grooms cakes, what are they for?

I have no idea... nor a budget for one, so aint having one. lol

also, who eats it?

A groom's cake is a wedding tradition originating in Victorian England,[1] but observed more often in the modern age in the American South. While a wedding cake may often be decorated in white and light in texture or color, the groom's cake can take a variety of forms, many incorporating chocolate or fruit.[2] Cheesecake sometimes serves as a groom's cake. The groom's cake is often served at a table separate from the wedding cake at a wedding reception or wedding breakfast, though it may be served as a dessert for a rehearsal dinner.

Originally, the groom's cake was a British tradition. The groom's cake was often richer than the bride's, since the addition of flavors like chocolate, fruit, and especially alcohol were better served to "the stronger sex" with the stronger stomach. During the Victorian era, the first groom’s cakes were heavy and dense fruit cakes. A characteristic recipe for the groom's fruit cake was published in the “The British Baker" in 1897.[3] Eventually, flour cakes, either white or chocolate, supplanted fruit cakes as the most popular choice.

Groom’s cake is a tradition most popular in the southeastern United States that began during the Victorian era, inherited from Britain.[4] By the 1890s, the groom’s cake had become a popular complement to the “lady's cake."[3] Traditionally, the cake was cut by the bridegroom and served with wine to the bridesmaids before going to the church.[3] Groom's cakes never became particularly popular in England, but in the Southern United States, the practice of having two separate cakes became very popular, with the bride's cake being light and the groom's being dark.[3] Groom's cakes are traditionally served at the wedding reception but can also be served at the wedding ceremony. It is usually considered proper for the groom's cake to be served separately from the bride's. Traditionally, groom's cakes are chocolate and are often garnished with fruit. Many are decorated to reflect the groom's hobbies, such as golfing, fishing, or hunting.

By the middle of the 20th Century, a competing custom incorporating both cakes on the same table had arisen. The bride's cake would form the base, and the groom's cake would be mounted on top. The bride and groom would cut the cakes and then give pieces to each other to eat.[3] The cakes would then be served to the guests.

One tradition was to cut a piece of the cake and put it in a small box, then present the box to an unmarried woman attending the wedding.[5] The woman was not expected to eat the cake, but rather to put it under her pillow. Superstition held that this tradition would help an unmarried woman find a husband.

I don't like groom's cakes. The way I see it, it is both of our wedding cake and we are both deciding on what we like. I feel like groom's cakes are tacky looking when everything else is so nice.

Lol kit did you copy/paste Wikipedia? Nice. As a southern, I can vouch that is correct. All the family weddings I've been to had a smaller chocolate groom's cake. My cousin's was college football themed. We're not doing a traditional tiered cake though, so we're not doing the groom's cake either, just cupcakes.

Sara, definitely.

Quoting Kit - "One tradition was to cut a piece of the cake and put it in a small box, then present the box to an unmarried woman attending the wedding.[5] The woman was not expected to eat the cake, but rather to put it under her pillow. Superstition held that this tradition would help an unmarried woman find a husband."

...Or it will help the unmarried woman have an awesome evening. Who doesn't like to rest their head on a decadent piece of cake? So soothing.

Here in the South, it's a thing.

We are having a groom's cake because FH wanted one (and he has not asked for any real input in the planning).

Ours is a butter-pecan cheesecake with this topper. FH is a big hunt enthusiast.

I'm having one.I'm not really into the big frilly 5 their cake so I am going with cupcakes and a small grooms cake

Wait i thought it was supposed to be chocolate cake?! Lmao

Monica that cheesecake looks AHHmazing.

@Angel_D it was the hardest think to arrange of all the catering. We have been ordering fabulous flavored cheesecakes from the same baker for 3 year and THIS year she decides to take a hiatus and start a party planning business, but then I found a restaurant bakery just around the corner from our venue that makes these.

Oh that cheesecake..I really want to just eat it all now.

As for the grooms cake, We will be doing one only cause FH wants one.

Good question! I've always wondered what it was.

I'm not sure where the tradition started, but I'm having one because we chose to have each tier of our cake be a different flavor and then FH said he wants to freeze our top tier and save it for our anniversary, but I still wanted people to have the opportunity to eat the flavor of our top tier. It will be shaped like a pineapple because FH is a huge Psych fan.

To show his personality basically, it isn't necessary, and I've heard most don't eat it. It is also usually chocolate(or his favorite flavor, whatever). A nice idea is to have the grooms cake at the rehearsal dinner.

Lol..maybe to make him feel like he really is apart of the wedding!

It's to make him feel like the party is for him too! haha the whole reception is basically about the bride.

I like the tradition. I surprised my groom with a cake that had a photo of him and his daughter printed into the frosting. they both loved it. you basically choose whatever is most important to him, besides you. have you seen the movie "Steel Magnolias"? I"m not sure why, but they have a cake shaped as an armadillo! it's so funny! normally the groom's family makes the cake for him.

I am ordering him an Xbox cake for the rehearsal dinner. It sounds like a fun dessert to the pizza buffet we are having.