Your Guide to Saving the Top Tier of Your Wedding Cake

First, remove any nonedible decorations. You may also want to take off large sugar flowers or similar adornments, as they might break or poke through the wrapping. Next, you’ll want to put the cake in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours. Since this will need to happen on the night of the wedding, you may need assistance from a trusted friend or family member. Being in the fridge or a cooler will make the frosting hard enough to be covered in plastic wrap without ruining the aesthetic appeal of the confection. In addition to at least two layers of plastic wrap, adding layers of aluminum foil around the cake will help keep it protected. After all, you don’t want a dried-out dessert for your anniversary! You should even wrap the box in more plastic wrap, just to be extra safe. You may also want to consider putting a box of baking soda or something similar in the freezer to absorb smells from other foods so your cake won’t be affected.

Preserving the wedding cake is only the initial step though – you also have to prepare to eat it. The confection needs time to defrost, so the night before your anniversary (or whenever you choose to eat it), put the cake in the refrigerator. You’ll then want it to sit out, unwrapped, at room temperature for about six hours. Finally, it’s time to enjoy and reflect on one year of married life!

For more advice, get tips on picking your wedding cake style and discover 20 ways to use fresh flowers on your confection.