Sometimes it’s better to opt for a dessert table than have one set dessert as part of your three-course meal. There are many starters and main courses that are generally universal, and you’ve probably already given your guests a choice in their main course anyway.
Desserts on the other hand, can be quite subjective. The safest and most universal dessert you could probably go for is vanilla ice-cream, which on its own, probably isn’t as exciting as you were hoping for. So instead, why not skip the menu dessert altogether and go for a dessert table for guests to choose what they want. We’ve picked our top five favourite dessert tables, but really, the sky is the limit for you.
Ice cream parlour
This one is a particularly good option for a summer wedding, people of all ages tend to want ice-cream in high summer, especially when it’s right in front of them, and all their favourite flavours are there. Don’t forget to add bowls of chocolate chips, M&Ms, sprinkles and other ice-cream toppings for your guests to load up on.
Sweet dessert table
Take your guests back to their own childhoods with a retro sweet table. You can add all your favourite sweets from when you were younger. There are a few different places you can avail of retro sweets from in Ireland, and you can even swap the table for an old-style cart! Check out McCarron’s Candy and Sugar & Spice.
Afternoon tea
Perfect for a vintage wedding, especially if you prefer your desserts in the form of baked goods. Make up an ‘afternoon tea’ dessert table with scones, pastries, lemon slices, chocolate brownies, and other such café-style cakes you would like to add to your afternoon tea layout. This would go particularly well if you’re planning on hiring vintage china for an authentic afternoon tea experience.
Mini cakes
You might opt for a mini-cake tower in lieu of a big three-tiered wedding cake anyway, but even if you’re not, mini versions of cakes are perfect for your guests. Cupcakes, macaroons and cake pops are just some of the cake treats you can add to your dessert table. You might decide to have a smaller ‘display cake’ for cutting, followed by dishing out a cupcake to each of your guests made by the same baker, so they’re still sampling your wedding cake without having to wait for a slice.
Chocolate fountain
If you want to go for something totally different, how about hiring a chocolate fountain, complete with several lovely things you can use to dip into it? You can have strawberries, kiwi, grapes, bananas, fudge, marshmallows and sponge fingers. You can pretty much use any food you like, and you can hire them for a few hours for very reasonable prices. You might even want a drinks fountain to accompany it and pump out your favourite cocktail.
- Jenny Darmody
Image credits: Dessert table: Sandra Henri Photography | Ice cream: Eat, Drink, Chic | Sweets: Exhibit Emotions Photography | Afternoon tea: Jessica Claire Photography | Mini cakes: Silk Truffle Photography | Chocolate fountain: Lee Bird Photography