Mmmm… desserts… who doesn’t like them? Even those without a sweet tooth can’t resist a nibble when the right treat comes along. Now, with all the holiday sweets piling up in stores, it’s no wonder we have indulgence on our mind. What does this mean for your big day? Amazing and unusual wedding desserts for your guests! Wedding menus have really changed over the last few years. The only options used to be of the ‘beef or fish’ variety, but now you can have everything from a pizza buffet to a hog roast, and everyone’s delighted. However, desserts have remained pretty much the same. If not serving the wedding cake, it’s usually some kind of a mousse or tarts, usually after the main meal with coffee and tea. How about something different? Consider these unusual wedding desserts below!
And if you’re wondering what to do with all that wedding cake, the answer is so simple – order yourself a gorgeously breathtaking single-tier cake, cut it as usual, share with your other half, and freeze the rest for your first anniversary. Done!
Waffle table, crepe bar or donut station
If you’re after something different, a dessert bar could be a bit of fun for guests. If you fancy going the crêpe route, Crepes & Craic are an Irish company that can serve up freshly baked Breton crêpes to your guests there and then with an assortment of delicious fillings like fresh strawberries, Nutella, lemon and sugar and apple compote. Nom. Or if your fave treat of all time is waffles, set up a waffle maker station – you may need to ask for a staff member or two to be available to man the waffle maker and the guests can help themselves to the condiments. If you go for the donuts, all you have to do is provide a variety, so everyone can have one. Pop them on some cake stands to make them look extra cute!
Frozen yogurt or ice cream bar
Ice cream bar image courtesy of evelynclarkweddings.com
Of all the desserts known to man, this is the one that takes the cake (ha ha). You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t like ice cream, and if you serve a few flavours, everyone will be delighted. You don’t need any more than three or four, and make it more fun with the toppings – you could even leave out cute little mason jars for guests to fill. You’ll need to arrange with the venue to store the ice cream for you and roll it out at an agreed time. Don’t worry about the season – people eat ice cream all year round, and it’s a perfect cheer-up on gloomy winter days. If you don’t fancy arranging it all yourself, you have other options from a beautiful traditional ice cream cart to a fun and nostalgic ice cream van.
Treats from around the world
Image of traditional Polish Vienna cheesecake from MMM Family Bakery
We have access to such a huge array of international foods and cuisines here in Ireland. And, of course, desserts! Think of some amazing things you’ve had while eating out at Italian, Indian, Japanese or Thai restaurants, or even far flung places you and the fiancé(e) travelled to before. Make the day all the more personal and include some of your faves as a nod to that summer you spent travelling together or the French bistro you popped in to after you got engaged. Many restaurants have some of their desserts delivered, so you could easily find out where the delicious tiramisu or coconut cream jelly came from. Also, TripAdvisor has a category called Best Bakeries in Dublin, Ireland, where they list 33 different ones, all an excellent source of unusual wedding desserts inspiration.
Baked goodies from family and friends
Above image from Ida & Lucas’s real wedding by Aidan Oliver Photography
Here’s an idea – if anyone asks ‘can I help with anything for your wedding?’, say an enthusiastic YES! and tell them to bake something for your dessert table. It doesn’t have to be super-fancy, or large enough to feed 200 – it just has to be made at home and with love. Virtually everyone has a favourite recipe they do really well – apple pie, fruit tarts, gingerbread cookies, flan… the list is neverending. Ask them to bring it on a serving plate with a utensil – all you have to do is arrange a table, tablecloth and some napkins. Of course, feel free to add a personalised touch with a sign. This will require a little organisational skill as well – get a name of everyone who’s bringing something, and catch up with them a week before the wedding to ask if you can still count on their baked goods. This way, you’ll give them enough notice to bake if they’ve forgotten – or have time to formulate and execute Plan B for other unusual wedding desserts options.
Sweet fondue or chocolate fountain
Image above from mynameisyeh.com
To add a little twist to the usual dipping chocolate, consider serving a hot custard fondue as well. Check with the venue first if they have suitable equipment. If not, look for local places where it can be rented. Then, shop for stuff to melt. The chocolate fondue will be fine with just one type of choc, but if you want, make it a blend or offer two kinds – like milk and dark. For dips, it’s all up to you – strawberries, marshmallows and salty crackers or mini pretzels will be perfect. For serving, all you’ll need is napkins and wooden skewers – very inexpensive from kitchen supply stores. So much dippy fun! Or, go all the way with a pièce de résistance – a spectacular chocolate fountain, like the one by Candylady!
Assorted mason jar desserts
Image of strawberry shortcake stacks from popsugar.com
All you’ll need is some small jars – so if there’s still some time to go before your wedding day rolls around, start collecting them now. Think of no more than three kinds of desserts to give your guests some choice – and they can be as simple as granola covered with yoghurt plus a cherry or cheerful sprinkles on top. The fillings are only limited by your imagination – fruit salad, layered cookies and strawberries, custard and bananas, Oreos and marshmallows… yummy! You’ll find a few more tips – and not just for desserts – right here in our mason jar wedding ideas blog post.
Donut station image courtesy of invitations4less.com
