding, joint cake-cutting establishes a couple's loving union and shows they plan to tackle tasks and obstacles as a team.

However, the couple's cake-cutting duties begin and end with the first slice. Once the cake has been cut and the tradition has been captured by a wedding photographer for posterity, the catering crew will take over cutting the cake. This serves two important purposes; first, it ensures the couple can relax and have fun on their big day, as providing cake to tens or even hundreds of guests is a daunting task. Second, it ensures the cake-cutting progresses smoothly, as the caterers will use best practices to efficiently hand out slices to guests.

When it comes time for couples to cut their wedding cake together, the right technique is key. One spouse should stand in front of the cake, while the other should stand behind them. With both spouses gripping the knife, a single slice should be made into the cake. Next, take the knife and reposition it diagonally to the initial cut to carve out a wedge of a slice. From here, you can use the knife to extract the wedge from the rest of the cake and deposit it onto a waiting plate.

As for when to cut the cake, most couples choose to do it after dinner but before dancing commences. However, you can also schedule cake cutting to occur earlier in the reception to ensure that every guest can enjoy a slice. Traditionally, cake cutting indicates that the wedding is drawing to a close. If you have many loved ones in attendance, who will all likely be hankering for a piece of delicious wedding cake, scheduling the tradition earlier just makes sense.

Some couples find it cute to playfully smash wedding cake into each other's faces following the cake cutting. However, this tradition has come under scrutiny in recent years, with some even labeling it misogynistic, according to Newsweek. The tradition is said to have originated in Ancient Rome, where breaking up a cake over the bride's head was intended to establish a husband's "dominance" in the marriage. And it seems that this practice continues to incense brides to this day, with one woman even leaving her own wedding reception and filing for an annulment immediately after her new husband pushed a cake slice into her face (per TikTok).

Accordingly, it's important to have a discussion with your spouse about expectations regarding this and other cake-cutting traditions. If you and your spouse agree that it's a fun and playful addition to the ceremony, it's best to proceed with caution to avoid making a mess or ruining someone's expensive makeup or clothing. And if either spouse finds fault with the practice, it should be avoided. Many couples opt to feed each other bites of the first slice instead, which is a cuter and less aggressive version of the cake smash.