Nothing Will Ever Compare To Grace Kelly's $13K Wedding Cake

Weddings are a common place for tradition to be on display. Some southerners bury a bottle of bourbon before their wedding day to boost their luck and ensure clear skies on the day itself. Others throw perfectly good rice at the newlyweds to wish them prosperity and fertility. Then, there's the symbolic cutting of the cake by the couple, a time-honored tradition that marks the start of their shared lives and decisions together. However, oftentimes, it's a bit of a struggle to slice the cake, especially at weddings when multi-tier confectionery is the standard.

Speaking of cake-slicing, to this day, it seems nothing can still top the iconic wedding cake at actress-turned-royal Grace Kelly's wedding to Prince Rainier III of Monaco and the way the couple cut it. The six-tiered pastry, gifted to the newlyweds by the chefs at Monte Carlo's Hotel de Paris, was covered in pure white icing. The towering cake was also adorned with intricate church display designs in every tier. On top was a functional music box with small representations of the bride and groom.

When it was time for Kelly and Prince Rainier to cut the cake, a magical moment unfolded before the eyes of their 700 guests. The pair used the groom's sword to slice the dessert, only to reveal a birdcage within the top two tiers. Inside was a pair of turtle doves, which they released as a symbol of love and fidelity.

Undeniably, it's hard to outdo Grace Kelly's wedding cake, which, according to experts, cost £10,000 or nearly U.S. $13,000. However, that does not mean the cakes at other royal weddings were not as grandiose and attention-grabbing. The late Queen Elizabeth II had a majestic nine-foot, four-tier, 500-pound cake at her nuptials with Prince Philip Mountbatten. Like Kelly's, the couple's gigantic, white confectionery featured detailed sugar figures, their monograms, and flowers. They also used a sword to slice it, instead of sticking to the best conventional way to cut a cake. Perhaps this explains why two more copies of the cake were made in anticipation of mishaps.

Among the modern royals, Kate Middleton and Prince William's eight-tier fruit cake at their 2011 nuptials was also a sight to behold. In true royal fashion, the pastry was covered in white icing and decorated with intricate floral designs. What's more interesting about it is that the couple decided to save the top three layers and later serve them at each of their three children's christenings.

Last but not least is Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's four-tier, buttercream-covered cake, which was placed on a multi-level gold platter. It's rather simple without the antique platter, as the cake did not feature elaborate piping. What made it special was the 150 fresh flowers arranged on the sides and the top of the layers.