Dessert Table - Sign for dessert time or not?

Can the venue wheel the desserts out at 715pm? It's kind of poopie to have to have the sign but awkward when people don't know if they can dive in or not. Or worse, those who don't care.

I don't think you need to put a time for dessert. People generally know not to touch the wedding cake!

Keep the display/cutting cake out and keep the cupcakes in the back until time to be served.

Also, if they cupcakes are set up like a display that goes with the cutting cake, it should be common sense not to dive in.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Like @Kristy said, I think people generally know they need to wait for cake/cupcakes until after the cutting.

But if you like the idea of a sign, you could do a general sign that simply outlines the reception. Maybe including special dances, toasts, cake cutting, and exit? I've seen signs like that before, but none with the specific time for dessert only.

I didn't even think about this and at my wedding, we had a pastry buffet. They put it out at cocktail hour and every single one of my desserts was eaten then. ALL OF THEM. Not one dessert was left and they were not making more. I had to send someone to the supermarket down to buy some generic desserts to put out. We put a sign out after that on the desserts we just bought and they still ate them.

I would suggest a big sign or somehow blocking it off, or maybe not putting it out until later.

@mimitrue If they were put out on a spread during cocktail hour, I would assume I could eat them. A wedding cake is different though..

How about having the DJ announce to help themselves after cake cutting? This is my plan as I'm doing the same thing with cupcakes.

I was thinking one of those one screens people would change behind that's all cute and putting it in front of dessert bar

@Kristy, I would too. Our venue says they do it every time with weddings and no one has ever touched them. I was furious! It all worked out but to be safe, I would either not set them out or definitely put a big sign.

Ahh! Great question. Following!

My dessert bar is going to be pretty involved and won't be able to be wheeled in/out... Now I'm thinking I should have a nice little sign that says "help yourself to dessert after dinner" or something. I'm also kind of worried because my candy bar is going to be set up during cocktail hour but hopefully people don't eat too much of that beforehand.

Thank you all for the feedback! It seems like the safest choice would be to have the caterer put the cupcakes out shortly before we cut the cake, I'll ask them if they can.

If they can't do that, maybe a sign with the reception schedule set up nearby would be enough hint/confirmation that people should wait without being too "slap on the wrist" -like.