Lyla Dejesus
Dessert is a common feature at weddings, with many couples choosing to serve a variety of sweet treats to their guests. While wedding cake is the most popular dessert option, it is not the only choice, and many couples opt for alternative desserts or serve additional sweets alongside cake. From ice cream sundaes and cake pops to macarons and chocolate-covered strawberries, the options are endless. Some couples even choose to have a dessert reception, where only sweets and drinks are served. When planning a wedding, it is important to consider how much dessert to provide and whether to serve plated desserts or offer a dessert buffet.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Dessert type | Cake, cookies, doughnuts, ice cream sundaes, cake pops, candy, fruit tarts, brownies, cinnamon rolls, macarons, waffles, chocolate-covered strawberries, cheese wheel cake, croquembouche, and more |
| Dessert presentation | Dessert tables, dessert bars, dessert buffets, cones, mugs, cake stands, platters, sticks |
| Timing | Dessert is typically served an hour or so after dinner, towards the end of the party |
| Portion size | If serving small desserts like cookies or candies, allocate 2-3 per person and 5-6 different options |
| Additional considerations | Coffee and some savory foods are often served alongside dessert to balance out the sweetness |
| Guest expectations | Clear communication about the dessert-only reception is important so guests can plan accordingly |
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What You'll Learn
Dessert table ideas
Dessert tables are a great way to showcase your personality and creativity at your wedding. Here are some ideas to make your dessert table stand out:
Variety is the Spice of Life
Offering a variety of desserts ensures there is something for everyone. From miniature desserts like cheesecakes, macarons, cake pops, and tarts to full-sized options like pies and cakes, having a range of choices will delight your guests. Don't be afraid to mix and match! Pair macarons and small cakes with stacks of waffles or offer a selection of mini cheesecakes, chocolate-covered strawberries, and tarts.
Think Outside the Cake Box
While wedding cakes are traditional, you can also offer alternatives like a cheese wheel cake for couples with a savoury tooth, or a croquembouche, a French dessert of pastry puffs and caramel. If you're having a summer wedding, consider a gelato cart or an ice cream truck to keep your guests cool and sweet.
Personalize Your Sweets
Make your dessert table personal by including your favourite childhood treats or desserts that hold a special memory. You can also ask a family member who is known for their baking skills to contribute their signature sweets. This adds a unique and heartfelt touch to your celebration.
Presentation is Key
The presentation of your dessert table can enhance the overall aesthetic of your wedding. Use different heights for your serving dishes to create a visually appealing display. Rustic weddings can utilize wooden platforms and log slices, while a metallic shelf with vintage serveware adds a unique touch. Consider grouping desserts in a cabinet for a fun twist, allowing guests to easily view and select their treats.
Timing is Everything
Consider the timing of your dessert service. If you're serving a plated dinner, you may choose to serve the wedding cake as the dessert. However, if you prefer a dessert buffet, you can open it after the first dance, ensuring your guests have energy for the rest of the night.
With these ideas in mind, you can create a dessert table that not only satisfies your guests' sweet tooth but also leaves a lasting impression.
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Dessert quantities
When it comes to dessert quantities for weddings, the general rule is to provide a mix of options and allow for around 2-3 servings per guest, including cake slices. This equates to about 250 total dessert servings for a group of 100 guests.
If you're offering a full dessert portion, such as a regular cupcake, one of each offering per person is not necessary. However, if your desserts are smaller or tasting-sized, you may want to provide closer to one per person, as guests tend to take more when items are bite-sized and self-serve.
For a wedding cake, the golden rule is to provide one slice per guest. If your cake is a showpiece, consider ordering extra so that it looks impressive in photos and no one misses out. Some couples save the top tier for their first anniversary, so keep this in mind when calculating quantities.
If you're offering individual pastries, such as eclairs, profiteroles, or tarts, plan for 1-2 pieces per guest, allowing them to sample different options. If the desserts are on the smaller side, lean towards providing two per person.
For a dessert table with a mix of treats like brownies, macarons, cheesecakes, and cookies, a good rule of thumb is to provide 3-4 pieces per guest. This allows guests to graze and try different flavours.
It's important to remember that not all guests will want dessert, and some may prefer to continue dancing or may be too full. On the other hand, a few guests might go back for seconds. Therefore, it's a good idea to build in a small buffer when calculating quantities.
If you're serving multiple desserts, you can reduce the number of servings per item to avoid waste. For example, if you're offering a wedding cake and pastries, you might serve fewer cake slices and balance it out with smaller sweets.
Additionally, consider offering inclusive options for guests with dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegan desserts. You don't need as many of these as your main desserts, but it's important to ensure that all your guests can enjoy a sweet treat.
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Dessert presentation
Dessert is a common feature of weddings, with wedding cake being the most popular option. However, there are many other ways to present dessert at your wedding.
If you're looking for a unique and interactive way to serve dessert, consider creating a dessert bar or table. This allows guests to help themselves to a variety of treats and creates a focal point at the reception. To make it interesting and inviting, display desserts on a mix of different platters and cake stands. You can also add extra florals or punny signs as decorations. When it comes to the types of desserts, the options are endless. You can offer anything from macarons and small cakes to waffles and cones filled with delicious fillings.
For a more traditional approach, you can serve plated desserts to your guests. This can be done by having the caterers cut and serve the cake individually after the entree, or by setting up a dessert buffet. If you choose the latter, consider the logistics of people dancing and moving around the dessert table. You can also offer a combination of plated dinner and a dessert buffet, but be sure to communicate this clearly to your guests.
If you're looking for something different, you can get creative with your dessert and drink pairings. For example, you could offer a sundae bar or key lime pie shooters. Handheld desserts are also a great option, such as marshmallow pops (deconstructed s'mores) or cake pops, which are easy to eat and don't require silverware.
Finally, don't be afraid to think outside the box. If you don't have a sweet tooth, you could opt for a cheese wheel cake or a savoury option. Or, you could surprise your guests with unique treats like cookie shot glasses filled with milk or homemade Pop Tarts.
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Dessert alternatives
Dessert is a common feature at weddings, but it doesn't have to be cake. Here are some alternative dessert ideas for your wedding:
Creative Cones
Cones are not just for ice cream. You can fill them with delicious treats like peanut butter, rainbow cookie, and lavender honey. Alternatively, you could try a more traditional ice cream sundae bar, where guests can add their own toppings.
Childhood Comforts
Curate a dessert bar with your favourite childhood treats. From brownies to chocolate-dipped pretzels, you can surprise your guests with sweet treats they may never have seen before.
Cultural Desserts
Take inspiration from other cultures. For example, a croquembouche is a French dessert made from choux pastry puffs and caramel, often served at weddings. You could also try a crepe cake, another French option. Or, for a Pakistani-American twist, serve mango panna cotta with other Pakistani sweets.
Petite Treats
Instead of a full-sized dessert, you could offer a variety of bite-sized treats. This could include chocolate cups filled with raspberry and chocolate mousse, or miniature versions of classic desserts.
Cheese, Please!
For couples without a sweet tooth, a cheese wheel cake is an elegant and tasty option. You could also offer a selection of other savoury treats, such as homemade Pop Tarts or fortune cookies.
The options are endless, so feel free to get creative and choose something that reflects your personality and tastes.
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Dessert and alcohol
Dessert is a common feature at weddings, with wedding cake being the most popular option. However, couples are increasingly opting for alternative desserts, such as doughnuts, cookies, and ice cream sundaes.
When planning dessert and alcohol for a wedding, it is important to consider how the two will be served together. If a plated dinner is served, the wedding cake can be cut and served individually as dessert. However, if there is a dance floor, a dessert buffet may be preferred to allow guests to eat and dance simultaneously. In this case, it is important to communicate to guests that they can help themselves to dessert at any time.
To avoid guests feeling overwhelmed by the combination of sugar and alcohol, it is advisable to provide some savoury options. Finger foods such as pigs in a blanket, meatballs on skewers, crackers, and cheese cubes can help balance the sugar rush.
When creating a dessert and alcohol spread, it is essential to offer a variety of options to cater to different tastes and dietary preferences. A mix of small desserts, such as cookies, candies, and cake pops, can be served, with a general rule of allocating 2-3 items per person and 5-6 different options. For a more elegant presentation, consider creating a dessert table with a mix of platters and cake stands to display items like macarons, tarts, and mini cheesecakes.
For couples who prefer a savoury option, a cheese wheel cake or a selection of sophisticated desserts, such as a croquembouche, can be offered. Ultimately, the choice of dessert and alcohol pairing is a personal decision, and couples should feel free to get creative and choose options that reflect their unique tastes and wedding theme.
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Frequently asked questions
Here are some unique dessert ideas for a wedding:
- Cake pops
- Ice cream sundae bar
- Childhood comfort treats such as brownies and chocolate-dipped pretzels
- Homemade toffee, shortbread hearts, and mini lemon meringues
- Mini sticky toffee pudding, flourless chocolate cake, and New York-style cheesecake bites
- A French croquembouche
- Doughnuts
- Fruit tarts
If you're serving a plated dinner with the wedding cake as dessert, you can either serve it plated at each seat or on a dessert buffet table. If you're serving a buffet, it's a good idea to have multiple dessert options. It's also a good idea to provide some non-sugary snacks, as the combination of sugar and alcohol can make guests feel unwell.
No, it is not necessary to serve dessert at a wedding. You could, for example, serve only drinks and snacks such as pigs in a blanket, Swedish meatballs, and crackers and cheese cubes. However, it is customary to serve dessert at weddings, and it is important to communicate to guests whether you will be serving dessert or not so that they can plan accordingly.
