January 23rd, 2008 Tradition: Jamaican Wedding Cake
In Jamaica, the wedding cake is a central part of the wedding celebration. Typically it’s a rum cake, and the cake or the dried fruits inside may be soaked with alcohol for up to a year prior to the wedding. What I think is the most interesting part of the way Jamaican weddings handle the cake is the guest involvement - while in most American weddings the bride and groom are the only ones who touch the cake as part of the cake-cutting tradition, in Jamaican weddings, the guests may be involved both before and after the cake has been baked and served.
In some cases, guests send the ingredients for the cake to the bride and groom beforehand. What a great way to involve those from far away and help them feel included! Imagine, too, if you’re a guest who has sent an ingredient to be baked in the cake and can arrive at the reception and taste what you had a part in - it’s yet another wonderful way to incorporate your guests in the celebration of your union.
For those guests who can’t make it, many Jamaican couples will actually mail them a slice of the cake afterwards! While the logistics of this may puzzle some American couples, I’d encourage you to take this idea to heart when thinking about those guests who weren’t able to attend your wedding. Is there another symbol of your wedding - such as the guest favors, sand from your unity ceremony, or scripture passages - that you’d be able to mail to them? The effort alone to make them feel included will be wholeheartedly appreciated.
Resources:
Bits of Culture - Jamaica
Wedding Channel Cultural Traditions: Jamaica
World Wedding Traditions in the Carribean