If you want to wow your guests at your wedding, then upgrading your dessert table is a must. You can have your cake and eat it too without purchasing a ton of décor you won’t use again. One thing your guests will always remember about your wedding is the food. The dessert is no exception. We are here to teach you how to create an eye-catching display of sweet treats with just a few easy steps.
Plan your budget and shop vendors.
You know how we like to set boundaries from the beginning when it comes to event planning. Having a clear budget and finding the right vendors to work with before you buy your décor is important. You don’t want to end up with items you don’t need. This could cause you to waste part of your wedding budget you could have used elsewhere.
Check to see if there are any hidden fees with your bakeries before you book them. There might be an extra fee for cake cutting, delivery, set up, or added gratuities. This is only going to make sure you have all the fine details ironed out with your budget.
Find a vendor that goes well with your aesthetic and of course your taste. Many bakeries will offer a free or inexpensive tasting for large events like weddings. If you want to offer more than just cake at your wedding, then you might want to find a bakery that specializes in many kinds of desserts such as pastry, pies, brownies, cookies, French macaroons, and more. If it is important to you to have an extravagantly decorated tiered cake, then you might want to find a baker who’s expertise in just cakes.
Know your crowd, weather, and desserts.
If you are not letting a professional lead the way when it comes to selecting the dessert you will serve, you should know a few things. You should offer a few different desserts at your wedding. Not only for a diverse display but because not everyone likes cake. If you aren’t going all out with a tiered cake, just grab a small cake for cutting and maybe a few cupcakes for the table.
The options are endless when it comes to dessert so finding other items to serve other than cake should be a rather easy task. If you serve smaller portions or “mini” desserts, your guests will be able to try several different items from your wedding dessert table, and we know wedding guests love to have options.
Select desserts that will be fine sitting at room temperature for several hours. From our experience, your guests will graze the dessert table all night. So don’t be scared to order if you aren’t offering a late-night snack for your guests.
Don’t have an ice cream bar unless you hire a professional with a cart or a truck to come your event. Trust us. You don’t want to be left with that mess at the end of the night and your venue will be upset. Think about what you are adding to your dessert bar for your guests and children to help themselves to. Sprinkles, toppings, and whipped cream will hold the line up and create a huge mess. Make sure all the desserts are pre-assembled and ready to grab with a spatula or tongs.
If your wedding is outdoors in the middle of the summer, be mindful of what frostings you have with your desserts. A professional baker will be able to walk you through this. Certain frostings and desserts will hold up much better in the heat. Never have your dessert table in direct sun and don’t sit out items that need to be refrigerated.
Upgrade your dessert table by adding different levels of height.
Height can come from many different dessert table décor items. From cake stands, vases, jars, flowers, greenery, backdrops, and more, you can easily add different levels of height to upgrade your dessert table. Add desserts that may be more difficult to plate upfront on a lower stand. A messy cherry pie in the back will cause added difficulty for your guests when filling their plates because they will have to reach over the rest of your desserts. Put easy-to-grab items in the back on a higher stand. Always supply utensils so your guests are not using their hands.
You can generally find items to add height to your dessert table at thrift stores and garage sales. Sometimes a cake stand set just needs a good washing and a fresh coat of paint. Always put a barrier between your food and the stand so harmful toxins are not seeping into the food. We like to purchase items you will know you will reuse again. Save these items for future parties or decorations in your home with your new spouse. We like to use old cake stands as plant stands for an elevated look in our homes. Stay away from open flame candles on food tables that your guests must reach across. Better safe than sorry.
Find some table decoration items that go with your wedding to add throughout the table. This can be small vases filled with flowers, greenery, small photos of the wedding couple, or anything else that might go with your wedding theme.
Add a nice tablecloth and a backdrop.
You are adding height and dimension to your dessert bar when you think about what is covering and behind the table. Add a nice tablecloth that goes along with your wedding theme, and you can always add another piece of fabric on top or a table runner for extra dimension. We always recommend your tablecloth is floor length so you can store the bakery boxes or to-go Tupperware right underneath the table. This makes clean up a breeze since at the end of the night because you won’t have to go searching for something to take your leftover desserts home in. You can also store the tubs or boxes to take home your décor items. Nobody will ever know they are there!
Having some sort of backdrop behind your table is always ideal. Anything. It doesn’t have to be over the top. Something as simple as a banner that says “cake” would do. You could always do a set of pipe and drape if you want a full backdrop. It is totally up to you and your taste in decorations! Minimalistic or extravagant, no right or wrong answers here!
Upgrade your dessert table with lights.
Adding special lighting to your table will be the icing on the cake. Uplighting is always a great option to add, and you can almost get any color you want. Find out pricing and more about our uplights you can rent for your event.
Another great option is battery-powered fairy lights. Small string lights are great to wrap around your elements and décor to increase your wow factor. They are inexpensive and can be found at many different stores or online. They generally last for years with a fresh change of batteries, and you can also use them for so many things in your home after the wedding! Fairy lights add such a romantic touch to anything.
Complete Weddings + Events in Des Moines
Planning a wedding is an exciting time in your life, but when it starts to become overwhelming, know there are experts who are happy to help! Contact Complete Weddings + Events for advice or to set up a consultation for your next Des Moines event!