Category : Wedding History
Wedding Traditions: Bridal Fashion
Word association time. What image appears in your mind when you read these words? Pearls, veil, white. I imagine “bride” or “wedding” came quickly to mind. For those of us infused in Western culture, weddings and brides are closely associated with these traditional images. Even as a small child, I was following these traditions, receiving a pearl for every birthday to be added to my future wedding necklace. Yet, from where do these traditions arise? Curious, I did some research and discovered some interesting rituals behind three major elements of the bridal ensemble: the veil, the white dress and the pearls.
Couple marries in Joplin one week after devastating tornados
McKenzie ‘Brooke’ Watson and fiancé Aaron Cox agonized over whether to go ahead with their wedding in Joplin, MO after devastating tornadoes tore through much of the town just over a week ago. But, family and friends felt the symbol of hope provided by the newlywed couple was just what Joplin needed.
Wedding guest, Lynn Hamper, said, “We all need it: hope for tomorrow. And what better way than a young married couple?”
You might remember the couple from the viral video Cox recorded of himself and his fiancée desperately searching for his sister in the aftermath of the tornado. Sarah Cox, the groom’s sister, feels lucky to have survived despite the total loss of her home. Read more »
Will and Kate: The Engagement
The wedding world is abuzz at the recent news of the engagement of the British Prince William of Wales to ‘commoner,’ Kate Middleton. A plethora of Chinese manufacturers kicked their factories into overdrive to create cheap reproductions of Kate’s blue sapphire and white diamond ring, which once adorned the hand of Will’s mother, the late Princess Diana of Wales.
Will and Kate pose for photographers after the official announcement of their engagement. Photo courtesy of Style.com
“This was my way of making sure that my mother didn’t miss out on today,” said William as the couple posed for photographers in the state apartments at St. James’ Palace. Read more »
Wedding Cake Basics: Modern Wedding Cakes
Wedding cakes have come a long way since I was a kid. I remember one of my aunts squeezing frosting out of a pastry bag and deftly creating dozens of blue frosting roses on tiny little circles of cardboard so they could be placed on a family wedding cake, which was likely covered in plain white frosting before the rosettes were finally applied. Back then, one could expect to find the same basic cake at every wedding. But, while today’s wedding cakes generally consist of several layers of cake stacked one atop another and covered with frosting, they are anything but basic.
During the late 20th century, it was common to see white cake tiers stacked upon Roman columns. Architecture was a common theme overall, with some cakes complete with sweeping plastic staircases to link multiple tiered cakes in graduated sizes.
The cakes were generally decorated with thick, white butter cream icing to symbolize purity and trimmed with the couple’s favorite wedding color. These cakes were usually also covered with creamy frosting rosebuds and other flowers and topped off with a bride and groom cake topper. In most cases, one could expect to see the same basic design at every wedding reception.
Today, those plastic Roman columns of the 80s and 90s have almost disappeared in favor of tiers stacked one right upon the next. Support pillars, when necessary, are hidden among flowers and frills, which are also common on modern wedding cakes. In many cases, nature seems to have taken the place of architecture with many modern wedding cakes garnished with a variety of fresh fruits, flowers and greenery.
Modern wedding cakes are no longer limited to plain white cake with white butter cream frosting. Instead, modern wedding cakes come in a variety of shapes, colors and flavors. Today’s wedding cakes are culinary masterpieces which make a statement all their own. Rather than being a simple symbol of purity, modern wedding cakes are a reflection of the couple’s personalities. Read more »
Wedding Cake Basics: History
Like many wedding traditions, the wedding cake is often said to have originated with the ancient Greeks and Romans. The tradition has since evolved from its earlier bread-like form to the beautiful and delicious concoctions we have come to expect today. And, just as every other aspect of wedding planning is subject to both seasonal and yearly changes, so do wedding cake trends change as time passes.
Back in the days of the Roman Empire, the wedding cake tradition began in the form of a loaf of wheat or barley bread which would often be broken over the heads of the newlyweds to bring the couple a life of luck and prosperity. The crumbs of this ‘wedding cake’ that fell to the floor were eaten by guests for good luck. And, single female guests would also fight for the grains for luck in their own betrothals.
The groom sometimes also broke a loaf of the bread over the bride’s head. This was a symbol of the husband’s dominance over his bride. The tradition of breaking bread over the bride’s head continued for centuries and is reported to have been in use in Scotland as recently as the 19th century.
In the tradition of the ancient Greeks, the newlywed couple would cut a sesame cake together. A symbol of fertility and happiness, this is perhaps where our modern tradition of wedding cake cutting originated.
In the middle ages, wedding cakes consisted of simple biscuits, scones or sticky buns. At that time, the cakes were provided by the guests, each bringing one small cake. These small cakes, which were somewhat larger than today’s cupcakes, would be piled in a heap, and were often pasted together with apple sauce. The bride and groom would kiss over the top of the cakes as a symbol of the guests’ wish for a long and prosperous marriage with many children.
In the 17th century, French bakers began to stack wheat buns, pasting them together with icing. These were the first cakes that began to resemble what we would recognize as a wedding cake today. Since those early days, the wedding cake has evolved from bread to the sweet cake we recognize today. And, as the cake itself has evolved, so have the traditions surrounding it. Read more »
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by Carlson Craft