If a wedding cake isn’t enough to satisfy your sweet tooth, a wedding sweet table might be right up your street – not only does it provide an amazing sugar rush (you’ll need the energy for the dance floor!), it also adds a cute, retro feel to your big day.
Back at school nothing delighted us like the tuck shop, and your guests will feel the exact same when they set eyes upon your wedding sweet table.
Whether you decorate with old fashioned jars full to the brim with penny sweets (we’re thinking cola bottles, pink shrimps and foam bananas), or handmade treats like mini brownies, cookies and cupcakes, we guarantee your sweet treats will go down a storm with your guests, young and old.
Some couples display their wedding cake in the centre of their sweet table, with all the other nibbles surrounding it. To make this particularly effective, we suggest displaying everything at different levels for a treat for the eyes as well as the taste buds – we’re thinking a tiered cake would look great atop a tall cake stand, while other sweets could be placed upon smaller and shorter cake stands.
What to Include on Your Wedding Sweet Table
The world is your oyster when it comes to choosing which treats to put on your sweet table; for couples on a budget, why not ask all your guests to bring cakes or treats with them, be they shop bought or homemade? This will create a village fete vibe that would be amazing at barn or marquee weddings. It might not work so well at a stately home venue, but we love the idea of a homemade element at a DIY wedding.
If you’re after a more polished sweet table, you could theme your treats to match your colour scheme – think rose gold cake pops, pink bonbons or confectionery in bowls and plates that coordinate with your wedding reception crockery.
“Colour-coding is massively popular for sweet tables, particularly in this Instagram-centric world where everyone goes wild for ombré displays and monochromatic shades,” says Charlotte Ricard-Quesada of La Fête.
“Consider taking a key colour from your wedding, such as a blush pink, and fill your sweet table with blush treats. They will look too good to eat!”
“In order for your sweet buffet to fit in with your wedding, make sure to theme it according to your overall décor style,” adds Charlotte.
“Consider the table itself, the floral arrangements and the containers: you can do anything from an old school sweet dispenser to an elegant array on a vintage dresser.”
Your sweet table doesn’t need to just hold host to your cake and traditional pick and mix sweets, though. Go all out with cookies, cake pops, donuts, macarons, profiteroles, chocolates and anything else your heart desires.
If you’re having a Christmas wedding, mince pies are a must, or if you’ve got a theme to your wedding, make sure the treats tie in with this – Disney cake pops are a must at Disney themed weddings, or if you’re marrying someone from a different culture, sweets from their homeland are a nice way to acknowledge their heritage.
If you had a favourite childhood sweet (Chewits, for us) these need to have pride of place on your sweet table. White mice and chocolate buttons would also be a firm feature on our wedding sweet table.
How to Make Your Sweet Table Special
While most of the focus will be on the treats on the table, it’s worth considering the table itself as well, as this can help tie in your sweet table with the rest of your day.
“The choice of table is something that is often overlooked when designing your sweet table,” agrees Julie Daukes of wedding venue Ash Barton.
“It is the base that holds your sweet construction and can assist in creating the desired look you are aiming for. For instance, if you have a small table it can create the illusion of an overflowing dessert bar, whereas a bigger table gives more space for decoration.”
“Unique table legs can provide a quirky and alternative look to your sweet table, whereas a traditional four-legged table will fit in perfectly if your wedding is more conventional,” Julie continues.
We love the idea of a bar cart or rustic wagon being home to your confectionery, or even a mini Ferris wheel with different sweets in each swing seat – the possibilities are endless!
Consider Serving Ware
With such a variety of different treats on your table (naked cakes and party rings are the ultimate combo!) the table can start to look a little chaotic. Bring it all back together with a running theme, such as glass jars or silver bowls. Consistency is key to keeping a sweet table classy.
Think about how you want your guests to serve the sweets; glass serving scoops are an elegant touch, or you could provide paper bags with your names on for a personalised touch – with this in mind, these could also be your favours, killing two birds with one stone!
How to Decorate Your Sweet Table
“Table signs are a budget friendly, effective way to make your sweet table stand out,” says Julie.
“Not only do they help your guests identify the sweets on the table, but they provide a great opportunity for personalisation. If there is a treat that holds significance to you, you could write it out as “the story behind this cake”. DIY-ing your table signs also could be a topic of conversation amongst your guests if your signs are funny. For instance, puns like “smore love” and “donut know what I would do without you” always go down a treat”
A popular sign about the treats table is “love is sweet”, and while we’ve seen it many times, it never loses its appeal.
As well as fun signs, adding flowers to your sweet table is a pretty way to decorate, and tie the table in with the theme for your day.
“Ask your florist to provide a few stems or an arrangement that you could use to dress the table,” says Sarah Kellum, Venue Manager at Millbridge Court. “Consider whether there is an arrangement you can reuse from the ceremony.”
“Flowers and foliage are a fantastic way to provide a rustic and natural feel to your sweet table,” adds Julie.
“Naturally there will be gaps between each sweet treat, so flowers and foliage provide elegant and sophisticated fillers. If you DIY your table signs too, this will create layers that will make your sweet table look extra special. Additional flowers and foliage arrangements can be added to frame your sweet treats, as well as making your table look fuller and more extravagant.”
Scroll down for serious wedding sweet table inspiration – and prepare to feel peckish!
For a truly spectacular centre piece for your wedding sweet table, check out our edit of amazing alternative wedding cakes.
