Back in mid-2019, no one would have predicted that a global pandemic would change life as we know it. Social distancing became the norm as COVID-19 proved to spread quickly and easily. We now have vaccines, but we’re not out of the woods yet. Safety is still a key concern with food service at your wedding, even with our beloved sweet treats. But have no fear — you have plenty of confection options for your upcoming event.
Single-Serve Sweets
Even before the pandemic was a thing, single-serve treats were popular at weddings. Maybe you saw all those delicious donut, cupcake, and macaron towers gracing wedding websites and magazine pages a few years ago. They’re still incredibly popular now, especially because they’re so easy to safely serve. We’re also seeing mini-pies, fruit tarts, mini-parfaits, mousse cups, and cinnamon buns at 2021 weddings. Even fancier versions of Rice Krispies treats and toaster pastries are showing up on reception dessert tables.
The CDC advises food service vendors to avoid self-service options such as drink stations and buffets. With that said, someone else should take care of portioning out your lovely single-serve treats. Depending on who’s crafting your dessert order, you could ask for servings packaged into individual boxes.
Packaging larger items is fairly easy — one nice big donut or cupcake per box, for instance. With smaller items like cookies and macarons, you’d probably serve three to five per box. Cake pops are another great option, ideally with two to four pops in each box. If you’re needing inspiration, check out some suggestions from The Knot’s Sarah Hanlon.
Individual Mini-Cakes
Lest you think couples are completely done with wedding cake, innovative bakers have come up with another option: individual mini-cakes. Pastry expert Molly Allen profiles them in a January 2021 piece for Brides. Most are about the size of a standard cupcake, but they’re layered, frosted, and decorated like their larger cousins. You can get them bigger, but be prepared to offer boxes for leftovers.
Mini-cakes offer some flexibility, with one variety or multiple flavors in the same order. You’ll want to collab with your baker, just as you would for a normal-sized wedding cake, to choose your flavors and designs. Martha Stewart Weddings shows several great examples: naked cakes, buttercream frosted wonders, edible flowers, and more. Depending on what your baker can offer, you could even ask for each one decorated with a guest’s name in a calligraphy script. These can double as seating place cards.
With their smaller sizes, buttercream frosting may be easier to manage for these cakes than traditional fondant. Still, check with your baker. Your pro will have a better sense of what’s doable with your mini-cakes.
Dessert Cart Delights
Dessert carts never really went away. But in 2020, they started making a comeback. They’re another way of safely serving individual desserts. Journalist Alix Strauss explained how caterers are using the carts at events. Creative presentation is another major bonus. Guests watch the cart in anticipation, wondering what delicious goodies are heading their way.
Carts are probably the easiest way to serve pre-plated desserts: dishes like cheesecake, croquembouche, pies, parfaits, and anything else you can serve on a plate. That even goes for single-serve items like donuts and cinnamon rolls. Serving staff can place the desserts on your guests’ tables, so there’s no need for them to reach for anything on the carts. And there’s even more good news: You can still have your cake and eat it, too — pre-sliced, plated, and on the carts.
Many Captivating Confection Options
With wedding desserts, your only limits are your imagination and budget. Single-serve sweets, dessert cart treats, and mini-cakes are popular options. Team up with your baker and caterer to choose delicious and visually appealing goodies that you can safely serve to your guests.
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