The Real Meaning Behind Those Charms Pulled From Your Wedding Cake

Cake makes for the sweetest of endings to any monumental occasion, particularly for wedding celebrations. And if you've ever attended a ceremony down South, specifically in Louisiana, you've likely heard of one tradition that's baked right in: the cake pull.

One of Louisiana's many claims to fame is a reverence for customary confections baked with a pound of sugar and nice surprises inside. Take the signature King Cake, for example, where you might find a baby figurine in the colorful, circular pastry, if you're lucky. But in this instance of the cake pull, good-luck charms—as opposed to a plastic baby—are attached to dainty ribbons and placed under the bottom layer of the cake after it's been baked and cooled, right before it gets iced.

How to Incorporate a Cake Pull into Your Wedding Celebrations

Whether at the reception, bridal shower, or the bridesmaids' luncheon, you can include your entire bridal party in this Victorian-era tradition. Just before the cake is cut and served, have each of your single friends and bridesmaids take turns pulling a charm from the cake for a glimpse of what's to come in their future.

Not only is the cake pull a festive way to celebrate your nuptials, but the charms can also serve as jewelry keepsakes for the bridal party. However, we also love the idea of it being used as the 'something borrowed' for you to cherish forever; allow your bridesmaids to gift you their individual charms to make a beautiful bracelet.

What do the Charms in a Cake Pull Mean?

Before the pullers start tugging, you should understand the meaning behind some of the commonly used charms. We'd wish you good luck, but you won't need it with these.

• Boot - You'll travel soon.
• Horseshoe or Clover - Good luck
• Chili pepper - Red hot romance is on the horizon.
• Rocking chair - Long life ahead
• Wishbone - Success or a wish come true
• Key - A wonderful opportunity will soon present itself.
• Telephone - Good news is coming.
• Money Bag - Financial security
• Wishing Well - Your wish will be granted.
• Boat - An adventure awaits.
• Captain's Wheel - Confidence.
• Guardian Angel - Someone special is looking after you.
• Flower - A blossoming relationship is to come.
• Tiger - Wisdom
• Oyster - Wealth and prosperity
• Ring - You're next to marry.
• Thimble or button - Old maid
• Lighthouse or lamp - You'll have a bright future.
• Bells - Soon to be wed
• Heart - Your love is a true love, or your love will come.
• Fleur de Lis - New beginning or rebirth, or a life of prosperity and happiness
• Seashell - Timeless, eternal beauty
• Mardi Gras Mask - Something fun and unexpected will happen.
• Pig - Abundance
• High chair - You're next to have a baby.
• Cinderella's carriage - Happily ever after
• Anchor - Hope and life of stability
• Wreath - Happy home
• Moon - Opportunity
• Airplane - Travel and adventure
• Tree - Life of financial security
• Book - Life full of knowledge

We love a sweet wedding tradition with a bit of Southern flair and superstition, and we're sure your guests will get a kick out of the cake pull, too!

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