Tiered Wedding Cakes
Wedding cakes were originally just a single layer. The multi-tiered cake we see at so many weddings today is a recent innovation.
Saint Bride
The three tier cake was inspired by the tower of St Bride's Church in London, just off Fleet Street. St Bride's was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and a London baker decided that given the name he'd copy the idea as a design for fashionable weddings. Although the church has five layers, the cake was made with three for practial reasons.
Initially these multi-level cakes were only for the wealthy - not only was the cake itself
expensive but it was also difficult to assemble and cut. Producing a high quality cake with multiple tiers took a lot of skilled labour. Over the years cake technology
improved and the cost fell to the point where many people could afford to buy a St Bride's style wedding
cake or even more unusual designs.
How Many Tiers?
Although three tiers is considered the "standard" today, there's no shortage of designs available. If you want a massive cake with tiers reaching up to the ceiling then somebody somewhere will make and sell you one. Just remember that whatever you buy will need to be transported safely!