He kept a slice of his 1966 wedding cake until he died at 79. His granddaughter-in-law knew exactly where it belonged
'Even though it seemed a little gross, I thought to myself, ‘How sweet!’' said Taylor Fivecoate
People often remember their loved ones from the things they left after they were gone. When 29-year-old Taylor Fivecoate (@tay_fivecoate) was sifting through the stuff of her late grandfather-in-law, Joseph Fivecoate, she came across a thing no one can expect in their storage boxes: a slice of 57-year-old wedding cake. For all these years, the cake had been sitting in the vintage Arnoldware-Rogers plastic container tucked in a cedar chest, a memento of his 1966 wedding. After spinning several ideas on what to do with it, Taylor realized that the cake was a piece of Joseph’s heart and therefore should belong where he is. Her October 3, 2026, Instagram video detailing this experience has since tallied 436,000 views.
Time capsule from a wedding
Joseph married Carolyn Fivecoate on June 18, 1966, when they were just 19 years old, as per PEOPLE. While Carolyn died only thirty years later, at the age of 48, Joseph continued to “pour his love” into their three children and grandchildren. So when Taylor saw this cake, she realized how sentimental Joseph was and how much he adored having romantic gestures in special moments. “Even though it seemed a little gross, I thought to myself, 'How sweet!'" Taylor told PEOPLE, remarking about the cake.
Dispatched to the afterlife
Taylor, who strongly believes in the afterlife, harbored many ideas on what to do with the cake. Her final verdict came in the form of a reflection. She knew that the cake was close to Joseph’s heart and therefore belonged where he was: in heaven. “That way he can share it with Carolyn when they are reunited for eternity,” she reflected. Taylor, then, pulled out a shadow box with a glass lid and sneaked inside the 1966 slice, the cake’s gold leaves, and a wedding photo.
The gold leaves, she said, “were simply perfect, golden, to reflect the everlasting aura of their love.” The photo only reminded her how much love Joseph had for Carolyn, for it showed clearly in the photos of the wedding album. After several ruminations, she finally buried the cake with him “to signify it traveling with him to heaven.”
Holding the moment
The moment gave Taylor a “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” feeling. And as she reflected on grief, she felt it was hard. And putting the cake in his grave was one of the ways she felt her grief lessen, if not dissolve altogether. “Though I love and will miss our Pappaw Joe forever, creating this for him for when he is reunited with his bride helped me to find a little peace during the sadness of his passing. I hope that people see that life is made in the little moments, not just the big ones. And to hold onto them as long as you can,” she said.
Wedding keepsakes
Preserving keepsakes from a wedding is a common practice, according to the Knot Real Weddings Study. For instance, the study found that nearly two-thirds (65%) of couples choose to preserve their wedding bouquets or elements of their centerpieces. 46% of the brides choose to preserve their wedding dresses in acid-free archival boxes to prevent them from yellowing. Similarly, an Easy Weddings poll found that just over half the couples (53%) save the top tier of their wedding cake, while 47% didn’t. Researchers highlighted that earlier, the cakes were mainly fruit cakes soaked in brandy and would have actually improved with age, but these days, it is more difficult to preserve cakes, and they often can’t be preserved for long, even in the freezer.
Sweet and sad
Viewers were just as fascinated by the unexpected memento Joseph left behind. Many shared similar experiences. @ai_curio shared, “I’m sobbing; this is so sweet. My grandma kept their wedding cake in the freezer for years and years.” @kirstenxdillard remarked, “It’s so beautiful. It tells a story.”
You can follow Taylor Fivecoate (@tay_fivecoate) on Instagram for more personal stories.
More on Scoop Upworthy
Priest opens time capsule from 2000—finds beautiful message addressed to those finding it
Texas woman opens 25-year-old time capsule—blown away by Walmart prices from 1999
Share on Facebook
