Harry and Meghan: Wedding Suggestions and Musings

[Dman]

Originally Posted by Pranter

All over the US every day 'sponge' (we don't call it sponge here but I know what you mean) cakes are tiered into amazing heights...you can google to see pics or I can link you some if you like. They use invisible supports or in some cases they use decorative (in the theme of the wedding) supports.

The bride and groom still cut the cake together here. It's no different to cut a sponge than any other bridal cake. Then it is distributed among the guests to eat.

There is no tradition here of guests keeping the cake. You eat it at the wedding, if you take some home (not really done much here) it's eaten within a couple days.

The top tier of the cake is reserved for the bride/groom. It is carefully wrapped and frozen. They either eat it at their first anniversary (as my husband and I did) or some couples eat it at the birth of their first child (more rare IMO).




LaRae

I can tell you after all the weddings I’ve been to; cake is eaten at the wedding or taken home to eat later. After that, what’s not eaten is thrown in the garbage. I think this is what will happen to the royal wedding cake too.

[Osipi]

Growing up, there was a tradition that an unmarried girl/woman would take a piece of wedding cake home and put in under her pillow to dream of the man she was going to marry. That was eons ago though and I've not heard many speak of this little ritual lately at all.

[Dani257]

I like to think well of people, barring any evidence to the contrary. So, I would hope that the British tax payers or whoever would have the decency to say that since so much will likely be done their way (at least so much of what the public actually sees) at the wedding, that they won't begrudge the couple making one choice that may not be exactly how they would want it. Granted, I don't know any British people personally, but I like to think in general they have the smallest amount of kindness. Which is all it would take to be okay with a bride and groom choosing what kind of cake they want.

And just to be clear, I don't mind people voicing personal disappointment or whatever over them not having a fruitcake. People are giving their personal opinions on everything. Just wait until we see the dress. But, there's a big difference between someone saying "I wish they had gone with the traditional fruitcake" or even "yuck, that cake sounds disgusting" (not saying anyone's said that) and "Meghan and Harry have made a terrible faux pas against the British people". (paraphrasing) Do people really care that much? Even taking into account the tax dollars?

Granted, I've never had to pay for security for a royal family or the other expenses you do. But, my tax dollars do pay a little for food for other people. And I would never have an issue with someone choosing what they want to eat just because of money.

[jacqui24]

Originally Posted by wyevale

I wonder how [exactly] a Sponge cake covered in Buttercream can serve a large number of of people, and be ONE 'Wedding Cake'?
It is far too insubstantial to be 'tiered', so either it must be yards wide, or there will have to be lots of smaller cakes ?

One of the lovely things about having ONE cake at a Wedding is that the Bride & Groom make the first 'cut' together, and then the cake is cut up and distributed amongst the guests. Thus each person present is PART of that joint action, and ritual of UNITY.

Also [traditionally] pieces of that ONE cake are sent [in little boxes] to friends/family who [for whatever reason] were unable to be present 'on the day'... thus becoming a participant in that same unity..

Perhaps Samantha and other UNWELCOME 'Markles' will get a lump of mouldy, rancid Sponge cake through the post WEEKS later ?

Buttercream and sponge cake can be tiered if done right. HIGHLY doubt it's going to be a simple one tier. For awhile, buttercream was going out of style, but it's definitely made a comeback at weddings in US. As for guests that aren't there. Can't speak for Meghan, but if I'm can't be bothered to invite you to my wedding, I'm certainly not going to bother sending you a piece of cake.

[Pranter]

Originally Posted by Dani257

I like to think well of people, barring any evidence to the contrary. So, I would hope that the British tax payers or whoever would have the decency to say that since so much will likely be done their way (at least so much of what the public actually sees) at the wedding, that they won't begrudge the couple making one choice that may not be exactly how they would want it. Granted, I don't know any British people personally, but I like to think in general they have the smallest amount of kindness. Which is all it would take to be okay with a bride and groom choosing what kind of cake they want.

And just to be clear, I don't mind people voicing personal disappointment or whatever over them not having a fruitcake. People are giving their personal opinions on everything. Just wait until we see the dress. But, there's a big difference between someone saying "I wish they had gone with the traditional fruitcake" or even "yuck, that cake sounds disgusting" (not saying anyone's said that) and "Meghan and Harry have made a terrible faux pas against the British people". (paraphrasing) Do people really care that much? Even taking into account the tax dollars?

Granted, I've never had to pay for security for a royal family or the other expenses you do. But, my tax dollars do pay a little for food for other people. And I would never have an issue with someone choosing what they want to eat just because of money.

The wedding is estimated to bring in over 1 billion dollars revenue. The cost of protecting the BRF for the wedding etc is way way less (under 30 million). The BRF are paying for the wedding privately.


LaRae

[loonytick]

The cake is being served during the private portion of the wedding festivities. The behind-closed-doors, very few pictures being released and then only afterwards part. As long as the cake looks traditional, it makes sense to me that the BRF powers-that-be would give the go-ahead to Harry and Meghan to do whatever the heck they want in terms of the kind of cake, traditional or not.

And guys, even if it's his nation's tradition, it may be Harry who doesn't care for fruitcake. He may even be creeped out by the idea that slices of his cake could show up at auction decades later (I would find that reason enough to avoid the fruitcake, even if I liked the tradition or the flavor).

[AlowVera]

They could easily have the top tier be a fruitcake and the rest sponge. Problem solved. Cakegate is solved!!

[Pranter]

Harry's groom cake could be fruit cake too....

LaRae

[burbankstorylady]

I remember William's chocolate biscuit cake. They had the palace chefs gave the recipe for , and then contracted out for the decorations and actually make it.
https://web.archive.org/web/20110331...-Wedding-Cakes

Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton have chosen Leicestershire-based cake designer Fiona Cairns to create their wedding cake.

In addition, the couple have also asked McVitie's Cake Company to create a chocolate biscuit cake for the reception at Buckingham Palace. The chocolate biscuit cake will be made from a Royal Family recipe and was specially requested by Prince William.

No mention of a fruitcake.

[AlowVera]

If I where KP I would release another announcement:

In the interest of our continued well being and mental fitness we hear your cries. The groom will have a traditional fruitcake created in the shape of a rugby ball. It is our hope that the masses will be comforted by a cake that they will not eat.

#cakegate

[O-H Anglophile]

Originally Posted by tatianacressida

I remember William's chocolate biscuit cake. They had the palace chefs gave the recipe for , and then contracted out for the decorations and actually make it.
https://web.archive.org/web/20110331...-Wedding-Cakes



No mention of a fruitcake.

https://www.thespruce.com/the-royal-...-cakes-3490157

"Prince William and his bride, Kate Middleton, had two wedding cakes -- one very traditional, and the other a bit unusual. The couple asked local baker Fiona Cairns to create the main royal wedding cake, which -- as is customary in the United Kingdom -- was crafted in fruitcake."

But just because William and Catherine had a English fruitcake doesn't mean that is the only acceptable wedding cake.

[Pranter]

Originally Posted by AlowVera

If I where KP I would release another announcement:

In the interest of our continued well being and mental fitness we hear your cries. The groom will have a traditional fruitcake created in the shape of a rugby ball. It is our hope that the masses will be comforted by a cake that they will not eat.

#cakegate

Who knew a sponge cake could cause such a rend in the fabric of British society?


LaRae

[wyevale]

cause such a rend in the fabric of British society?

But we ARE a fractious Nation, especially when our traditions are questioned by outsiders..Anyone who knows anything about our psychology KNOWS that its fine for Sophie and Edward to disregard such things [because they are 'of us'], but not for Ms Markle or Prince Harry to do the same, because only one of them is 'us'. Its not rational or coherent,[or even defensible], it just IS..
Every Nation has its irrational peculiarities - ... and this is [but] one of ours...

#SuckItUpFruitCake*

[AlowVera]

Point made, in the future anything that refers to MM's American heritage should just remain quiet. No need to tell the media. A hard lesson to learn is that you can't do what the other kids do and there are two rules, one for you and another for everyone else. I suspect Harry will be treated as an outsider because he fell in love with an outsider from now on.

[Curbside]

Originally Posted by wyevale

But we ARE a fractious Nation, especially when our traditions are questioned by outsiders..Anyone who knows anything about our psychology KNOWS that its fine for Sophie and Edward to disregard such things [because they are 'of us'], but not for Ms Markle or Prince Harry to do the same, because only one of them is 'us'. Its not rational or coherent,[or even defensible], it just IS..
Every Nation has its irrational peculiarities Second Amendment *cough*... and this is one of ours...

#SuckItUpFruitCake*

Hell, he's lucky Meghan isn't making him jump the broom, as I made my husband do, much to the quizzical reaction of my in-laws.

[Cocoasneeze]

Basically, Meghan can be and will be judged for whatever reason, when people decide to do so. There will be traditions and protocols she needs to follow, while no one else does and might not. And if she does all these traditions and protocols correctly, her sincerity will be questioned. For decades to come. Sounds charming.

[Zonk]

Originally Posted by Curbside

Hell, he's lucky Meghan isn't making him jump the broom, as I made my husband do, much to the quizzical reaction of my in-laws.

OMG?! Can you imagine the frenzy?!

I get it that Meghan is marrying into the British Royal Family with all its traditions and expectations. No one is denying that...but I think its totally ludicrous to imagine that her wedding shouldn't reflect a little of her personality and/or traditions as well. Traditions, after all, have to start somewhere.

But I totally agree that she will never please the public 100%.

Also, other than security I don't believe the British taxpayer is paying for this wedding. Or am I incorrect. I don't believe they paid for William and Catherine's (again other than security). I don't believe that the wedding will generate a billion dollars in revenue but it will definitely generate enough revenue to pay for security.

[AlowVera]

Originally Posted by Curbside

Hell, he's lucky Meghan isn't making him jump the broom, as I made my husband do, much to the quizzical reaction of my in-laws.

They should save that for their own personal wedding.

They can have two weddings. One wedding devoid of any meaning for either of them but it keeps the media wolves at bay...feed them fruitcake. But have a personal private wedding for yourself.

[Pranter]

Originally Posted by wyevale

But we ARE a fractious Nation, especially when our traditions are questioned by outsiders..Anyone who knows anything about our psychology KNOWS that its fine for Sophie and Edward to disregard such things [because they are 'of us'], but not for Ms Markle or Prince Harry to do the same, because only one of them is 'us'. Its not rational or coherent,[or even defensible], it just IS..
Every Nation has its irrational peculiarities - ... and this is [but] one of ours...

#SuckItUpFruitCake*

So it's okay to be exclusionary to the point that an American woman marrying a Royal can't have sponge cake? Dude ya'll need to loosen up.

Good thing your forebearers weren't quite so xenophobic or you wouldn't of had Churchill.



LaRae

[Pranter]

Originally Posted by Zonk

OMG?! Can you imagine the frenzy?!

I get it that Meghan is marrying into the British Royal Family with all its traditions and expectations. No one is denying that...but I think its totally ludicrous to imagine that her wedding shouldn't reflect a little of her personality and/or traditions as well. Traditions, after all, have to start somewhere.

But I totally agree that she will never please the public 100%.

Also, other than security I don't believe the British taxpayer is paying for this wedding. Or am I incorrect. I don't believe they paid for William and Catherine's (again other than security). I don't believe that the wedding will generate a billion dollars in revenue but it will definitely generate enough revenue to pay for security.

My understanding is the BRF is paying for all the costs of the wedding except the security which I saw was going to cost around 26 million. The revenue from the wedding is expected to bring in well over 1 billion dollars. I'd say the country will come out ahead money wise.


LaRae