Cake Shotts

Wedding receptions culminate when the happy couple stands before their tiered and towering wedding cake to cut the first slice. Until the 19th century, wedding cakes were actually bridal pies. A “bride’s pie” was made of flaky pastry and filled with oysters, pine kernels, cockscombs, lambstones, sweetbreads, and spices. According to Gastronomica, a journal of food studies, humble versions of wedding cakes were also created with mutton and mincemeat. Bridal pies eventually gave way to sweeter offerings, including fruited cakes that served as symbols of fertility and prosperity. Today, wedding cakes run the gamut from all-white, fondant-covered confections to simple sheet cakes. Some couples even opt to serve their guests cupcakes or cookies. Although white is the preferred color of wedding cakes, couples may opt for hues that evoke the color schemes of their weddings.