First comes love, then comes dessert

Lets say you and your groom aren't wild about cake - and certianly not wild about wedding cake with fondant at $4.75 a slice. Solution : opt for a smaller, simple cake and provide lots of different homemade cakes, pies, chessecakes, cupcakes, cookies, you name it... and it becomes a dessert table!

I've loved the look of dessert tables for quite awhile now. I especially love when there is a small, two or three tier cutting cake right smack in the middle. I like the tradition and meaning of having a wedding cake - the joint task of the bride and groom cutting the cake is meant to symbolize their first joint task in married life and the gesture of feeding cake to one another is a symbol of the commitment the bride and groom are making. Plus, it is typically the last "item on the agenda" at your wedding reception and so some of your older guests will wait to leave until after the cake is cut.

I love the DIY route you can take with dessert tables too. Feature that delicious cheesecake that only your Aunt can make or get you bridesmaids together and have a baking party two days before the wedding. Is there a special dessert recipe in your family? Pick desserts that sound delicious to you and then make (or buy) them!

Some tips for creating a memorable dessert table:

1. Create visual levels. What this means is to use different heights to display the desserts on the table. Try to make the heights varying so the lower elements are not being blocked by something just barely taller than it. This creates windows of space so everything has a place and is equally visual weight. Try using different serving trays to help create the heights and also distinguish each dessert from one another. 
2. Customize your paper goods. A great detail to add to your table is personalized tags, signage, cupcake toppers, favor bags, etc. This way you can tie in the theme of your wedding, along with the color scheme you've selected, and also let people know what it is that they are having the pleasure of eating!  
3. Also remember to keep your theme in mind. If you are having an event with a really romantic feel, you probably wouldn't want to have a really whimsical decoration style on your table.

So I bet you're wondering... will we be doing a dessert table? ...You betcha!! With help, I made my own cake stands of varying heights, booked the oh so delicious Christie's Cakes to make us a fabulous two tiered cutting cake (with an incredible tasting buttercream rough frost like the one below, obviously!), and have asked a few bridesmaids, cousins, and even my Dad (!) to make various desserts (like cupcakes, cheesecake, and cookies). I can't wait to see our dessert table come to life at our reception - its one of the details I am most excited for!

What are you doing for your wedding dessert? Sticking to cake for everyone? How about a candy buffet? 

Or are you a dessert table fanatic now??