Good morning!
Welcome to our second installment of wedding details on a budget. Last week we focused on centerpieces, and today it’s all about dessert tables.
Dessert tables have become a staple at wedding receptions over the last couple of years, and I don’t think this trend is looking to stop any time soon. Thankfully, they can be done on a fairly tight budget and there are several things you can do to keep the costs down.
Save the money for the food
The most expensive thing about your dessert table should be the food on it. That being said, the food need not be expensive! You could save a ton by having friends and family bake your favorite desserts–cupcakes, brownies, cheesecake, macarons, cookies, pie, cake pops, whatever suits your fancy. You could purchase a small cake for cake cutting instead of dropping hundreds of dollars for everyone to get a slice. Most people will be more than happy to fill their plate with different types goodies than one slice of cake, anyway!
{Photos by Bride Scouts via Love & Lavender}
For the dessert table above, only $40 was spent! And most of that went to the food that is on the table, which came from the grocery store. Buying sweets from the grocery store may be a good way to save money, but the treats may not be as tasty as from a local bakery or homemade. Plus, no one has to know, right? It can be your little secret. :) Some people don’t like cake, but if there is an array of desserts to choose from, there will surely be something they like.
I love the above shoot because nearly all of the items were found around the house. Those frames make a lovely backdrop, and a chic vintage desk makes a gorgeous dessert stand. Don’t own one? That’s fine. A dresser, an old table, a book shelf… really any sturdy surface will work! If it’s not very pretty looking, just throw a linen over it (like the next few photos), and voila.
{Photo spotted on Eat Drink Pretty}
The keys to a successful (and budget friendly) dessert table
You want a beautiful dessert table, but you don’t want to spend a lot of money. Duh. It’s like any other aspect of your wedding. :)
There are a few things you can do to make this happen:
First of all, backdrops are essential to making any dessert table work. A backdrop could be as simple as a big window, a sheet or quilt, bunting, ribbon/streamers/fabric, or just pretty scenery. The photo below is one of my all time favorite dessert tables. It inspired me to create a fabric and lace backdrop for my graduation party dessert table. This is such a simple and cost effective DIY project and looks fabulous, don’t you think?
{Photo spotted on Green Wedding Shoes}
You will also need something to put the food on… and there’s a good chance you have people in your life who would be more than happy to lend you their plates and cake stands. You can even make your own dessert stands, which is unbelievably easy. I was lucky enough to find several super cute dessert stands at local antique stores for a great price tag, so it’s definitely worth checking out vintage/antique stores in your area. I love the use of the vintage suitcase in the photo below!
{Photo by Sean Walker Photography}
If you want to include flowers on the table (which is nice, but not necessary per se), go for big, single blooms to add some lovely pops of color (like the photo above), instead of full on floral arrangements, which can get quite spendy.
Focus on the Food
I love the simplicity of the table below: it’s just an old, rustic table, with barn doors as the “backdrop,” and lots of yummy treats! That’s really all you need. The delicious food should be the main focus of the table, and your goal should be to highlight these yummy treats. Dessert signs are a nice idea too, and can be an easy DIY project. I purchased mini chalkboards from this etsy shop which are super affordable ($1.93 a pop) and added the perfect touch to my grad party dessert table.
{Photo spotted on Bridesmaids and Weddings}
Another simple, yet beautiful dessert table with an easy DIY backdrop and a few flowers in bottles to spruce it up.
{Photo spotted on Jenny Cookies}
If you are having an outdoor dessert table, you can just use the pretty background/scenery as the backdrop. This table is super cute, and another of my all time faves. I am getting so hungry looking at all of these!!
{Photo spotted on Green Wedding Shoes}
So, what do you think? Are you having a dessert table at your wedding? I’d love to hear about it!
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