History of Cake.

            Cake has been a common choice of food in celebrative occasions such as birthday celebrations and weddings. In weddings, they serve the role of bearing symbolic meanings and providing additional visual treats more than being considered as food for dealing with hunger during the ceremonies or celebrations, and this reflects the values of the culture or the time period on marriage. This phenomenon has been more and more mature and even overly emphasized as the development of cake market and industries grows.

In medieval times, there were no particular sweets associated with weddings, later on “plum cakes or “great cakes” became increasingly associated with festive occasions, though not exclusively nuptials.” (Wilson, Bee). At this point, the cakes were featured in the occasions based on their basic function as a sharable form of food. The marking of the cakes in 17^th century Britain of the wedding cakes as “bride’s pies” instead of cakes, the appearance of bridal breads to be ceremonially broken, as well as the almond-pasted, hard-iced fruit cake in weddings tied with the cutting ritual, have added an extra layer of symbolic meaning of the cakes (Wilson). The cake started symbolizing the bride and hints the associated culture’s value of marriage. For example royal icing stands for a public declaration of love, fruit cake’s longevity suggests the loyalty between the couple is everlasting; in contrast the American typical bride cake being white gateau with perishable buttercream icing surely made it a more romantic type of wedding cake, but at the same time displayed its lack of the responsibility of bearing the message of a long-lasting marriage (Wilson).

Cake toppers also occupy a significant role in the field of attachment of different symbolic meanings to wedding cakes. The development of cake toppers is similar to many other products we have today. Starting from the basic which focuses on fulfilling its function as decorative objects representing the couple, to including more variety of religious, ethical, and unique features (such as music boxes) that shift the focus from the taste of the cake to its visual add-ons. (Allen, Emily) Yet, the cake toppers are designed to be lasted for a day but not for life, which is not echoing with the meaning of marriage of being permanent.

Modern consumers look for more visual stimulation and temporary ornaments from a wedding cake. However, it is important for us to be reminded the meaning of wedding, which is not about an instant moment of amazement but witnessing the beginning of an intended to be eternal marriage.