Everything You Need to Know About a Groom's Cake
When you’re planning a wedding, there are all kinds of wedding traditions you have to decide whether you want to incorporate into your day or you’d rather skip. Some traditions just won’t resonate with you as a couple and that’s totally fine. One tradition you might want to consider? If you’ll serve a groom’s cake in addition to your main wedding cake. So let’s break down what a groom’s cake is, why you might want one, and how to pick the perfect cake.
What’s a Groom’s Cake?
You already know that cake is traditionally served at a wedding reception (and when you think about a wedding cake, you’re probably picturing a stunning, multi-tiered white cake covered in flowers, ruffles, and the like). Wedding cakes are often elegant, edible works of art, but they don’t always exactly capture the personalities of the couple. A groom’s cake is designed to right this wrong.
A groom’s cake is usually a second wedding cake served during the reception that is, shall we say, less traditional in that it’s meant to reflect the groom’s personality, hobbies, or favorite things. You might have seen groom’s cakes that look like their dog, the sport they’re obsessed with, their favorite sneakers, or whatever else they love. Really, there aren’t any rules related to groom’s cakes, which makes them pretty fun. A groom’s cake can be anything you want it to be!
Why You Might Want a Groom’s Cake at Your Wedding
There are a number of reasons why you might want to include a groom’s cake in your wedding plans. Here are a few of the biggest reasons couples go for it:
It’s a way to bring something more reflective of him into the reception plans: Weddings are often pretty… bridal, for lack of a better phrasing. Though, of course, you can and should include your partner’s preferences and personality throughout the details of the day, a groom’s cake is an easy way to make him the focal point.
It’s a fun way to surprise your partner: Although some grooms know a groom’s cake is coming (and maybe are even heavily involved in the design and selection of their cake), other partners choose to surprise their groom with a special cake all their own. It makes for another special, memorable moment on your wedding day.
You can branch out, flavor-wise: A lot of wedding cakes are crowd-pleasing flavors like vanilla, raspberry, lemon, or even red velvet cake, but if you’re also serving a groom’s cake, you don’t have to be so tied to traditional flavors. Pick flavors that the groom (or both of you) especially loves, no matter how untraditional they may feel for a wedding.
How to Pick the Right Groom’s Cake
Now that you know what a groom’s cake is and why you might want to include one in your wedding celebration, it’s time to figure out what kind of cake you might want to get. Here are a few popular options if you’re feeling unsure of where to start:
For the Gamer: A PlayStation controller, a Pac-Man maze, or even a cake that looks like an open laptop with his favorite video games on the screen.
For the Sports Fanatic: A helmet, a basketball jersey, the logo of their favorite sports team, or a football field in full edible glory.
For the Dog Dad: A cake sculpted to look like his favorite furry friend.
For the Cocktail Aficionado: A cake that looks like a bottle of his favorite liquor or cocktail.
For the Music Lover: A guitar, a drum set, or an album cover in cake form.
When to Serve a Groom’s Cake
Have we convinced you yet? If so, it’s time to talk logistics. When and how should you serve a groom’s cake, anyway? Generally speaking, groom’s cakes are often served at the rehearsal dinner or alongside your main wedding cake during the reception. If you’d rather break with tradition a bit and make it more of a moment, consider serving it with or instead of a late-night snack once the party’s really gotten going.
FAQs
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Not really, but they’re fun! Groom’s cakes are a great way to add a bit of unique personality to your big day and let your partner take center stage for a bit.
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It depends on when you want to serve it. If you’re serving your groom’s cake at the rehearsal dinner, you should make sure that it’s big enough so that everyone there can have a piece (generally, that’s going to be a lot smaller than your wedding cake). If you’re serving it at the reception, you’ll want a size that will serve about half of your guests (or so) because some people will opt for wedding cake or any other sweet treats you may also be serving for dessert.
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How much your cake will cost is dependent on several factors like size, design, and level of detail. Smaller, simpler cakes will be more affordable (think a couple hundred dollars), while larger, sculpted, or hyper-realistic cakes can be far more expensive. Ultimately, it depends on what you’re comfortable spending and what you want in terms of size and design.
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Of course! It’s so fun that way! If you’re keeping your groom’s cake a surprise, you’ll work closely with a cake designer to come up with something you know they’ll love, then get to do a whole reveal of the special treat for your partner at the rehearsal dinner or reception for a very special (and memorable) moment.
Ultimately, your wedding celebration should be a reflection of both of you, so if you feel like things are leaning a bit heavily towards you, consider adding a groom’s cake. Whether it’s super simple, sculpted, or hyper-realistic, it’s a thoughtful detail that your guests and partner will remember long after the wedding is over.
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