Wedding cake is a given, but in this age of impressing your guests, many brides and grooms are in search of an even sweeter send-off. In the past, a traditional dessert buffet has been known to offer homemade goodies created by mom and Aunt Betty. Today, while a good homemade cookie is still a sure bet, caterers are serving up a dessert buffet selection with a traditional wedding cake and decadent desserts, with everything from chocolate truffles and mini-Key lime tarts to ice cream sandwiches and chocolate fondue. Try one of these 10 ideas for the perfect sweet ending to your celebration.
1. Late Breakfast
Serve breakfast for dessert. We're talking true morning foods -- French toast, waffles, donuts, and fruit-filled pastries. For a fun, casual look, opt for mini glazed donut holes. For something more elegant and refined, get powdered, sugar-sprinkled French toast with syrup. Love Rice Krispies? Create a cereal bar.
Serving hint: The trick to presenting these morning bites? The later the better. If the dance floor has been hopping for hours, keep everyone energized into the late hours of the after-party by serving mini Belgian waffles with cherries and chocolate.
2. Change of Flavor
Pick your absolute favorite dessert and then give it a twist. Is there nothing better to him than creme brulee? Serve up individual ramekins of a mocha-flavored version. Maybe you shared a tiramisu on your first date. Cover it with chocolate ganache.
Serving hint: Serve the special plated desserts right after the main course. Then cut the cake later, or have it sliced and packaged up nicely for all your guests to take home as a favor.
3. Seasonal Bites
Look to the time of year for inspiration. For a winter wedding, warm brownies drizzled with raspberry chocolate sauce will keep everyone coming back for more. For a summertime fete, give out Popsicles (which you can match to your wedding day colors).
Serving hint: Spoil your guests' appetite. Instead of waiting until after dinner, sweeten your cocktail hour and serve these seasonal treats as hors d'oeuvres.
4. Sweet Heritage
Honor your heritage by dedicating the entire dessert course to a selection of familial favorites. A traditional Viennese table filled with dozens of colorful Italian cookies and desserts can be beautiful; a Danish dough ring cake is not only delicious but makes for a great centerpiece; and no one can pass up warm German apple strudel dusted with powdered sugar. Come from two very different backgrounds. Create side-by-side his and hers dessert buffets or have them served and plated together.
Serving hint: Display your grandparents and great-grandparents' wedding photos near your desserts. Or have pretty note cards describing the history behind the sweets.
5. Miniature Delights
Shrink your delights to make them bite-sized. Think apple fritters and pop-in-your-mouth cookies. And make sure they're easy to handle. Have your caterer add lollipop sticks to someice cream sandwiches, put Jell-O into shooter glasses, or serve up individual lemon tarts.
Serving hint: These treats look best on a dessert buffet -- perfect for guests to get up and move around after dinner.
6. Retro Treats
Turn back the clock when choosing a dessert and look to '50s baking books for inspiration. Lemon bars, cornflake macaroons, and freshly made snickerdoodle cookies showcased on a tiered dessert buffet give your guests plenty of options. Love cupcakes? Do Oreo and cream-filled devil's food cupcakes or freshly made Ding Dongs served up on individual plates.
Serving hint: Provide monogrammed bags or boxes near the desserts so that your guests can take a few treats home.
7. Spiked with coffee
Did you meet at a coffee shop? Pair your dessert with coffee. In the summertime, try coffee floats or iced espresso (also called coffee granita) cups. When it's cold outside, serve warm coffee pudding or chocolate-coffee brownies.
Serving hint: What goes best with coffee-flavored desserts? More coffee of course! Set up a coffee bar with all the mixers and extras to accompany and complement your caffeinated sweets.
8. Healthy Choice
If your idea of something sweet is nothing more than a bowl of fruit, you don't have to skip over the dessert course. For a fresh, healthy option, do strawberries and cream in the summertime, or apple slices with caramel dip in the fall.
Serving hint: Serve it family-style. Have your caterer create fruit plates with ramekins filled with dip so that guests can dig in after dinner.
9. Homemade Cookies
Order your favorites like old-fashioned oatmeal raisin, peanut butter, and chocolate chip. Then mix in a few exotic ones like pecan praline, maple snickerdoodles, and macadamia nut white chocolate. Mom has a secret cookie recipe? See if your caterer can make it.
Serving hint: You can't have cookies without milk. Get old-fashioned mini glass milk bottles for your guests to grab and chug.
10. Decadent Chocolate
It's hard to resist anything chocolate. Imagine double-chocolate cookies, rich truffles, and chocolate mousse cups. The key here is to vary the texture. So serve a chocolate dessert that's cake-like, another that's dense and chewy, and another that's rich and perfect for dipping.
Serving hint: A dessert display that consists completely of chocolate can look a little too monochromatic. Have your caterer add a pop of color with bright orchids or red raspberry sauce drizzled or dotted on each dessert plate.
-- Anja Winikka
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