Dessert/candy tables?

This sounds like a fun way to involve your FH's dad! Our reception venue has an in-house caterer, and a dessert table was included in our package. I think they're a great option since people like sweets and may want some after dinner, but not everyone likes cake. It could also be a way to accommodate anyone with food allergies that may not be able to have certain things. If you're planning to do the pastries, I'd either have tongs or individually wrap them so nobody has to worry about multiple hands touching the desserts. You could also get some cheap plastic containers and a scoop, then buy candy in bulk.

Does the venue require a licensed bakery? Because not many allow homemade food for liability reasons. Because we are still in Covid, unwrapped is not a great idea if it is homemade.


As far as a candy table, we saw one of these as guests at a wedding not long ago and it sealed the deal to skip favors entirely. The couple had a set of vases filled with wrapped name brand candy (popular chocolates) that were along side the cake in full view and they could not give them away at the end of the night. We aren’t doing candy based on that experience. Our guests expect and love cake at weddings, and will not eat not cupcakes (which are messy without forks) or other desserts which go immediately at family picnics and other gatherings. Luckily we are cake people rather than other desserts so that is what we will be serving as the main/only dessert option.

My cousin does set ups like this, and it looks very cool. Most of the thing are in containers like the candies. The chocolate cover items (chocolate cover Oreos, or pretzels) would wrap in plastic bags. The Carmel/Candied apples wouldn't be wrapped unless it was requested to have some wrapped so the guests could take home. The pastries like donuts, zeppolas or macaroons would be put on a plate and have a glass cover over it ( like those cakes grandmothers would have out on the table). The Cake would be placed on a cake stand and cupcakes would be put on a 3- tier serving platter or a tower stand stand. The most recent display she did was someone's... homecoming.

Hi Priscilla. If your venue is all for it, I think it's a lovely way to include your FFIL. I would set up tables on the side, but do a reveal during the reception to get guests excited. If you do a timed release, supply tongs, and have finger foods, then the line will move quickly without persons hovering. You can easily purchase all-in one sealable plastic bags (rather than ties) or cute Chinese-style food containers.

I was going to have a cake, cupcakes, cookies and our fav candies but now I’m cancelling the entire reception

We are having our baker make a 3 tier wedding cake for us so she will deliver that. To save some money we are going to buy cookies and brownies from bjs to also put at the cake table !

The wedding I last went to had donuts. My fiancé and I are thinking of donuts too along with our wedding cake.

We're having brownies, rice krispies, candied citrus peel, and madeleines for our dessert table. We're also having a cake. Our caterer is doing everything but the cake.

Thank you all so much for your responses!! My FH and I talked about this at length over the weekend and we've decided to purchase brownies and cookies from our local grocery store and we're going to look for candy on sale after Easter. The vendors we looked at were just out of our budget and we forgot that my future father-in-law will be staying at a hotel in the days leading up to the wedding, which would eliminate the possibility of him baking. We feel good about our decision and this will let us still offer some goodies without breaking the bank. Thanks everyone!