I firmly believe that there’s no such thing as too much dessert at a wedding. In fact, why go for one dessert or cake when you can have a whole table? A luxury dessert table at your wedding reception can be a show-stopping décor centrepiece, not to mention a delicious one. When it comes to creating the perfect luxury wedding dessert table, there are no rules, but here are things to think about when designing your decadent dessert spread.
Placement in the Room
This seemingly small detail will actually have a lot of influence over how you design your luxury dessert table. First and foremost, the placement of the table has to be practical. It has to be accessible for your wedding guests, but not so intrusive as to be in the way of people traffic through the reception.
It should also be well lit in order for your photographer to capture its impact, but not so well lit that the heat from the light damages the desserts. Avoid putting it directly in front of a window if your reception is during daylight hours, as this will make it harder for your photographer to get a great head-on shot of the table. Your wedding venue’s staff will be able to help you find the perfect spot to put your masterpiece.
The shape and size of the table is also important. A round dessert table will have a completely different design and layout to a long, buffet-style spread. Consider the aesthetic and practicality of all your delicious treats remaining within reach of your guests.
Decide on Your Basic Theme
Ideally, your dessert table should match your overall wedding theme or colour scheme. There are no rules when it comes to this, other than be consistent. You can have a rainbow theme, simple blush pink and gold, monochrome… anything you like, as long as everything goes together cohesively for maximum visual impact.
Also consider your theme when choosing your serving plates, cake stands, crockery and tablecloth, as well as any cupcake holders and accent colours on your cake. If you are providing anything that isn’t included by your cake supplier, make sure you’re working from the same colour palette and design scheme.
Choosing the Desserts
The big question when designing a wedding dessert table is this: to cake or not to cake? Again, there’s no correct answer and it can depend entirely on your budget. Some couples choose to forgo tradition entirely and skip the cake in favour of cupcake towers or macarons. Others love the idea of a towering, tiered wedding cake as the breathtaking centre of their dessert table.
Once you have made this decision, think about what you would like to see on the spread. There are so many options, including cake pops, giant lollipops, sweet jars, truffles, macarons, cupcakes, mousse cakes and much, much more.
You may want your desserts to complement your theme. Discuss all your options with your cake designer and have the tasting session of a lifetime!
Styling Your Luxury Dessert Table
One of the great things about opting for a dessert table as a feature of your wedding is that you can use height, symmetry or asymmetry to create a huge visual impact.
If your budget is generous, you could have three cakes. One towering centrepiece surrounded by two smaller tiered cakes, gradually decreasing the height of the display using varying heights of cake stands and so on. You could create beautiful chaos, with some standout, elevated pieces, or you could keep everything on a level.
The best thing to do is design this with your cake supplier in advance of the big day. If they are unable to set it up on the day, hand your plans over to your wedding stylist or someone with a great eye who will be able to execute the vision.
Once you have decided on the layout of the table it’s time to have fun with the décor. Flower urns or displays can blend seamlessly with many schemes, and some couples have even topped their table with stunning floral arches. Other more budget-friendly options include streamers and garlands, balloons, picture frames, vintage crockery, pearls and more.
Stationery is also a vital feature of a luxury dessert table. Use the same stationery you have used throughout your wedding to label your desserts, for practical reasons and that added ‘wow factor’ detail.
Serve It Up
You may wish to keep your luxury wedding dessert table a closely guarded secret until its unveiling, or have it in the room but not ‘open for business’ until the cutting of the cake. Whatever you choose, ravenous guests who’ve had a bit to drink can unwittingly cause a bit of a mess when it comes to claiming their little slice of heaven. Therefore consider having a staff or wedding party member on serving and, if applicable, replenishing duty. Just don’t forget to get a few pictures first!
Guest post by Marie Sinclair of GC Couture
Images from…
Wedding Dessert Table Against Wall: Craig and Eva Sanders Photography
Vintage Themed Wedding Dessert Table: Jo Richards Photography
Selection of Desserts on Table: Anneli Marinovich Photography
Silver and Grey Styled Wedding Dessert Table: Michelle Cordner Photography
