溫馨浪漫的婚禮上，造型優美、寓意甜美的蛋糕為什么最后不是被吃掉，而是砸在新人的臉上？僅僅是為了好玩和開心嗎？其實，早在古羅馬時代，就有了砸婚禮蛋糕的傳統，而且這項傳統還有著特別的寓意。

截圖來自HowStuffWorks網站

Weddings are by their very nature fraught with tradition, from the serious (swapping rings) to the playful. And at some point, couples decided to up the tradition of feeding the cake to each other by opting instead to smash the confection in each other's faces.
婚禮本來就有各種各樣的習俗，嚴肅點的有互換戒指，也有調皮的（各國習俗不同）。（西式婚禮）有個習俗便是新人互相給對方喂婚禮蛋糕，但這種習俗后來卻演變成了往對方臉上砸蛋糕。

"Newlyweds typically feed each other the first slice of wedding cake as a symbol of their commitment to provide for one another," says Rachel Sylvester, associate Real Weddings editor with The Knot in an email. "However, the symbolism is often lost and replaced with the tradition of smashing cake in each other's faces."
《愛結》雜志婚禮實況版的副主編瑞秋·西爾維斯特在電子郵件中說：“新婚夫婦通常都會喂對方吃的第一塊婚禮蛋糕，象征著愿意和對方共度終生。但是，這層象征意義往往被遺忘，取而代之的傳統是往對方臉上砸蛋糕。”

This messy tradition is just the latest evolution of the wedding cake's role in nuptials. As far back as ancient Rome, the bride could expect to conclude the festivities by having a barley cake smashed upside her head. This tradition was done to symbolize male dominance and encourage fertility, according to Renée Strauss, wedding expert and founder of WEDAWAYS.
這種搗亂的傳統只是婚禮蛋糕角色的最新演化。早在古羅馬時期，新郎在婚禮的最后會將一塊大麥蛋糕拍到新娘頭上。WEDAWAYS創始人、婚禮專家蕾妮·施特勞斯說，這一傳統象征的是男權至上與多子多孫。

"Crumbs would fall and the guests would rush in to scoop up what they could for their own good fortune and fertility," she explains in an email. "In the days of King Charles, II of England, icing was added and the modern wedding cake was born. This is when slicing the cake on the table became the practical way of sharing the slices."
她在電郵中解釋道：“蛋糕碎塊掉到地上之后，賓客便會沖過去把它們捧起來，以祈求自己的好運和多子多孫。到了英王查理二世時期，人們在蛋糕上加入了糖衣，現代蛋糕誕生了。從這個時候起人們開始在桌上切蛋糕分給客人。”

It's tough to pinpoint when cake smashing began, but it has been around for several decades. The practice was lamented in a 2011 Dear Abby column, in which she referred to it as "demeaning to women" and referenced a 1987 book, "Curious Customs," which said it was a "comedic ritual that sustains masculine prerogatives in the very act of supposedly subverting them."
至于現代砸蛋糕的傳統是從什么時候開始的，這很難回答。不過可以肯定的是，它至少已經存在了幾十年。施特勞斯在2011年的“親愛的艾比”專欄中為這種做法嘆息，將其稱為“對女性的侮辱”。她提到，1987年的一本書《奇怪的習俗》中寫道，這是一種“搞笑傳統，以故意挑戰男權的方式維護男權”。

In other words, the groom is supposed to hold the bride's hand as she cuts the cake; she then attempts to feed him but smashes the cake in his face. The next step is to wipe off the goo "apologetically" which then "brings the play back to the beginning, as she is once again obedient to his wiser judgment," according to the book.
書上說，新娘切蛋糕的時候，新郎需要握住她的手。切完之后，新娘做出要喂新郎的姿勢，但卻將蛋糕砸到他臉上。接著，新娘需要“滿懷歉意地”將蛋糕清理掉，以表示“一切又回到起點，新娘再度臣服于新郎”。

Most people are probably unaware of what the ritual is supposed to signify, seeing it either as a fun riff on the typical cake-cutting ceremony or else a silly custom that needs to go away.
不過，多數人很可能并不知道這種儀式所代表的含義，要么以為這是切蛋糕儀式的一個樂子，要么認為這是需要摒棄的愚蠢習俗。

"Like the bouquet and garter toss, cake smashing is a so-called 'tradition' that's been in decline," Sylvester says. "This could be because more and more couples realize that it's not worth ruining a bespoke suit or covering your gown in buttercream simply for a dramatic photo op."
西爾維斯特說道，“跟拋花束和襪帶一樣，砸蛋糕這一所謂的‘習俗’也越來越少見了。這可能是因為越來越多的新人發覺，為了拍張搶眼的照片而毀掉一身定制禮服，讓婚紗沾滿奶油，實在是很不值得。”

Cake smashing can actually be risky on other levels, as well. First, it's a waste of perfectly good cake, which checks in at anywhere between $1.50 and $12 per slice, depending on how elaborate it is. Cake smashing also comes with unsubstantiated, but rampant rumors that the practice is a predictor of future divorce.
事實上，砸蛋糕還有其他方面的風險。首先，這是一種浪費。根據蛋糕的精致程度，每一塊的價格大概在1.5至12美元之間（9元至76元人民幣之間）。另外，也有人迷信地認為，這樣做預示著將來會離婚，盡管這種流言沒什么根據。

Sometimes, it can even be downright painful, as evidenced by some videos of cake-smashing gone wrong.
從一些弄巧成拙的砸蛋糕視頻中可以看到，有時候，如果蛋糕砸得太用力，甚至會很痛。

Courtney Geigle, co-owner of the online wedding marketplace My Wed Style, and former wedding DJ, says most of the brides he's worked with don't like the cake smash. "Once the cake starts flying, there is no control over where it may fall, including on the white dress she's been trying so hard to keep spotless, her hair which took hours to style, or even her eyes," he emails. "I've even seen a bride lose a contact lens in battle."
婚禮網店“我的婚禮風格”的共同所有人考特尼·蓋格勒曾是個婚禮DJ。他說，之前跟他合作過的新娘大多數不喜歡砸蛋糕環節。他在電郵中寫道：“一旦蛋糕飛了起來，便無法控制它會落到哪里。辛辛苦苦保持著干凈潔白的婚紗會被弄臟，做了好幾個小時的發型也有可能弄亂，有時甚至會砸到眼睛。我甚至見過有新娘在砸蛋糕時丟了隱形眼鏡。”

Despite the potential problems, lots of people defend cake smashing as a way to add humor to a celebratory occasion. "Some guests think it is disrespectful and demeaning, while others see the fun and excitement of it all," says DiCianni. "They can't wait for that last second to see what the couple will do. The suspense gets the guests every time. We love it either way because the smiles and laughter it brings is still what we want at the end of the day."
雖然存在這些問題，但很多人還是覺得砸蛋糕可以讓婚慶現場更有趣。迪西安尼說：“有些客人覺得這種做法不敬又侮辱人，而其他一些人則覺得又好玩又刺激。他們等不及要看到新人會怎么做。每一次這種懸念都會吸引賓客。不管砸不砸蛋糕，我們都高興，因為砸蛋糕帶來的笑容和歡樂是我們在婚禮的最后想看到的。”

To ensure those smiles, both members of the bridal couple need to be on board with the ritual before it begins. "Overall, weddings should be a display of love and affection, not a battle for dominance over 'who takes the cake.'" says Geigle.
當然了，為了保證大家都感到開心，新郎新娘需要在儀式開始前達成共識才行。蓋格勒說：“畢竟婚禮是為了在眾人面前表達對彼此的愛意，而不是為了讓兩個人爭個高低。”

來源：HowStuffWorks、煎蛋網
翻譯&編輯：丹妮