Cake cutting

I did it about an hour before the reception was scheduled to end. lt's often the cue when guests feel it's okay to start leaving, so you don't want it too early. I also didn't want it too late, because there were a lot of parents with young kids that needed to go home for bedtime.

Thank you!!

I guess I've never heard of that, I was planning to cut my cake before dinner, but maybe it's a regional thing.

Last wedding we attended, they left the cake cutting until very late in the evening. Kind of at the same time the DJ announced the cake cutting and he announced he was about to play the last song, "since the reception was over in 10 minutes." We were thinking, "What????" There were 200+ people at the wedding and the cake hadn't yet been cut. Super weird. When cake was finally delivered, people were kind of shoveling it in or just leaving it. The DJ then announced we all needed to gather outside for the sparkler send off, then the Dad was frantically telling people that, "no, they had paid for an additional hour, so don't leave yet." It was a complete disaster on so many levels. We left anyway. I'd already let the server take my untouched cake plate away, and gathered our things to go outside for the "send off," so we just made a quick break out to the parking lot. Also, just FYI, wedding probably cost an easy $****, with lots of meaningless "extras," (two different drones...?!?!?) BUT a cash bar (including soft drinks, etc.). Yeah, that's why when the topic comes up in these forums I always silently agree with the "major side-eye" for a cash bar side. It's totally true! Good news is we learned first hand all the things daughter and fsil do NOT want to have happen at their wedding. We're going with half the guest list, but the entire thing will be well hosted.

We did it after bouquet and garter toss. You don't want to do it it'll late and have so much leftover cake that it ends up in the trash when you spent so much on it.

We did it after the cake pull and garter toss. We did things quickly after dinner because we had a late reception and our older guests have "earlier" bed times.

We did it right after dinner. we didn't do a bouquet toss or spotlight dances so basically we finished our speeches, cut the cake, and opened up the dance floor. it was around 9 PMish i think. our cupcakes were the only dessert option along with the candy table and a fruit arrangement so we wanted to make sure people got to enjoy them.

We'll be cutting ours after dinner, so the ones who don't plan on partying all night can have some, it will also be what starts the reception

We are cutting ours immediately after being introduced at the reception. We'll walk to the dance floor, cut the cake, and go to our seats. I've been to a few weddings where they do this and loved it.

We're doing our cake cutting an hour after the buffet opens. We're doing cocktail hour, grand entrance, buffet opens then cake cutting and first dances/dance floor opens up

Dinner for us is at 7 and cake is at 8 or 8:30.

We ended up doing it almost right after dinner, but only because our nieces and nephews were so excited for dessert.

We did our cake cutting at 1030, reception ended at 1130. No one left before cake cutting, but began to leave shortly after. We also didn't serve the cake as dessert so people not eating it didn't really matter for us.

Honestly? I was a caterer and we never cut the cake until after dinner. Usually very soon after dinner, as in a few dances.

Cake cutting is a sign that the end is near. It makes zero sense to cut it before people eat; only the most inept banquet staff takes hours to plate cake. Your average tiered cake for 120 guests takes less than 15 minutes to cut and plate. Unless there are 'rolled to order' chocolate truffles being done for every plate in real time.

Plus, with what wedding cakes cost? They should be considered decor as well as dessert.

Have dinner, cut the cake it can be served as people are dancing. By then, the tables are mostly cleared, and the staff can throw a piece of cake down and pour coffee.

If your photographer is not staying until the bitter end (this happens a lot, especially with smaller groups), you can fake a cutting photo.

We set out our desserts around 8. Band played 730-1030, DJ ****. Dinner started around 630 or 645. So it was after dinner, but early in dancing.

We did all of the dances and speeches before dinner (which only took about 30 min total) and cut the cake right at the end of dinner. So dinner service started around 6:45 and we cut the cake right at 8. The party started after that.