It's not an unbiased opinion (duh), but the cutting of the cake is one of my favourite parts of any wedding (mine in particular). I'm always a little saddened when I attend a wedding where the cake cutting goes very quickly, and sometimes rather uneventfully. So I wanted to share some of my tips for making this small part of your wedding as amazing, fun and memorable as any other.
1. Schedule time in your run sheet for the cutting.
Try and fit in 10 minutes in your run sheet for cutting the cake. If you'd like to say a few words to thank your guests, cake cutting works really well right afterwards, as your guests are all gathered already and focused on you. I'd suggest doing the cutting sometime after the main course is served, but before the first dance. Keep in mind that once the cake is cut, it sends a subtle signal to your guests that it's okay to leave if they need to.
2. Do think about your cake serving gear.
Most venues will be happy to provide a cake serving set for you, but consider picking up your own set (this and this from BHLDN are incredible). Using your own cake serving set means you can tailor it exactly to match your theme and it becomes a beautiful keepsake that can be a wonderful heirloom years later.
3. Ask your cake vendor how best to cut the cake.
Many people instinctively feel that a cake ought to be cut into wedges through the middle, like a birthday cake, but a wedding cake is different. Particularly if you have a tall cake, or a cake with several tiers, there is likely to be some sort of internal structure, which would interfere with cutting all the way down. Your baker can show you how to cut out a couple of neat little pieces for each other, leaving the rest of the cake intact for your venue to divide up for your guests. You may also like to save the top tier for your first anniversary, in which case, avoid cutting that one.
4. Discuss the cutting with each other ahead of time...
...or don't. I see many articles and blog posts urging couples to discuss ahead of time how they will cut the cake and decide on things like how they will hold the knife, how they will feed it to each other, if they will feed it to each other. I think this level of planning doesn't suit everyone, and can place unwarranted pressure on you to do exactly as discussed. The last thing you want when you are cutting the cake is to be worried about whether you are holding the knife in exactly the way you planned with your other half two months ago. Just work out the basics, and let the rest flow.
5. Share it with each other, and each others faces (optional).
Having said that, you know each other best. If you think that your other half might be annoyed with you for smushing cake on him/her, potentially ruining a lovely new suit or requiring an urgent makeup touch up, don't surprise them with it on the night. But if you think they wouldn't mind a bit of horsing around, then don't worry too much. The perfectly timed photo above was taken on my own wedding night. My husband claims he accidentally touched the cake to my face, and this was my instant retaliation. We had a lot of fun with it, but if you feel it's a bit messy and ungraceful, by all means leave out the food fight.
6. Put the knife down.
If you are engaging in a cake battle with your best friend for life, don't do as I did. Put the knife down first, lest your guests (like mine) become afraid for your husband's life. I promise he wasn't in any real danger! :P