The rise of Pinterest has seen a huge amount of wedding-related trends come and go. Arguably, the era of beautiful imagery has contributed to the rise of the baked good. Where the wedding cake was once the tall and tiered undisputed queen of the dessert table, the selections are now endless. Macaron towers, cupcakes, cake pops and so on — the wedding cake is now beset with bite-sized rivals. With this is mind, here is a mouth-watering pros and cons summary of wedding cake alternatives…
The Wow Factor
The big question for many couples is “will my cake alternative make as big a statement as a traditional wedding cake?”
The great news is that there’s no right answer. A stunning tower of shiny and colourful macarons can be just as visually impactful as a towering, tiered wedding cake. A well designed dessert table can be just as beautiful as a stand-alone piece. It’s all about the execution of the idea.
Just be warned — if you do go with a striking alternative, some of your more traditional guests might still look for the cake at the end of the evening.
Dietary Requirements
While it can be more difficult to cater for dietary requirements with a dessert like macarons (e.g. nut-allergic or diabetic guests), having cupcakes or cake pops rather than a single cake can make it easier to provide for special considerations. Also, for anyone who is highly allergic to something, you can keep your special diet cupcakes well away from the others so they are not contaminated.
That’s not to say that it’s impossible for your wedding cake to serve the same purpose, but it may mean, for example, that everyone gets a vegan layer, rather than just the vegan guests.
Even though it’s possible to incorporate various needs into different tiers, it still means a large bulk of your cake will be diet-specific, so that is something to bear in mind.
How Attached Are You to Tradition?
If you’ve always dreamt of the moment you cut the cake on your wedding day, then tucking into a cake pop at the end of your wedding breakfast may feel a bit anti-climactic. However, if you’re happy to ditch the custom and do it your way it may not bother you at all.
Alternatives Can Double Up As Wedding Favours
If you’re on a budget, cake alternatives like cupcakes and cake pops can make great wedding favours. You can personalise them by adding a sweet label for your guests or choosing bespoke and beautiful wrapping.
While you can send people home with a cake slice in a party bag, it can be neater to give them an individually wrapped treat. Not everyone is still hungry for cake at the end of a large meal so this could be a great way to ensure that everyone gets a piece, without the crumbs!
Whatever you choose it will be delicious, delightful to look at and maybe even a little decadent. There’s no right or wrong when it comes to your wedding day, so pick the dessert you love the most, and share it with the most important people in your life.
Guest post by Marie Sinclair of GC Couture
Image from Claire Basiuk Photography
