Updated on: Feb 15, 2024
When looking for desserts to serve the guests of your wedding, many folks tend to play it safe by sticking with the ageless tradition of cakes. Are you looking to get a little creative with desserts at your wedding? Do you want to add a little pizzazz to your reception? Check out the fabulous ideas for wedding reception desserts below, and be sure to impress your guests!
Top 9 Wedding Reception Desserts
1. Dessert Buffet
Why hand out a single dessert that your guests may or may not enjoy when you can provide them with a plethora of yummy treats to choose from? This idea is a popular trend for people who want to satisfy their guest's sweet tooth! Depending on your budget, you can provide whatever type of food you'd like with ideas ranging from pastries and wedding cookies to fruit tarts and pies! Stumped on what to include in your buffet? Many bakeries are willing to provide samples for you to taste-test. That way, you can decide for yourself what makes the final cut!
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2. Ice-Cream Bar
Who wouldn't love a make-your-own sundae bar? No matter how old you are, you can always enjoy packing the toppings on your favorite flavors of ice cream. There is so much room for creativity with this idea! You can set out a few simple flavors and topping choices, such as sprinkles, chocolate syrup, or crushed Oreos, or go all out with gourmet ice-cream flavors and never-ending toppings to choose from!
3. Pies Galore
Move over cakes; there's a new wedding dessert in town! This inexpensive alternative is excellent for any type of party reception. Make a buffet of pies or place individual pies on each table for guests to choose from. People will absolutely love this comfort food! Have flavors like blueberry, chocolate crème, apple, cherry, and more, and don't forget the whipped cream! Consult with your local bakery to see if there are more creative flavors!
4. Crazy Cupcake Tower
Many people are opting to use cupcakes at their reception instead of the traditional wedding cake. Place the cupcakes on a four-tier design and let the guests pick out their treat! Dress up the cupcakes with fondant and edible candy flowers to give them extra appeal! Another option is to add cake pops that have a similar color arrangement!
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5. Candy-Bar
It doesn't matter if you're six or sixty; a full spread candy bar will have you drooling! Dress up your candy table with assortments of sugary sweets using items such as jelly candies, licorice, and gummy bears. You can also feed into your guest's chocolate craving by supplying a plethora of chocolaty goodness! Or how about combining the two? After all, it's your reception, so mix it up however you like and dress up the table to attract your guests!
6. Donuts!
If you have been researching creative dessert ideas, I am sure you have already seen this one. Donuts are becoming a trendy wedding dessert. These can be displayed in many creative ways, and they come in so many different flavors. It is almost guaranteed that your guests will find a kind they like. You can also mix it up and provide cookies or cupcakes as well as donuts. That way, your guests will have the option to choose what kind of dessert they are in the mood for. You can even create a donut wall to display them all, and to make it even more enticing add a yummy cup of cider!
7. Macaroons
This delicate French treat is a pretty and yummy treat to have at your wedding. You can either lay the macaroons out on a platter or create a tower of them to wow your guests! Use multiple colors or match the colors to your wedding and create a cute sign to add to the table.
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8. S'mores Bar
Create a rustic s'mores bar that all your guests are sure to love! Arrange the graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate along with a tiered tower or in glass containers. Create labels or signs that can be displayed on the table, and also include roasting sticks and bonfire/heat fuel cans. You can spice it up by adding additional ingredients like Reese's cups, chocolate graham crackers, peeps marshmallows, etc.
9. Cotton Candy
What's more magical than good old cotton candy? Create a cotton candy holder and display beautiful arrangements of cotton candy on a table for your guests. Create a sign and allow your guests to help themselves with this yummy treat. You can even rent a cotton candy cart to make things even more remarkable!
Wedding Reception Desserts: Conclusion
Planning desserts for your wedding doesn't always mean choosing a cake. While this tradition is still very much alive, more and more people are using unique wedding reception dessert ideas! Feel free to also individually wrap every treat so each guest can still enjoy the yummy treat in a safe and sanitary way. For more handheld dessert ideas, check out our Mini Desserts page. Still, having trouble deciding on what to do for your wedding? Visit Easy Event Planning's website to find local event vendors. Researching what is available around you is a great way to narrow your decision. We also have multiple checklists and ideas that you can check out!
Written by Vanessa Marsocci and Anna Wertman; Contributor: June Park