Grooms Cake

vantilka

What's the deal with a grooms cake?  What is the tradition?  Do I need to have one?

Ghoti

As far as I know you don't need one, it's a novelty. 

McKenna2012

It's mostly a southern thing.  You don't need it unless you want it.

Beachy730

I think they are more traditions in families and social circles now.  We didn't have one, and I have never been to a wedding that had one.  Friends of mine got married and had brownies at the RD as a groom's cake in a way because those were his favorite.   

missy68

Only if you want an additional cake. They are traditionally representing a love/hobby/passion of the groom, and usually a different flavor from the wedding cake (like a chocolate or something - of course, if you have a chocolate wedding cake...)

They are popular in the South, but seem to be gaining popularity elsewhere.

They totally aren't neccessary, and don't even need to be a cake. One bride is doing pies for her groom.

GeauxTigers17

I'm from Louisiana and I didn't know that there were people who didn't have groom's cakes until I joined the knot!

It's just a fun thing, total novelty. They are usually chocolate as a contrast to the wedding cake, and the design reflects the groom's interest in some way - I've seen hunting/fishing/golf/universities/etcetera as themes for them. Traditionally, they were the favor - the wedding cake was served at the reception, the groom's cake was cut and boxed up to be sent home with guests. Most people cut and serve them at the reception now. 

Brandiewine11

I grew up and Texas and every wedding I've been to there had one. However, none of the Northeast weddings have. I think its a fun thing, and gives your guests a choice of cake. Totally up to you. 

nurse.misty

Ditto PP's. Just a fun thing to do for the groom if he wants it. No biggie not to have it though.

LisaChris2011

I have always heard of the groom cake and its tradition, and I'm not from the south.  I am debating whether to do one.  I think it'd be cute. 

If you have the time, money (and energy, to be frank) go ahead and do it.

SirJuliusVonHaast

How many slices did everyone get for their grooms cake? 

For example, if we are inviting 150 people, would i get a 150-slice wedding cake and a 150 slice groom's cake? 75 and 75?

nurse.misty

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_grooms-cake-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:b53d2482-f15b-4ea2-a969-79033f5d0ea7Post:1a875d78-3217-41ec-81a1-b5f9bfa2c577">Re: Grooms Cake</a>:
[QUOTE]How many slices did everyone get for their grooms cake?  For example, if we are inviting 150 people, would i get a 150-slice wedding cake and a 150 slice groom's cake? 75 and 75?
Posted by SirJuliusVonHaast[/QUOTE]

Grooms cake is smaller than the wedding cake. Depending on what you want it to have will determine the size the baker will have to make. We were going to have a regular sized red velvet cake with cream cheese icing before we downsized the wedding. Now we aren't having one at all. If FI had wanted it to be an animal or football field or something I'm sure it would have been larger. You can google groom's cake and see lots of examples.

SirJuliusVonHaast

Okay, I thought so . . . I just wasn't sure if there was some kind of etiquette issue with not having enough slices for everyone to have groom's cake. 

hetshup

We had a groom's cake, it was a sheet of cake. Lemme see if I can find a picture.

Disclaimer: it was not fancy, but it was sooooo good. 

edit:

MyNameIsNot

Remember the armadillo cake from Steel Magnolias?  That was the groom's cake.  

We had one, and they are pretty common in my area.  We used it to supplement the regular cake to have enough, not to have extra.  It actually wasn't very much more than adding an extra layer would have been, which is what we would have had to do if we hadn't done the groom's cake.  

Milsey32

I hadn't heard about it until TK - but I plan on doing one to serve at the RD because 1) I like cake 2) I like how it's going to look "cool" (instead of our beautiful wedding cake) 3) It'll be a delicious dessert for those attending the RD [:

NOLAbridealmost

We are having 70 guests and having both the wedding cake and the grooms cake be big enough to serve 70.  We'll box leftovers and let people take it home (traditionally this is what was done with ALL of the grooms cake, but we'd rather let people have their choice of flavor at the wedding and then just take home what's left of both cakes). 

colstj1

I am from MN, and don't see grooms cakes very often.  So, as a surprise to my FI I am planning on doing a Viking themes grooms cake at the rehearsal dinner. 

jelenybeany

I'm  from Maine and I'm surprising my FI with a groom's cake shaped like the camaro he's restoring. I've never been able to surprise him with anything ever, but since I'm sure he's never even heard of a groom's cake, I think I'll get him this time.

I'm having our wedding cake made to be large enough to serve everyone, and the camaro cake is more of a novelty. The baker said it's going to be about the size of a sheet of paper and will probably serve around 20 people. It's mostly just for him.

maritimebride2012

I'm having one, it's going to be a total surprise for FI.  He's very into dragons and his cake will be in the shape of a dragon iced in our colours.  It's also my compromise since he wanted a "cool" cake and I wanted something more traditional for our cake.

mari0225

I am doing pies for my groom since he doesn't like cake, so why waste the money on something he won't eat? It's up to you to have it or not. It's yours and FI's wedding day.

JShu11

My fiance is a die hard Minnesota Twins fan, so I'm surprising him with a Twin's themed baseball groom's cake at the reception!

SpokenVows

We're having a smaller wedding cake, and then a groom's cake the same flavour designed however he wants. Smaller wedding cake = less money. Groom's cake = more cake for guests without spending a bunch to have a larger wedding cake. Plus, it's something FI is really excited about because he can decorate it however he wants, even if it doesn't match the rest of the wedding!

hoffse

I'm from the south and the groom's cake is what I look forward to... mostly because they're usually chocolate down here, and I love it waaaay more than the vanilla wedding cake!  (even if there's a filling or whatever...)  We will have one because it's the tastier of the two.  I had no idea it was regional until I joined TK.  I've never been to a wedding without one.

sdavi084

It is not at all required and from what I understand, a dying tradition. However, I'm having one. I want a chocolatey rasberry-y cake. My fiance is diabetic (has been since he was 6), and does NOT like chocolate or rasberries so I'm going to treat him to a carrot cake, his favorite, as a grooms cake.

chrissyjake

I ordered my FI one as a surprise too.  He is a firefighter, so I took a bunch of pictures of his helmet and that is what the baker is making!  I can't wait to see how it turns out.  FI is going to love it. 

shiloh777

I'm ordering my FI one too We both love Nightmare Before Christmas. He really, really wanted a Nightmare Before Christmas wedding cake topper for our cake, but it would just clash everything else at the wedding... So I am surprising him with his own Nightmare Before Christmas cake. It will probably be pretty small... It's mostly just so I can surprise him. 

But no, it's definitely not required. I've never been to a wedding with one before (I live in Southern California), but just love the idea