Taking out the cake is a key moment of the wedding that all guests look forward to. This special moment must be carefully organized and planned, because you will probably be very upset if the cake melts or falls into pieces at the wedding. That is why everything must be taken into account down to the smallest detail.
Nowadays, it’s common to make a whole show out of bringing out the cake at a wedding. Young couples compete in originality, entertainment and, of course, the taste of the wedding dessert. How to make your guests remember this moment forever? What you should pay attention to? How to create the perfect scenario?
Who brings out the wedding cake?
As a rule, this task falls on the shoulders of the waiters, but there are times when restaurant workers refuse to take out the cake. Then they can be replaced by a pastry chef, witnesses, parents or simply close friends of the young people.
You can involve your family and friends in making the cake. Of course, the process will be led by an experienced pastry chef. All this is recorded on video and shown at the moment the cake is served. Such a small film can be a real surprise for the bride and groom; the moment will turn out to be very joyful and touching.
When should I take out the cake?
It is important to choose the right moment to serve dessert. If the guests are dancing and having fun, the ceremonial removal of the cake will go unnoticed, and if everyone has already gone home, then only you will see your gorgeous cake.
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To serve your sweet masterpiece, it is better to use the dark time of day or artificially darken the room, then the cake will be the center of attention.
Some couples prefer to immediately serve the cake into the hall and cover it with a cap. The cake should be cut and treated to the guests after the end of the main part of the banquet.
How to decorate a cake?
The cake is often taken into the hall on a special cart or carried out on a tray. This point should be given special attention if you do not want a primitive metal tray to immediately deprive your cake of all its beauty and sophistication.
Decorations made from fresh flowers are now at the peak of popularity. Florists can create not only a bouquet or a garland from fresh flowers, but also an entire tablecloth that can be used to cover a cart. Flower petals, candles and fondant decorations are also used when decorating the cake.
If you decide on a “Homemade Cake” or your wedding is being held in a rustic style, then the cake can be decorated with a large variety of berries and fruits. In this case, you should avoid the abundance of mastic and whipped cream. Preference is given to natural materials; a beautiful cut of wood can be used as a tray.
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Why such entertainment?
Some people think that no one needs competitions at weddings today.
However, they are deeply mistaken, because it is competitions that allow you to give your wedding its own unique flavor.
A well-thought-out competitive program will make the event unforgettable and will allow guests and newlyweds to:
- relax;
- get to know each other better;
- get into the holiday atmosphere;
- to prove oneself;
- receive memorable souvenirs;
- feel like a part of the celebration;
- forget about boredom and bad mood.
Alternatives to the classic cake
The most original ones can decorate the cake using an aquarium with fish. Several aquariums of different sizes stand on top of each other, and the dessert is located on the sides.
Pyramid cakes consisting of pastries or macaroons are gaining popularity. Such masterpieces include the Polish “Shakotis”, consisting of cookies, and the French “Croquembouche” - a pyramid of round buns with cream, covered with caramel.
Cake can be replaced with pies and cupcakes. The biggest originals can even make a sushi cake!
Draw attention to the presentation of the cake at the wedding
Some brides prefer this option as a “cake on a swing”. Your cake sits on a hanger decorated with flowers, ribbons and fabric. You can make the “swing” smoothly descend from the very ceiling; such a removal of the cake will create a real sensation.
If the cake is taken out at night, then candles and fireworks are traditionally used. Cake candles are most often used as decoration: they burn brightly and for a long time, and cold sparks do not harm the cake and decorations.
The words of the toastmaster or solemn music will do a great job of attracting attention.
Scenarios
The presenter announces a competition and says: “I found one item in the attic of my house. And it is not simple, but magical. This is a hat that knows what you're thinking. Let's check if this is true." Then the toastmaster takes out his hat and approaches the first subject and says: “The moment of truth! Now we will know what thoughts inhabit your head!” The host puts the headdress on the guest, and the DJ plays a witty or funny line from the song .
There are other, no less interesting and fun, scenarios for this competition:
- Fortune telling . The presenter can conduct this competition in the extravagant image of a gypsy (gypsy). At the beginning of the game, the toastmaster can announce that today he is more generous than ever and will predict the future for free using a magic hat. Then the track that plays after the host puts the hat on the guest will be a prediction;
- Wish . In this competition, the musical accompaniment voices what the guest, bride, groom or parents of the heroes of the occasion wish to other people.
How to fill the pauses?
The mind-reading hat is a very interesting competition option for guests, especially if you choose the right song fragments. But a large share of responsibility lies on the shoulders of the presenter, who should make interesting comments after the tracks have been announced.
Important! Throughout the entire competition, you need to monitor the mood of the guests: whether they react to jokes, whether they like this competition or not. If those present did not appreciate this game, then it is better to stop it.
When the toastmaster goes from one guest to another, there will likely be awkward pauses. To avoid this, you need to diversify the seconds of silence with jokes and witty comments . These phrases can be either improvised or prepared in advance. Here are some options for phrases that can be used to fill pauses:
- And now we will play, we will unravel your thoughts.
- So we learned the whole truth, how are you, guests, not tired?
- Why is the neighbor not cheerful, hanging his head?
- Can't find a place for ourselves, we're coming to you, bride!
- Somehow our father-in-law is depressed, maybe you don’t like your son-in-law?
Cake with surprise
To make your cake even more special, use one of the following ideas:
- cake using different colored cake layers. It can be different shades of the same color or a real rainbow;
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- liquid chocolate filling. This cake would be appropriate to serve with ice cream;
- filling from candies and bars, in this case M&M's chocolate dragee is often used;
- surprise cake You can bake a small souvenir with symbolic meaning into your wedding dessert. For example, a ring promises a quick marriage, a gilded nut promises health, a beautiful coin promises wealth. The souvenir should not be very small so that the guest does not accidentally swallow it.
Alternative options
Often, the standard sale with direct cash payment seems inappropriate or not original enough for wedding organizers . Therefore, it is worth considering other “calculation” options.
“Increasing rates” may not necessarily be in monetary terms . Guests can, for example, compete:
- who will help the young family more - will walk with the children or rock them to sleep;
- will help the newlyweds with repairs or will drive them in his car;
- will increase the salary or do part of the work (if employees or young bosses are present at the holiday).
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You can bet on an unusual congratulation - a dance, a song, a comic number, and so on .
Organize a question-answer competition . Whoever answers the question about the newlyweds' love story and interesting facts from their lives the fastest gets another piece . You should be very careful with questions - by the end of the celebration, guests may not be completely sober and give out information that the young people would not at all want to make public.
You can sell the first piece for the smallest bill/coin . If guests have several coins or banknotes of the same denomination, the one with the oldest and most battered “money” wins.
How to cut a cake?
The cake is cut by the bride and groom; for this action it is better to purchase a special knife and spatula, designed in the same style. As a rule, young people treat each other with the first piece, however, if you want to show respect to your elders, you should present the first piece to your parents, expressing words of gratitude.
The cake begins to be cut from the bottom tier. The bride and groom keep the top tier for themselves to eat the next morning in a close family circle.
Think carefully about how you want the cake removal ceremony to look so as not to ruin this special moment at the wedding of your dreams.
About tradition
The tradition of “selling” a cake at a wedding is a modern version of presenting all guests with “wedding bread”, a loaf. Once upon a time, the newlyweds (sometimes just the bride) bowed to all the guests, receiving congratulations and gifts in exchange for pieces of loaf.
The first pieces were presented to parents or the most honored guests .
Now the ceremony is arranged differently, but still allows guests to please the newlyweds with at least one more good wish, and often a significant gift. By the way : you can sell not pieces of cake, but figurines or decor decorating it .
This is especially true for “chamber” weddings, where dessert is served in the form of a small item. Foreign newlyweds often combine an “auction” for the sale of a cake with a gift ceremony . Guests come up to congratulate the newly married couple, give them a gift and receive a piece of cake in exchange.
Our ceremony most often goes like this:
- The taken out cake is cut into pieces . This is done by the bride and groom (they cut off the first piece or more), and then by the waiters. It is better to entrust the cutting of complex multi-tiered products to professionals, since newlyweds can unknowingly break the structure;
- the first pieces (or the entire top tier) are usually left to the bridal party . They decide for themselves (even before the feast) exactly what to do - keep everything for themselves or allocate the first piece “for sale”;
- the remaining parts of the cake (or portioned cakes) are offered to guests in order of priority, or several pieces are sold by auction . In the second option, the starting price is announced - extremely low (for example, 10 rubles), then guests increase the price. The winner receives a portion, then the auction continues.
Also, a scenario is possible when the first two pieces are given to their parents by the young people and only the third is sold at auction . The waiters cut the rest into portions and treat those gathered in order of priority.
Advice to set the so-called “step” in the auction during the auction of 50, 100, 500 or 1000 rubles. The presenter must convey these rules to the guests before the start of the auction.
Guests may not respond well to a direct sale or auction (even a humorous one), so the host’s job is to motivate them to buy . For example, declare that each next piece is a guarantee of the imminent birth of your first child, profit, good luck in business, an interesting trip, and so on.
Or declare that the newlyweds share their happiness with them (pieces of cake), and the guests in return must “give back . You can create excitement in almost any company and create a fun gaming atmosphere.
