How many dessert to buy for wedding?
in lieu of a typical tiered wedding cake, multiply the number of guests expected by 2.5 to determine the number of desserts you'll need.
The rule for dessert bars: each guest should get 2-3 pieces of dessert (even if you do end up serving cake as well, people eat with their eyes first and will still grab more than 1 piece of dessert from your bar!).
We normally recommend 3-4 mini desserts per person if your guests aren't eating a slice of cake. As far as options go, you don't want to overwhelm your guests with too many choices so we typically say only do 2-3 more options than the amount you are allotting each guest.
The standard guideline at Allison's bakery is one slice per person—with the assumption that people who eat more will balance out people who don't eat any.
Sweets Tables
A simple formula for ordering desserts is to multiply the number of expected guests by 2.5 to determine how many small desserts (cookies, cupcakes, etc) you should order. If your budget allows you could increase to 3.5 per guest so that people can taste one of everything or take some home as a favor.
in lieu of a typical tiered wedding cake, multiply the number of guests expected by 2.5 to determine the number of desserts you'll need.
Using our recommended three cupcake flavors and 1.25 cupcakes per guest, you should budget between about $650 for a 100-guest wedding cupcake table.
Following the rule above, for 100 guests you should have between 300 and 600 cookies available.
Fill a table with chocolate-dunked goodies like Rice Krispies bars and caramel apples. Or have a chocolate fountain with dippers like fruit skewers, bite-size brownies and soft pretzels (for that delectable salty-sweet combo). And if chocolate brown doesn't fit your wedding palette, choose a different hue.
| Guests | Tiers* | Average cost |
|---|---|---|
| 150 | 3-Tier | $460 – $820 |
| 175 | 3-Tier | $540 – $850 |
| 175 | 4-Tier | $570 – $850 |
| 200 | 4-Tier | $600 – $1,300 |
How much dessert do I need for 30 people?
It's a safe bet to count one serving per person. You're planning an event for 30 people? Order three dozen. That extra six is a good buffer.
A good rule of thumb is 1 or 2 really special items (which could be bought), 2-3 home made desserts and then 2-3 candy items which can be purchased.
For a group of 20 to 30, Auble recommends three bites per guest and four different dessert types. For larger groups, she'll often up the number of dessert types to 5 or 6.
Dessert tables vary in cost depending on desserts selected, but expect to invest at minimum of $6 per guest, not including the cost to set up at the venue, if required or desired.
A typical dessert bar would include an 8" round cake with 3 dessert pieces per person. Total cost for 100 guests would be approximately $940: 8" buttercream cake with standard decoration - $110.00. 240 dessert pieces (60 "sets") - $705 for desserts.
Choose another dessert.
Choosing cupcakes, pies, or doughnuts for your wedding can be cheaper than getting a wedding cake. While the actual pricing will depend on your bakery, these items don't require much decorating time, so you'll be saving on labor for your wedding dessert.
Plan a menu with a variety of desserts that are both chocolate and non-chocolate. Bake ahead and freeze desserts if possible. Serve smaller items so that guests can taste many different bites. Take help from the store and friends/family, don't try and make everything yourself.
| Guests | Tiers* | Average cost |
|---|---|---|
| 150 | 3-Tier | $460 – $820 |
| 175 | 3-Tier | $540 – $850 |
| 175 | 4-Tier | $570 – $850 |
| 200 | 4-Tier | $600 – $1,300 |
Fill a table with chocolate-dunked goodies like Rice Krispies bars and caramel apples. Or have a chocolate fountain with dippers like fruit skewers, bite-size brownies and soft pretzels (for that delectable salty-sweet combo). And if chocolate brown doesn't fit your wedding palette, choose a different hue.
