Sports Lovers – The Groom’s Cake

What is a groom’s cake? As the name suggests, it is the one part of the wedding that focuses solely on the groom! Dating back to England in the 19th century, the groom’s cake tradition made its way across the Atlantic and found a welcoming home here in the South… and has remained popular here since. Have you ever known a Southerner to turn down an excuse for serving two cakes over one?

While the wedding cake is usually designed to be fancy and “feminine”, the groom’s cake is all about the groom. Often gifted to the groom by the bride, it is the perfect opportunity to let your groom’s personality shine! So, ladies, score some major points with your husband-to-be by injecting a little team spirit into your big day. Whether a tribute to his favorite sports team or an homage to his love for sports, we’ve teamed up with local experts to give you the best tips for incorporating sports into the ultimate groom’s cake.

Get creative.

With one quick search on Pinterest, you’ll find football stadium cakes using Nerds as fans and hockey themed cakes with mini pucks and sticks. There are no limits to creativity! With football season in full-swing, Dawn Snead of Shake Sugary Bakery offers some insight on showcasing your groom’s love of football in his groom’s cake.

“A delicious way to incorporate your love of football onto a classic chocolate groom’s cake is with football designed chocolate dipped strawberries. Including sculptural elements representing his favorite team is a fun way to surprise your groom with a sports themed groom’s cake,” says Snead.

Nicole Hartman, from Lydia Noble Events, shared this groom’s cake with us from a recent wedding that they helped plan. This particular cake was designed to represent the alma mater of both the bride and groom… Auburn University.

“I like that they incorporated the Aubie statue from their home along with the shakers from games they actually attended. The glass plate was a gift to them, given the night before the wedding.” – Nicole

We like it too Nicole!

Be mindful of copyright laws.

Copyright laws can often be confusing and we don’t usually think about them when planning a wedding. But, as Wendy Baiamonte of Sweet Ideas The Cake Shoppe points out, “sports logos, mascots and the like are almost ALL copyrighted, trademarked or registered. Even the font the Saints use to write their name in is copyrighted and illegal to use without written permission.” Failure to obtain permission could result in a hefty fine and/or loss of a business license. For this reason, always check with your chosen bakery first before getting your heart set on a particular design.

To avoid copyright infringement, there are ways you can incorporate your groom’s favorite team without the use of the logo or mascot.

Wendy suggests “using the colors of the team or what sport is played. Instead of making a logo that is registered I would make a football with the team colors on a football field.”

Get Inspired.

Remember that this cake represents your husband-to-be! Consider his favorite sport, team and (most importantly) cake flavor when creating this sweet treat. Take some time to really think about what his interests and hobbies are. Then, if need be, browse the internet for some inspiration and talk to your baker. The perfect groom’s cake doesn’t have to be expensive or overly complicated… as long as it is a true representation of the groom, its job is done.

Below are more photos to help you get inspired. Remember: Teamwork makes the dream work. Use these tips and ideas to hit a home run with your groom for your big day!

Photo credit for main image (golf cart): Images by Robert T.