10 Wedding Cake Alternatives That Are Huge Crowd-Pleasers
Rest assured that just because a wedding cake is the traditional option, it does NOT mean you have to get one! Why not treat your dessert as an opportunity to infuse more personality and uniqueness into your day? If you’re up for some out-of-the-box ideas, we’ve got you covered with the 10 best ones we’ve ever seen (and tasted!).
Get Creative With Wedding Cake Alternatives
We’ll never forget meeting our clients Cara and Drew for the first time. We spent almost an hour talking about their wedding and how they met and what they wanted for their photography. Then, as the meeting was ending, we asked, “Is there anything else you need help with?”
There was a pause. Then Drew said, “Well, I don’t like cake. I’m not looking forward to the wedding cake.”
“You don’t have to have cake!!!” we exclaimed.
“Really…?” he asked, looking tentatively hopeful.
“Do you like dessert at all?” we asked.
“He loves chocolate chip cookies,” Cara said immediately.
The two of them looked at each other thoughtfully, and the cake order was cancelled soon after.
1. Cookies
After our meeting with Cara and Drew, we actually didn’t hear what they ended up deciding to go with for dessert until the day of their wedding. There, on the dessert table, was a multi-tiered, chocolate chip cookie cake! It was so fun and whimsical, and they had a ton of fun cutting and serving it.
And speaking of cookies, at Rose and Tom’s backyard wedding, they had a luscious assortment of homemade cookies baked by family members and friends. We loved this idea! Not only does it relieve you of one major budget item, it also adds in so much personality and a family touch. Plus, every guest can pick the cookies they love most. Win-win-win-win.
2. Donuts
This is a really popular option right now, and for good reason! We recently got to have donuts at Kara and Jake’s brewery wedding, but they weren’t just any donuts, they were hand-made apple cider donuts from a local orchard! We thought this was a really interesting way to add local flair to a wedding. And, it would be especially cool for out-of-town guests, who might not know or get to experience all of your city’s local treats!
3. Cupcakes
Lauren and Matt had adorable cupcake towers at their Perona Farms wedding. The couple ordered a single tier of wedding cake for the tradition of it, but then switched it up for their guests. We love when couples opt for cupcakes because they can be so easily personalized! You can choose different flavors, colors, designs, and you can get really creative with your display.
4. Dessert Minis
At Joni and Dan’s wedding, they hired Doylestown patissier One Sweet Baking Co. to make an assortment of mini tarts, pastries, and cakes. Before the big day, they raved to us about their desserts, and now we can see why. Each one was absolutely delicious, and for whatever reason, anything miniature is just more fun! We’d recommend this idea for couples with a sweet tooth, who can’t choose just one dessert to feature.
5. Ice Cream Sundae Bar
Looking for a really unique idea? How about an ice cream sundae bar! Allison and Joe did exactly this and it was a HUGE hit with their guests. Their sundae bar had incredible ice cream from OWowCow, a shop that uses all local and organic ingredients (very cool). This is such a fun and whimsical idea that will delight both the adults and the kids at your wedding!.
6. Croquembouche
For something elegant and extra-special, why not go for croquembouche: a tower of pastry puffs, wrapped in delicate caramel threads. Kevin and Gillian opted for this dessert at their New Leaf Restaurant wedding in NYC. Gillian is from the UK where the croquembouche is actually quite popular as a edding dessert. Another fun, European-inspired idea is to go with a cheese platter or even a cheese “cake” (not the cream cheese kind, but an actual cake-shaped wheel of cheese!).
7. Macarons
Macarons are such a pretty and delicate dessert. They’re beautiful and so appealing. Since they come in so many flavors and colors, they’re a nice way to tie your wedding colors into your dessert! Check out these macarons by one of our favorite caterers; Food Company Catering.
8. Chocolate!!
Of course we can’t leave out the ultimate dessert treat: chocolate! It’s so indulgent, utterly delicious and really versatile. If you’re a chocolate fan, then really your options are limitless! We love this display of chocolate truffles and confections (and the sign!) at Simone and Adam’s Green Building wedding in Brooklyn. Stunning and delicious, what more could you ask for?
9. Pie
If you’re after a tremendous crowd-pleaser, look no further! Pie is one of the most popular desserts we’ve ever seen at a wedding. It turns out that a lot of people in the world think that pie is waaay better than cake, so why not give the people what they want? In addition to their chocolate confections, Simone and Adam ALSO offered their guests a variety of pies. We really appreciate their dessert-loving style (and so did all their guests).
10. Vegan Cakes
What do you do if you really want a traditional wedding cake, but you’re vegan? Get a vegan cake! This way, you can still have the most gorgeous and scrumptious wedding cake imaginable (honestly, the vegan cakes we’ve tried may even be better than a traditional cake). Lael Cakes in Brooklyn specializes in baking cakes that happen to be vegan, but you’d never know the difference!
Do you prefer wedding cakes or wedding cake alternatives?
Let us know in the comments or by getting in touch.
Kyo Morishima Photography