Cake cutting/serving etiquette

I’ve never heard of whoever bakes the cake is then obligated to cut/serve it as well, unless you have negotiated that service into your price/agreement. For example, we hired a professional local bakery; they will deliver our cake before the wedding, make sure everything is set up correctly and beautifully, and then leave. They aren’t staying another three hours just to be there to cut the cake - nor do I expect them to. If your caterer does not provide this service, I do think it’s common to ask a close family member or friend to volunteer.

Can you ask if any of your bridesmaids are willing to do this? If I were a bridesmaids, I would help. No question.

Maybe ask your server to stay longer or ask a friend. just cut it yourself and leave the knife out

I would check with the caterer.
As fast as I know cakes are dropped off and the baker is long gone by the time it is cut.
If the caterer can’t provide someone, do you have a planner or contact person at the venue that can help provide someone. I wouldn’t have a guest or bridal party do It as they would cut the slices too big and you would run out of cake. (I think i read some where there’s a method to cutting a wedding cake to get the appropriate amount of slices out of it)

Hire someone from your catering company, or another, or a restaurant worker who has done it regularly. Knowing how to bake and put together a wedding cakes has nothing to do with serving it. No one from the car assembly line comes to take you for your first drive in the car.

Oh wow, this is one of those little details that are so important but you just don’t think about. We got lucky, the chef at our venue said he would cut ours. I guess I just assumed the catering company did it. I would probably check with them to see if they offered that service. If so, you & your fiancé could do the cake cutting (if you’re doing that) prior to dinner so the catering co could cut it up before leaving. I probably wouldn’t leave it up to someone who’s not practiced in it, because I think it has to be done in a particular way in order to get the proper amount of slices out of it.

Typically the baker doesn't stay to cut the cake. Most of the time, they are cut by a family member but that could backfire because wedding cake slices are 1/3 the size of a birthday cake slice.. Most people dont cut them that tiny so you could run out of cake.

I've never heard of the baker actually being the person to cut the cake. I'd see if one of the catering staff can stay longer or hire someone to cut the cake.

I'd see if your caterer will cut the cake. They will probably charge extra, as it's a lot of work. A wedding caterer will know how to cut and serve cake


The baker typically makes and drops off the cake. They're not in charge of serving it
If this is a cake you're getting for free or at a family discount, it would be absolutely inappropriate ask for the baker to cut it. That would be asking for a huge favor on top of an already huge favor

Our venue has staff that can cut our cake for us for a small add-on fee (which I think is kind of ridiculous but whatevs haha).

I would ask your venue if they have something like this to offer, or go to your caterer. I've personally never heard or seen the cake baker cutting the cake as well, but I also don't see it rude to think that they could/would.

Whoever you get, def. make sure that they are well versed in cake cutting so you will for sure have enough slices for all of your guests.

We decided not to have a cake for all the guests as we found out that catering companies charge you $1 per head just to cut the cake 😂 so we are doing a small cake to cut for "cake cutting" but everyone will get donuts.
But before we decided on this, our day of coordinator volunteered to cut it for us if we didn't have anyone. If you have a DOC, perhaps ask them if they wouldn't mind? (But have in mind that, this is not normally their duty descriptions so they are completely in the rights to decline)

Since the baker doesn't seem into the idea of cutting the cake, try asking one of your bridesmaids. When my sister got married, I was her MOH and did the cake cutting for the guests. The cake was 4 layers thick per tier, so I just cut a 2 layer section for each guest and it worked out perfectly!

I agree with others that it's very generous this relative has offered to make the cake, but that doesn't mean she should be the one to cut and serve it -- especially since she's made it clear she does not want to. For daughter's shower I ordered a large cake from the bakery that was doing her wedding cake -- it was a 12" multilayer cake. The shower was at a restaurant, but they didn't want to cut the cake, so I ended up doing it myself. Honestly, it was very time consuming and messy (a restaurant server brought me plastic gloves because within the first couple of slices it was clear I was going to soon be covered in frosting). I missed most of my daughter opening presents while I was cutting the cake. My advice would be to hire someone to do this. If that's not an option, I'd consider cupcakes or something else that doesn't need to be cut.

I don't think you need to have her cut the cake but you can ask her what would be a suggested way to or tips for cutting it. anyone can cut cake, really.