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Pair bites with booze Dessert service can become a secondary cocktail hour when you marry up your sweet selection with boozy sips. Work with your caterer to devise duos with flavors that pair well, like chocolatechip cookies with Nutella-infused liquor, cinnamon-sugar doughnuts with apple cider old-fashioneds or fruity pops soaked in champagne coupes. Guests will still get a sweet kick at the end of their meal, and the cocktails will keep the party going.
Opt for an alternative cake
Get guests up and moving with do-it-yourself sweet stations. Select a few easy-to-customize desserts like sundaes, waffles, s’mores or even a candy bar, then set up tables around your reception where guests can make their own creations. It’s an easy way to keep them entertained throughout your reception—add cute to-go containers and the desserts instantly become a charming favor.
Know your (sweet) stuff by mastering these terms.
Buttercream
A smooth, creamy icing that stays soft so it’s easy to cut through. It can be colored or flavored and is often used to create piping, swags and other borders, or as filling. It’s made from butter, so keep in mind it may melt in high heat or humidity.
Fondant
Ideal for creating intricate accents or an especially smooth exterior, fondant is icing made of sugar, corn syrup and gelatin that’s then rolled out and draped over a cake or used for detailing.
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Ganache
A sweet, rich chocolate, thicker than mousse but less dense than fudge, it can be used as icing or filling. Because it’s made of chocolate and heavy cream, it will soften in humid weather.
Pillars
Separators used in a tiered cake design. They can be made of plastic or wood in several lengths to achieve the desired look or height.
Piping
A decorative technique created using a pastry bag and various metal tips. Piping details can include leaves, borders, basketweave patterns and lifelike flowers.
Fillings
Flavoring added between the layers of cake. They can be made from flavored buttercream, a ganache or even jams and fruit compotes.
Sugar flowers
Often used in place of real flowers or as a sash on the cake front, sugar flowers are created using food coloring and a sugar syrup that hardens.
FROM LEF T: SASITHON PHOTOGR APHY; ALICIA SWEDENBORG
If you and your partner aren’t fond of a traditional cake, work with your baker to dream up an alternative that suits your tastes better. You can easily translate your joint love of Rice Krispies Treats, cinnamon buns or pies into the shape of a tiered cake if you want to have that traditional cake-cutting moment. Most bakers are happy to customize something for you, and the personalized moment will make your reception more unique to the two of you.
F I N D A B A K E R N E A R YO U AT TheKnot.com/texas
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