Planning Your Wedding Cake: Setting Up Your Dessert Display

Now you’ve decided what you want to serve and chosen your vendor based on consultations and a tasting. Now the goal is to make all of your beautiful desserts mesh with your style and the design choices you’ve made for the rest of your day.

If you haven’t already done this, start a Pinterest board for your wedding. This board doesn’t have to include only wedding pictures, but should draw from all areas of inspiration. I love gold so much, and was completely obsessed with having gold and other sparkly and shiny things everywhere. We had also made an effort to feature local farmers and their food, which should have more of an earthy feel. Our wedding designer, Candace of Lovestru.ck Weddings + Events, figured out how to make it all work. But everything started with mood boards, based on my Pinterest boards. I took inspiration from sites like 100 Layer Cake, Style Me Pretty, and Rock n Roll Bride.

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Elements that can make your dessert table POP!

·      Beautiful linens. This can be anything from oatmeal-colored linen, to blinding gold sparkles. You don’t have to use what your venue provides – take a tour around your fabric store to see what’s there! You can order or rent from local vendors, or make your own! Just be sure you know the correct dimensions of your dessert table.
·      Assorted plates and cake stands. Visit places like antique stores, Ikea, Target, TJ Maxx, or check with rental companies in your area. They are all bound to have a wide variety of options. Having more than one type of plates and stands for your desserts or cakes gives people something to look at.
·      Varied textures and colors. Choose linens and dishware that give the eye something to enjoy. Wood has become more and more popular lately – I did a wedding cake last year where we used a cross section of a tree for the cake stand. Look at marbles and granites, wood, porcelain, clear glass, opaque, and in any color that fits with your wedding.
·      Different heights and weights. We cannot choose favorites here! I love varying the heights of cake stands and plates. If you only have access to trays, make it work! Stack books or anything with height, then cover with some cloth before putting the tray on top. Look for tall stands if you can, and items that are closer to the tabletop.
·      Flowers and foliage. Work with your florist to choose some special blooms to work with your display. He or she might suggest twigs, berries, bouquets, single flowers – let the professional do what they do best. Make sure to clue in this person to your Pinterest and mood boards.
 

Now that you’ve put so much work into this awesome display, be sure that your photographer knows to take amazing photos. You will want to remember it forever!

Visit my introduction post to learn all about this series. FYI: I use the term “wedding cake” very loosely here and believe that it covers the whole range or your options.