Cutting it on the way in
In my experience, if the cake waits until late in the evening, it can feel like the bit everyone nearly forgot. Some people are already dancing, some are outside catching up, and someone has to round them all up again. At the entrance, you already have the room.
Let your MC know you’re back from portraits. Once your guests are in the room and the photographer is in place, the MC introduces you, you walk in together and head straight to the cake. Pick a place where you can stand side by side and still see your guests.
For example, if dinner is at 6 pm, you could enter at 5.45, cut the first slice and take your seats by 5.50. Confirm the timing with the caterer. If portraits run late and the hot food is ready, serve dinner and let the MC announce the cake later. See the sample 3 pm wedding timeline.
Three other times that work
| When | When it suits your day |
|---|---|
| After the ceremony | Lovely for an afternoon tea, or when whānau can join the ceremony and need to leave before dinner. Give everyone time to say hello, then cut it while you’re still together. |
| Before dessert | A natural pause if cake is your main dessert. Ask the caterer how long they need to portion and plate it. Build that time in before you invite guests to collect a slice. |
| Just before the first dance | Works if you want an evening cake photo and guests will have a slice with coffee. Let the MC and DJ know you’ll go straight from the cake to the dance floor, and check that your photographer will still be there. |
If Grandma baked the cake or a friend made the topper, choose a time when they’ll be there. Tell me who they are so I can look for their reaction when you cut it.
Who serves the rest?
Put the first cut on the run sheet. Add a second entry for serving the cake. You can cut the cake before dinner and still serve it for dessert. Ask the baker which tier to start with and whether one should be saved. Ask the venue who supplies the knife and who takes the cake away to portion it.
Tell the baker whether each slice is the whole dessert or a small piece alongside something else. The same cake gives a different number of each. See Cake & Co’s NZ serving-size guide.
Give the MC, caterer and photographer the same two times. If the photograph matters and you’ve booked a shorter day, use the coverage planner to check whether the first cut falls inside your booking.
