It used to be the case that a wedding cakewas an absolute essential on the wedding list, and your Mum would kill you if there was no "cutting the cake" photo op. Times, as we all know, have changed and if, like me, you have a sweet tooth but don't want the traditional cake centrepiece the good news is there is a huge varietyof delicious sweet treat options instead. So today we're checking out 10 of our favourite wedding cake alternatives: from decadent doughnuts and dainty macarons to retro pies and gourmet cheese cakes, there's a little something to please all tastes, and surprise your guests! With a variety of fillings and a little creativity in terms of presentation you can have a very cost-effective and pretty wedding cake alternative. Love this idea?The Rolling Donutand Empire Donuts bothoffer a wedding service of their gorgeous sweet and sticky delights. Erin Jean via Style Me Pretty | Lisa Ann Photo |Next Exit PhotographyviaSeventh and J|Annamarie Akins Photographyvia Southern Weddings The options for wedding cookies are endless from cute and creative to classic and hearty. Cookies can be made in just about any style to suit your theme or venue and look just as good as a wedding cake on a cake stand. MM Cookies create some of our favourites in Ireland. Cara Mia via One Fab Day | White Loft Studio via Style Me Pretty|Pabelona Studio via Style Me Pretty | Hilal and Moses via One Fab Day A delicate little cupcake decorated to your personal theme or motif is always a crowd pleaser. Some of our favourite cupcake makers include:The Cake Cuppery and Pearl's Cake Parlour. Milton Photography via Style Me Pretty | Simply Sweet via Style Me Pretty | The Cake Cuppery | Hochzeitswahn For a savoury treat tiered cheese cakes can be disassembled and used as an after dinner cheeseboard or as a tasty wedding cake alternative. If you want to know how to create your own wedding cheese cake we have the full instructions and tips all ready for you. 2 Brides via Style Me Pretty |Natalija Brunovs- I Heart Weddingsvia Polka Dot Bride |Orbie Pullen via Ruffled | The TomKat Studio The most romantic and feminine of sweet treats macarons are a natural wedding cake alternative. Be careful where you buy your macarons and stick with brilliant confectioners such as Laduréeat Brown Thomas or one of our other specialist recommended confectioners. For those of you with a really sweet tooth, a dessert table is agreat DIY alternative to just one wedding cake. Ask some of your guests to bring along their specialities and arrange a table at one end of the room (make sure to ok this with your venue.) Alternatively most good bakers now offer this as an option. Kimberly Chauvia Sugar and Cloth | The Cake Cuppery | This Modern Love via One Fab Day |City Love Photographyvia The Bride Link Very dainty and sweet wedding meringues come in all shapes and sizes including pavlova tiered cakes,mini meringue roses, pops, drops, kisses and sandwich cookies. Each as delicious as they sound. Greta Kenyon via Magnolia Rogue|Heidi Lau Photographyvia Style Me Pretty | Sam Gibson via Rock My Wedding |Dr. Oetker Proving that inside every grown-up is a little kid, sweet bars (or candy buffets) are remaining super popular at weddings. These can act as a relatively simple wedding DIY project for a friend of family member, with the key being really great signage and styling (try any of our décor suppliers for great signs and containers.) Brosnan Photographic via One Fab Day |Sarah-Jane Ethan Photographyvia Rock My Wedding |Vicki Grafton Photographyvia Style Me Pretty|Fraser Stewart via One Fab Day A traditional French pastry, this confection is comprised of fluffy, bite-size cream-filled choux pastries just like éclairs, which are assembled into a cone shape using caramel syrup (yum!) The traditional decoration for the dessert is spun sugar ribbons but they can also be drizzled with chocolate, icing sugar or caramel. Elizabeth Messina | NBarrett via Ruffled| Style Me Pretty |Carrie King Photographyvia Brunettes Boards A great alternative if you don't want cake but still wanted a sweet treat you can slice up and divide to your guests. Popular wedding pie options include classic apple pie, sweet pecan pie and berry wedding pies. Caterers can often help you with this wedding cake alternative, or you could always DIY if your venue allows. Cluney Photo via Wedding Chicks |Andy Barnhart via Style Me Pretty | Studio 127 via Green Wedding Shoes |Sally Mae Photographyvia Style Me Pretty Other fun wedding sweet treats include wedding marshmallows, cake pops, baked alaska, wedding ice cream and sorbets. Get in touch with one of our recommended suppliers to start planning your own wedding cake alternative.
1. Wedding Doughnuts
2. Wedding Cookies & Biscuits
3. Wedding Cupcakes
4. Wedding Cheese Cakes & Cheese Boards
5. Wedding Macarons
6. Wedding Dessert Tables
7. WeddingMeringues & Pavlovas
8. Wedding Sweet Table
9. Wedding Croquembouche
10. Wedding Pies
See Also
The Thrifty Wedding: 8 Ways to Save on Wedding Cake/DessertWediquette Wednesday: If you leave a wedding reception early, do you say goodbye or slip out?Who Pays for the Wedding Cake? - Zola Expert Wedding AdviceHow Big Does Your Wedding Cake Really Need to Be?