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From the looks of the comment section of our very first Southern tradition post, y’all sure seem to like history, don’t ya! Well, I’ve got another Southern tradition for y’all today – the cake pull.

Image credit: Mark Eric.

Most popular in the South, especially around New Orleans, the Cake Pull gets it’s roots from an old Victorian tradition of “ribbon pulling.” In those days, charms of luck and good fortune were placed into the wedding cake by the bride for her single friends. Now a days, bakers place sterling silver charms with specific means inside the bottom layer of the bride’s cake and all the single ladies are given the opportunity to pull a charm from the cake (a ceremony called the “ribbon pull”) just before the cake is cut.

Each charm has a specific and special meaning:

Hot Air Balloon or Eiffel Tower – A life full of adventure and travel

Claddagh – Friendship, Love, & Loyalty

Butterfly – Eternal Beauty

Star – Your wish will come true!

Anchor – Adventure is around the corner.

Four Leaf Clover – Good luck!

Flower – Blossoming love.

Heart – New Love!

Fleur-de-Lis – Love and Prosperity.

Kite- Something fun is about to happen.

Wishbone – Success!

Ring (similar to catching the bouquet)- Next to get married!

Did you have a ribbon pull ceremony? Do you have a crazy Southern tradition you’re just dieing to learn about. Let me know.

Looking for a place to put your cake pulls? Try my Mama’s Homemade Poundcake recipe here.

marissa Written with love by Marissa
14 Comments
  1. avatar Laurien reply

    Wowee, that’s a cool tradition! I think that’s a fab idea : )

  2. avatar Southern Wedding Traditions :: A Moment of Prayer « Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] comment in the section below. Want to learn more about Southern traditions? Bridal Portraits Cake Pulls Groom’s Cake P.S. Three years ago today, I married the love of my life. Happy anniversary […]

  3. avatar Stamped Loves Letting The Good Times Roll « reply

    […] colors and ornate details. We love adding custom cake pull signs to our NOLA weddings. Do you know the tradition? It’s so fun to watch the girls pull their […]

  4. avatar Guest Blogger NOLA Star Event Designer Kim Starr Wise | Cornucopia of Beautiful Things Blog reply

    […] Cake Pulls!  A local tradition where charms (one for each bridesmaid) are placed in the wedding cake on a thin satin ribbon and pulled prior to the cake cutting.  Each charm symbolizes something different.  http://iloveswmag.com/2011/07/21/uncovering-southern-traditions-cake-pulls […]

  5. avatar Today’s Wedding Tip | Little Known Wedding Customs You Can Make Your Own ‹ reply

    […] is a tradition in the South of hiding charms in the bottom of your wedding cake with ribbons attached to each charm. Your bridesmaids (and/or other single women) gather around the […]

  6. avatar Crossover | The used key is always bright reply

    […] with ribboned charms.  The custom of charm cakes is an old one  – think Kings Cake or the cake pulls of Southern weddings.  I had read somewhere that finding your fortune by charms in a cake at All […]

  7. avatar Pulled to Tradition | Food Matters reply

    […] Victorian-influenced tradition is simple: guests select ribbons connected to silver charms. Each charm symbolizes a different […]

  8. avatar Southern Weddings V6: Southern Charm – Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] familiar with the cake pull tradition? Read all about it […]

  9. avatar Auberge du Soleil Wedding :l: Michelle & Gabe – Adeline and Grace Wedding Photography Blog » Adeline and Grace Wedding Photography Blog reply

    […] What are they doing you may ask? This is a cake pull! Read all about this Southern Tradition here.  […]

  10. avatar Jenny D. Poulos reply

    Do you furnish the cards and ribbons for the cake pulls.?

  11. avatar Amanda reply

    I really wish brides would consult websites regarding cake pulls. I’ve been seeing brides, recently, where they are pulling their own cake pull. Or, they have friends/family/bridesmaids that are already married. It completely irritates me!

  12. avatar Wedding Traditions – Cat Lemus Photography & Cinema reply

    […] Some of these include giving the bouquet to the couple who’s been married the longest, a cake pull, the shoe game or my favorite whose creation came about after a few glasses of that delicious wine […]

  13. avatar Erica and Brad’s Wedding at Mamaroneck Beach & Yacht Club | Kelly Vasami Photography Blog reply

    […] lovely newlyweds enjoyed their first dance, followed by a New Orleans-style cake pull, where all the lades who are important in Erica’s life pulled a charm from the cake and had […]

  14. avatar Southern elements | (500) Days of Engagement reply

    […] Cake pull: I think this idea is really cute and I would love to incorporate it into a bridal shower. (hint, […]

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