Wedding Dessert Table Ideas

Thewedding cake is one of the most important parts of a wedding. Whether you’ve decided to go with an actual cake, multiple cakes, or a pyramid of cupcakes, you’ll want to make sure the dessert of your choice stands out. After all, the tradition of couples cutting the wedding cake together symbolizes the first task performed together after the “I dos.” Here, eight ways to make sure your guests know just how sweet love can truly be:

1 Use Fabric to Your Advantage

It’s easy to pick a white cloth and toss some flower petals on the table for a simple, classic look, but why not make your wedding cake table really stand out? The wedding dessert table is a great place to show some personality.

• Tablecloth: You can use anything from lace to a solid colored tablecloth to show off the cake or any other type of dessert.
• Tulle: Create a swag around the perimeter of the tabletop and let it drape or tie it in a bow. It makes a quick and easy overlay to a table, while still giving it an elegant look. You can even tie everything together by using this same color design to make beautiful chair sashes for your wedding reception.
• Garlands: You can create these by using light fabric like tulle, organza, or silk and drape it above the cake table to create a whimsical ambiance over the table.

2 Go Vintage

You can sit your cake on anything you want to, including vintage or antique pieces of furniture. That includes the following:

• Bookshelves
• Dressers
• Desks
• Carts

3 Let the Cake Bask in the Light

Using light to illuminate the cake will look great in photographs, especially when it comes to the wedding cake cutting tradition. Try lighting it up with these ideas for your wedding cake table:

• Candles: Create a romantic look by decorating your dessert bar with candles. Just be sure to keep the candle height in mind—you don’t want it to overpower the cake. If you decide to use candelabras, set them off to the side or tuck them behind the cake.
• Tiny Lights: Attach small lights to the underside of the tabletop or arrange them around the cake.
• Spotlight: The cake is one of the main focal points at a wedding, so why not try using a spotlight to flood the area over the wedding cake table. For a more dramatic look, use multiple lights at various angles.

Photo Credit // Unsplash

4 Make It Personal

It’s your wedding, so why not turn your wedding cake table or dessert bar into your own personal memento with the cake as the centerpiece and flowers adorning the table. Include the following to make it a personalized ode to who you are as a couple:

• Photographs: Use some of your favorite photos from your relationship to decorate your dessert display. For an even more sentimental touch, include photos of parents, grandparents, and kids, too.
• Romantic Memorabilia: Use poems or love letters for an even deeper classic touch.

Photo Credit // Unsplash

5 Get Into the Swing of Things

Throw caution to the wind by displaying the cake on a stand covered in the floral arrangements of your choice and then suspend the entire setup from the ceiling. It gives the illusion of a chandelier holding the cake—just like Real Housewives of Orange County star Tamra Barney and Edward Judge’s wedding cake.

6 Vineyard and Country

For an extra rustic feel, place your wedding cake atop a wine barrel surrounded by flowers. Or, if you have several cakes, use multiple barrels to create a tabletop for each cake. You can also place a flat tabletop or slab of wood on top to mimic a real table.

7 A Vision of Love

Place a mirror underneath the cake to create a reflection. Place floral arrangements, petals, pearls, crystals, or greenery around the mirror.

8 Signs Point to Love

Use signage on the front of the tablecloth, or even on top of the table placed off to the side of the cake. Personalize the sign with your last name, first names, or even keep it simple with the words “love” or “cake.”

Whether you’re planning a garden-inspired celebration in springtime or a rustic wedding during fall, Zola is here to help make your wedding dreams become a reality. For more information on decor design for your wedding reception, check out this guide to find out your wedding style. For more tips on how to get started on wedding planning, click here.