I'm making a cake for a friend's wedding and she wanted a cake with real ribbons at the bottom of each tier. This is very common and I was wondering. For the cake cutting ceremony, what do you do with the ribbon? Do you take it off before they cut the cake or do they cut though it (which will be messy)? Any ideas?

For the bride & groom cake cutting they would just cut a slice above the ribbon to keep the look of the cake intact for the photos, for the actual serving of the cake they would remove the ribbon.

What do you do to prevent the ribbon from soaking the fat from the Butter cream icing?

Use a crusting butter cream and you won't have that problem.

I have found success with putting clear gift wrap tape on the back of the ribbon. The whole crusting butter cream thing still let the ribbon get grease soaked.
Have the couple to cut the cake near where the ribbon joins so that they can peel back the ribbon slightly and then cut the cake. Good Luck !!

Thank you guys for the information.

Does ironing the ribbon to wax paper also keep the ribbon from getting greases soaked?

What about ribbon over fondant? MMf fondant is pretty greasy, I wonder if it would soak through on that too??? I love the idea of the gift wrap tape and of having them cut the cake at the seam! Great ideas!

Thank you!!! I guess I'll have to let the couple know how to cut it for the photos, and then take it off for serving.