Cutting the Wedding Cake

Becki — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 12:51:00 +0000

Here’s my first post to help the bride and groom on their wedding day. One of the most common questions I receive during the reception is “How do we cut the wedding cake?”. Imagine, there you two are, at that symbolic moment, there’s the cake, there’s the knife and all the guests have gathered around you. Camera’s are pointing at you two and you don’t have any idea what to do next.
Cake cutting is a highly photographic moment and symbolizes the first time a couple breaks bread as husband and wife. Up until this point you’ve not even considered the cake cutting. Don’t feel bad. There aren’t many times in life one has cut a cake while holding the hand of another. Below is just a guideline to make the moment less intimidating:

The Little Guide to Cake Cutting:
-Groom on right side of bride.
-The bride holds knife in her right hand.
-The groom puts his right hand over the bride’s right hand.
-For the most aesthetically appealing photographs, the bride should put her left hand over the right hands. (Having your left arm hanging to the side can feel unnatural.)
-Now it’s time to pause and let the guest snap photos of the moment. Breathe and Smile.
-Work together and slowly cut the first piece.
-Gently have the groom feed the bride the first bite, followed by her feeding him. This moment symbolizes the nurturing nature of your relationship together.
-For more formal affairs or longer cake cutting ceremonies slices may be offered to the parents to show the connection between both families.
-Last but not least: -HAVE FUN

Now if you can’t remember these steps in the heat of the moment, don’t sweat it. Your wedding coordinator and or photographer can help.

Other resources on how to cut the cake:

Wilton Wedding Cake Cutting Guide

Pastry Wiz

The Cakery

Becki Dickinson :: The Photographer Blog » Cake Cutting

Cutting the Wedding Cake