The groom’s cake may seem like a relatively new presence on the wedding scene, but this growing addition has strong roots, specifically in the American South. (Back then, a single woman who boxed up a slice at a wedding was supposed to sleep with the cake under her pillow that night and she would dream of her own husband-to-be!). The basis of the new popularity lies in a kind of battle of the sexes—the modern groom wants his own presence in the wedding celebrations! The groom’s cake is generally more masculine, in contrast to the wedding cake: it is often a darker or richer cake, is only one layer, and, occasionally, reflects the groom’s personality or interests (think sport- or alma mater-inspired cakes). How a couple incorporates their groom’s cake varies, and depends mostly on personal preference. Some display the groom’s cake next to the wedding cake at the reception, cutting the second cake later in the night, after the wedding cake has been cut. Some use the groom’s cake as a desert at the rehearsal dinner. Alternatively, the groom’s cake can become the focal point of pre-wedding preparations and celebrations for the groomsmen. It’s definitely an ever-changing and open tradition worth considering. You can see the groom’s cake as a bit of groom’s revenge, and you can also see this second cake as a nod to the uniqueness of the couple: it’s a respectful acknowledgement of the two distinct individuals who are coming together.

Image 1 courtesy of Patricia Lyons and cake by Sylvia Weinstock, Image 2 and 3 courtesy of Patricia Lyons and cake by Mahlia Creations, Image 4 and 5 courtesy of Patrica Lyons and cake by Cakes of Art.