Everyone wants their wedding to be a wonderful and safe event. Most weddings achieve this with a safe wedding venue, trustworthy caterers, and safe entertainment. For most weddings, there are three main events, the ceremony, the cake, and the dancing, and we want these events to be safe for our in-person guests as well as those streaming from a distance due to social distancing and safety measures. While we can wear masks at the ceremony and on the dance floor, the question of the cake has risen for many couples during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Can you still place your wedding cake on a table as a central decoration, then cut it for everyone to have a slice? Actually, yes.
Here at Sunflour Baking Company, we've seen couples tackle the wedding cake issue in a dozen different creative ways. The post-pandemic wedding cake design has inspired bakers, couples, wedding planners, and the wedding industry alike to new heights of both delicious creativity and cool divider technology. There are tons of ways to enjoy a shared, communal wedding cake without sharing germs at the same time during COVID-19 weddings, especially if you don't want a virtual wedding.
The Post-COVID Wedding Cake Question
When is it safe to share one big cake in the usual fashion? Today, that answer is when all the live guests have already immune-mixed or have each isolated and practiced social distancing for two weeks. Barring that, (as most wedding guest lists are not this tidy) you can take some cool, creative precautions to keep your friends and family safe during the wedding plannng while also sharing in your nuptial confectionary bliss.
For weddings with mixed-household guests, you can isolate the cake, isolate families, or individually package each serving of cake. There are also ways to enjoy a display wedding cake and hand out individually safe pieces. The right arrangement of tables combined with plastic or glass cake covers and plate management could provide the same cake-safety as individually packaged slices.
Keeping the Cake Safe and On Display
For couples who really want that centerpiece cake, the key is open-air exposure and wedding planning. The fewer peoples breath winds up on the cake, the more COVID-safe your shared wedding cake will be. The best way to do this is to use a wedding trend where you set your cake apart and protect it. You can use a plastic divider around your cake's table or set up a square clear plastic tent to display your cake at an outdoor wedding. For streamed weddings, you can even "hide" the cake in the catering area then display large screen display of the cake before individual slices are distributed from the kitchen. Just make sure it fits into your wedding ideas, and if you're not sure, ask the wedding planner.
Brides Choose Smaller Cakes to Cut
The traditional ceremonial cutting of the cake is a must-have for most couples. But many brides are deciding this ceremony doesn't need a 3-tiered cake sculpture. Many brides are choosing smaller cakes to cut for the ceremony. Then to fill the guest's craving for endless sweets, cupcakes and other individual treats are passed around to maintain safe crowd courtesy.
Smaller cakes are also popular for couples streaming their weddings to virtual guests who can't share a real cake. To minimize the overflow of post-wedding cake, a smaller cake is quite practical.
A smaller cake can still be beautiful and on display, but is more easily kept in a glass cake saver until the big moment. Many couples are also choosing a variety of smaller display cakes to better control guest exposure to both food allergies and viruses.
Wedding Cupcakes and Individual Treats
The leading solution to a COVID-safe wedding cake is cupcakes. These individual cake bites can be just as delicious - and personalized - as a wedding cake. Some couples choose to go 100% cupcakes, and this has always been a popular cake-alternative for quirky couples. Many brides who cut a smaller cake then pass out cupcakes so that guests can enjoy their fill of delicious cake without cross-contamination of their food supplies with masks off.
In addition to cupcakes, many other individual confections have become popular for COVID-safe wedding treats. Parfaits and cake-jars are a beautifully layered option, while fudge and mousse add an unusual twist to the cake idea. Caterers and wedding cake teams often provide a beautiful selection of individually plated and even packaged treats to keep your guests both sated and safe.
Encased Multi-Tier Wedding Cake
One option is to encase your cake. If you want that knock-out beautiful multi-tiered wedding cake - but you don't want to put anyone at risk of the sneeze scenario. So the answer is to set your cake apart - visible but safe from exposure to the crowd. As long as your cutting ceremony is done safely, you can pass around pieces of preserved wedding cake to everyone at the party.
Couples for whom sharing the wedding cake is important, a multi-tier cake saver or plexiglass wall can literally let you have your big beautiful wedding cake and eat it, too.
Mini Cakes for Each Guest Table
Many wedding couples are using table assignments to maintain guest safety. Seat households and vaccinated together, and it's safe for everyone to take off their masks at the table. Why not use that method to spread around the wedding cake as well?
Mini-cakes are hot in post-COVID weddings and one way to use them is to give each table a cake. Build a multi-tier cake, then pass out pristine tiers to each table to share in safe household groups. You can even build the mini wedding cakes into table centerpieces and then encourage your guests to participate in their own cake sharing at each table.
Mailing Cake to Your Guests
One fun option for couples doing a streaming wedding is to mail a delicious piece of cake to each of your guests. While you may not be able to safely cut the cake together, everyone can enjoy a few delicious bites of your chosen wedding cake as if they were right there with you. Send weddding care-packages early and they can take a bite the same time you and your beloved cut the cake on stream.
You can send frozen cake, platters of sturdy brownies, or Sunflour Baking Company's own signature cupcakes in jars. This is the perfect way to share that incredible wedding cake moment even if your entire list of favorite people can't be there to toast your nuptials in person.
What is Your Ideal Wedding Cake?
If you have a wedding in the plans, post-COVID planning is an important step before making your final arrangements. The best cake for your reception depends on the gathering and how at-risk your guests may be to infection. If you have always dreamed of a multi-tiered work of art, there are ways to make this safe and beautiful for your wedding. If your goal is a streamlined, delicious, and safe wedding for your whole family, consider individual cupcakes for the crowd instead.
Here at Sunflour Baking Company, we can help you figure out the perfect cake solution for your post-COVID wedding and safety guidelines. Contact us today for a creative wedding cake design that will keep all of your loved ones smiling and safe at the same time.