The cake has been a special part of wedding celebrations since the Roman era. The original wedding cakes were made of wheat flour, salt and water and made into loaves. The loaves were then broken over the bride’s head at the end of the ceremony to bestow good luck and fertility to the newlyweds. Guests would then pick up the crumbs from the cake as good luck charms.

During the middle Ages, guests were expected to bring their own little cakes to the wedding celebration. The cakes were piled up in a tiered cluster and it became traditional for the couple to kiss over the cluster of cakes. Later, a clever baker decided to gather all these small cakes together and cover them with frosting. Thus, the modem tiered cake was born. It is said he was inspired by the unusual shape of the spire of Saint Bride’s Church in London.

Cutting the wedding cake is now a traditional part of the wedding reception. Traditionally, the newlyweds make the first cut together, symbolizing their shared life together. Every guest is expected to eat a little of the cake in order to bring good luck to the bride and groom. It is said that a single woman who sleeps with a piece of wedding cake under her pillow will dream of her future husband. Furthermore, it is considered good luck for the bride and groom to save the top tier of their wedding cake and eat it on their first anniversary.