What's all of the fuss about?
By Tresa Erickson

You've attended countless weddings in the past six months, and now that your own is coming up, you're starting to rethink certain aspects, in particular, the cakecutting ceremony. At every wedding you have attended thus far, the bride and groom have cut the cake, shared a piece, posed for a picture, and that's that. What is all of the fuss about? Is it even worth scheduling a time for you and the groom to cut the cake? Why not spend more time on the dance floor and let the caterers cut and serve the cake? Well, although it may not be as well known now, there is a significance of the cake-cutting ceremony.

By the late 19th century, wedding cakes had become very popular and today take center stage at most wedding receptions. Traditionally, the cake-cutting ceremony is the first task that the bride and groom perform together as husband and wife. It is a symbol of their unity. The bride cuts the first piece with help from the groom. She then feeds the groom, and he feeds her. This symbolizes their commitment to provide for one another.

Cutting the cake together unifies the couple and feeding each other symbolizes their commitment. Who knew? There is a purpose to the whole cake-cutting ceremony, after all, other than shoving it into each other's mouth and making for a humorous picture. If you enjoy the symbolism of the ceremony, then you may want to include it in your ceremony. If you still think that there is little point to it, then go ahead and skip it and stay on the dance floor. Don't be surprised, though, if your decision raises a few eyebrows.