Checklist of items needed for Cake Cutting and Serving
At the cake table:

• Cake Knife
• Cake Server
• Dessert Plate(s)
• Two (or more) Napkins
• Two forks
• Two Champagne Glasses – Filled

If the cake will be served from the reception table:

• Plastic gloves
• Box for discarded items
• Tray and box for top tier
• Box for cake topper

Cutting the cake is generally one of the last formal events of the day – generally shortly after the tossing of the bouquet and the garter. Many refer to the wedding cake cutting as the grand finale of the reception. Once the cake cutting ceremony is over, some of your guests may accept this as an opportunity to bid you farewell and leave the event – all within good etiquette. Others will stay and dance the night away with you and see you off to your honeymoon with pranks and well wishes.

Champagne or Champagne Punch for the Toast(s) - if you are serving champagne, be sure the champagne glasses are filled and ready for the bride and groom for the traditional toast just before cutting the cake.

Caterer (Servers) – make sure the timing is appropriate for the caterers and the servers are prepared to slice and serve the cake including preparation of the dessert dishes, forks and napkins.

Photographer – You want to make sure your photographer has taken adequate photos of the cake before the cutting ceremony – both of just the cake and of the bride and groom and/or the entire bridal party with the cake. And of course the cutting ceremony and cake exchange is another wonderful photo moment.

DJ/Band – Make sure the DJ or Band knows when the cake cutting event is to take place and uses the music to signify the start of the event to your guests possibly by playing an excerpt from your wedding music. The music should continue on a low level while the bride and groom feed each other a taste of cake. Then, if you wish your guests to get right back into the party, have the band segue into a fun dance number.

Sharing the first slice of the cake represents the first meal shared by the new couple and their commitment to care for and nurture one another. Generally, a toast is made by the bride and groom before the cake cutting begins.

Another sweet tradition, after the bride and groom feed each other a taste of cake, the bride would serve cake to the groom's parents and the groom would serve cake to the bride's parents.

Regional/Optional: Ribbon Pull
If you are having a ribbon pull where your bridesmaids pull charms from the cake for a sweet glimpse into their future, you will want to coordinate the ribbon pull with the cake cutting process. Generally, the ribbon pull should take place just after the bride and groom have shared their first slice of cake. However, if you have a separate cake prepared especially for the ribbon pull, you may choose to start with the ribbon pull. See American Wedding Cakes: History and Traditions and Basics of International Wedding Cake Traditions for more information on Ribbon Pulls.

Making the First Slice

The first slice of cake is cut by the bride and groom. The slice should be cut from the first real layer of cake closest to the bottom. (Ask your baker in advance if you are not sure if all the layers will be real cake. The bottom layer may be made of wood or styrofoam to create a solid support for a large cake or to make a smaller cake look larger and more grand.)

The cut should be made generally toward the front and center of the cake, but anywhere that makes for a good photo of the event is just fine. Be careful not to make the cut near one of the pillars or other supports for the cake if your cake has tiers as this could cause the layers to begin to tilt or even fall. To cut the cake, the bride holds the Cake Knife in her dominant hand and the groom places his hand around the bride’s hand. Together, the couple makes two slices in the cake about an inch apart. Don’t worry if the cake slice is not perfect. A triangle cut may work best since you are cutting from the center of the cake. Use the Cake Knife or Cake Server to place the first slice of cake on a dessert plate or napkin.

Next, the groom uses a fork or breaks off a small piece of the cake and feeds it to the bride, and the bride does the same in return. You may wish to discuss in advance your feelings on smashing cake in the face of your new spouse. While it still happens, the tradition has become less popular.

Cutting and Serving the Cake to Guests

Next, the cake is usually wheeled to the kitchen for cutting by an experienced serving staff and served to guests from the kitchen. If your baker has provided a “kitchen cake” to help you save money, the kitchen cake may already be sliced and ready to serve as soon as the cake is wheeled away.

If you will be serving the cake from the reception floor, it will help to have an experienced server and an assistant to make this flow quickly and smoothly. In this case, your guests are waiting in line for their slice of cake, so you efficiency and preparation are key. Have the server and assistance use plastic gloves for serving. While the cake knife is used to make the cuts, it is faster and easier to maneuver the cake onto the dessert plate with fingers than the cake server. The cake cutter will make the cuts, take the dessert plate from the stack, and place the cake on the plate.

The assistant will remove the cake topper and the top tier of the cake and place both safely out of the way of the festivities. [Note: Your may wish to have a Wedding Cake Delegate to oversee this topper and the top tier to make sure both are properly preserved for you according to your wishes. Some couples save the first tier for their 1st anniversary, but new traditions say enjoy the cake after the wedding on the way to your honeymoon or enjoy it with members of your wedding party when you return from your honeymoon. Depending on the price of your wedding cake, your baker may agree to provide a small anniversary cake for your first anniversary at no charge. The sentiment of your wedding cake will be the same, but you won’t have to force down a year old cake with freezer tastes.]

The assistant will also take the non-edible decorations, the pillars and other supports from the cake and place them in a box hidden from the guests while the server moves through the cake cutting for each layer. This keeps the presentation beautiful and clean looking for your guests. The order of the cuts to the cake can be most important as cutting will eventually undermine the supports and change the balance of the cake.

Special care must be taken to follow the standard cake cutting guidelines to avoid an untimely accidental cake disaster.

Serving the Groom's Cake

If there is a groom’s cake or other desserts offered at the reception, both the wedding cake and other desserts can be served at the same time.