Is there anything cooler than a vintage ice cream seller pitching up at your wedding reception with a dazzling array of ice cream flavours, boozy cocktail sorbets and snow cones with vodka shots? The wedding ice cream sundae bar is the latest and greatest wedding essential – ideal for summer weddings, but works all year round!
Image courtesy of katelynjamesblog.com
The ice cream sundae bar is the latest trend in additional wedding catering and very different to your local Mr. Whippy. These are speciality ice cream sellers with a stylish vehicle, on two wheels or four and a friendly uniformed ice cream seller ready to serve your guests either at the wedding breakfast or at the reception as an alternative to a sweet buffet!
A stylish vintage tricycle (or should that be ‘icicle’?) or funky retro ice cream van will put a smile on every guest’s face while adding a different kind of attraction to the day, a splash of colour and a real sense of fun. Let’s face it – you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t like ice cream, so success is guaranteed!
Image from Jemma & Harry’s wedding at the South Farm
Ice cream buffet for wedding
What makes these ice cream sellers extra special is that they offer such an extensive variety of flavours of ice creams and sorbets with gorgeous mouth-watering toppings, the classic favourites plus the sort you can’t get anywhere else.
Here are some great ideas on what you can serve:
- range of ice cream flavours, from classic favourites to most unusual
- alcoholic ices for the adults
- smoothies
- crepes filled with ice cream
- donuts and candy floss
- toffee popcorn
- all the favourite toppings: sprinkles, chocolate sauce, raspberry coulis, chocolate chips, nuts (mind the allergies), candied cheeries, frozen fruit etc.
For a hot sunny summer wedding have your seller offering ice cold fruit-laden Pimms alongside amazing flavoured icy offerings for a wedding reception that hits the spot for guests looking for the usual alongside the temptation of the unusual.
Image courtesy of Ideas Box Ltd
Wedding ice cream tricycle, cart or van
There are several options when you come to booking an ice cream seller and it’s best to work with your venue before deciding which one is right for you.
The tricycle is smaller than a full-size ice cream van so ideal for smaller venues or those with difficult road access. Complete with parasole, it is also environmentally friendly so perfect for an eco-themed wedding. Find an ice cream seller who offers organic ices and you’ve got an eco-organic wedding treat in one.
Image courtesy of Ideas Box Ltd
The ice cream van is much larger and more retro style with a 1960s feel. It can be stocked with more lines for a larger wedding and will need road access and permission from the venue.
The ice cream cart is a Victorian style market stall or cart with wheels and a canopy that can be decorated. These are for anyone wanting to have more of a smaller, ice cream offering to their wedding reception.
Prices vary greatly but to offer up to 100 guests a speciality ice cream and a wonderful spectacle at your wedding you can expect to pay between £200 and £350 hire and a deposit will confirm your booking.
How to decorate an ice cream buffet
Personalise your ice cream buffet by asking the seller to decorate their tricycle, van or cart with your wedding colours or theme. If they don’t already have the decorations you would like, provide them with bunting or consider having a sign made with your names and perhaps a special message with a play on words such as: “It’s cool to be in love!”
Image from Janine & Gary’s wedding at Castle Leslie
And for that finishing touch, have your ice cream seller decorate each ice cream with a sparkle of edible glitter and a pretty cocktail umbrella to match your colour scheme – now that’s cool.
Image courtesy of Ideas Box Ltd
Find more great ideas on our Inspiration wedding cake pages!
