Wedding Bells

Let Him Eat Cake!

On a day typically devoted to the bride, groom cakes are becoming the must-have item to make your man feel extra special too. By Lynn Norman

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Any budget-conscious bride-to-be will tell you that when it comes to saving money there is always a struggle over what to cut and what to keep. The more decadent wedding traditions, especially those concerning the groom, often fall by the wayside due to financial concerns. After all, if it comes down to a designer gown or hot lather shaves for all the groomsmen, for most brides the choice is clear. However, recent trends are helping the groom reclaim his part of the big-day spotlight. In particular, the groom cake has resurfaced, and to sweeten the deal, these delectable treats are following their own rules, leaving plenty of room to experiment and modernize this age-old tradition.

When to Serve It?
Traditionally, cake slices were handed out at the reception to the single bridesmaids to place under their pillow, in hopes the man they dreamt about that night would become their future husband. If the idea of dishing slices to only the single gals seems a little medieval to you, there are plenty of other options. Groom cakes make a delicious addition to the bachelor party or rehearsal dinner. They can be served as an alternate option to the wedding cake, rest as a centrepiece at the reception table, or even be a yummy memento to be boxed up for all departing guests.

Flavour and Design
While groom cakes were typically chocolate or fruit cake, their re-emergence has encouraged a wide variety of design and flavour ideas. Whether you choose to make it a wedding-day surprise for your special someone or have him pick for himself, this is one area where his tastes definitely come first. Design styles are similarly flexible. While some couples choose to have complementary cakes, like the too-sweet-to-eat bride and groom cake combo, others see it as more of a novelty or a reflection of the groom’s unique personality, hobbies or interests.

Alternative Ideas
Groom cakes can fall under the stereotypical notion that they’re meant to impose humour. However, if you’re looking for a classier approach, ask your cake designer to decorate two cakes with more distinguishable feminine and masculine hues in mind. For example, you could showcase two different cakes, one in more romantic tones of pink alongside another confection decorated in more sturdy blue hues. Likewise, cupcakes are another way to showcase a “groom-inspired” creation. Simply have half your cupcakes decorated in vanilla marked with your initials while the other half can be covered in chocolate marked with your groom’s initials.