If your wedding budget is small, you need to be creative to still have a nice and memorable wedding. It’s absolutely possible to spend only a few thousand dollars on your wedding – just set the right priorities and be smart about it. For example, you can save money on wedding décor. In this post, we’ll offer you several tips and tricks about how you can make a stylish DIY wedding dessert table without spending too much on décor – better pay for food, not for antique furniture and chic cake stands.
Related post: Wedding dessert table ideas. Make a dessert bar instead of wedding cake
These days, most weddings are small and homey, rather than grand and crowded. Of course, it’s due to quarantine restrictions, but a small wedding has its charm. You can also save some money on the wedding reception and spend it on a honeymoon or buy something useful for your newly created family.
So, how can you make a stunning DIY wedding dessert table from scratch?
Tip #1
Place your dessert table up against the wall
It’s somewhat easier to decorate a table put against a wall than one accessible from all directions. And if you’re not a professional interior designer, always go for an easier option. Another plus of such a table is that people won’t move around it, so the risk of them overturning something is smaller.
Tip #2
Cakes and temperature
When you’re creating a wedding dessert table by yourself, think ahead about the temperature of the environment. Some desserts are fine whatever the weather is, others melt and lose their good looks. You have, basically, 2 options – to pick those desserts that will endure the heat or to find a cool shaded place for your dessert table. For example, you can have the table placed inside the venue or house (for backyard weddings), while the dance floor is outside.
Tip #3
Add textures and height levels to your wedding dessert table
A flat arrangement of desserts doesn’t look good. And the sweets in the back of the table sort of get lost behind those in the front. Besides, 3d décor always catches more attention than boring flat installations.
Use large cake stands, flat trays, small bowls, high jars, and other crockeries for different types of sweets to add texture and height levels to your table. Combine several types of dishes to avoid a flat surface with desserts lying on plates. Also, when you’re choosing the desserts, go for various shapes (some round and flat, some rectangular, some stick-like, some ball-like, and so on).
Tip #4
Don’t buy crockery and paraphernalia, use stuff from home
You don’t have to buy new matching crockery for the wedding dessert table. Just bring things from home or borrow from parents, friends, relatives. The items sure can be mismatched. Be inventive with what you can get for free. For example, one of your scarves might add some texture and color to the table, a mason jar with a candle inside can serve as a charming lantern, etc. If you’re out of ideas or want something exclusive, look into Pinterest photos – there are a whole lot of wonderful ideas for wedding dessert tables there.
Tip #5
Don’t be afraid to mix styles
Eclectic décor often looks the best. And it’s trendy now. So, don’t be afraid to combine rustic décor elements with fancy stuff or vintage pieces with ultramodern items.
What items can you use as décor elements? Various candlesticks, glass jars or vases, old books, mirrors, picture frames, candles, DIY plates and signs, pieces of lace, feathers, moss, greenery, potted plants, dried plants and flowers, fresh flowers, vintage clocks, and anything else you consider cute and stylish.
Tip #6
Add plants in any form you like to freshen up your desserts
It can be fresh florals, artificial flowers, some greenery or moss, potted plants, dried flowers, cotton flowers, grain ears, etc. It doesn’t matter what kind of plants you use, they always make a table look prettier and cozier. Flowers also add a pop of color, much needed if your desserts aren’t very colorful. You can DIY your florals for the wedding dessert table or even use something from your home – a lovely pot of flowers from your kitchen windowsill or your favorite cactus)).
You can use either one larger bouquet or 2-3 smaller arrangements or 2 symmetrically placed bunches of florals – different options look good, pick the one you like.
Tip #7
Have a variety of sweets for your wedding dessert table
Even if you can’t afford fancy desserts from a professional chef, you can buy some tasty stuff in a grocery store and make your dessert table diverse, multilayered, and multicolored. When you decide to have a whole dessert table, it means there actually have to be other sweets and not just a single wedding cake. Besides, a table of small bites, cookies, and cupcakes will cost a lot less than a chic wedding cake with several tiers. Instead, offer a variety of desserts of different tastes, textures, and sizes for your guests so that everyone could choose whatever they like the most.
Tip #8
Add name frames for every dessert
That’s optional, of course, but such signs can be truly useful. Especially if you have vegan desserts or sugar-free desserts or desserts that include spirits or gluten-free desserts, etc. You can let your guests know what kind of sweets you offer.
Tip #9
Delegate responsibilities
And the last piece of advice is, don’t do your wedding dessert table by your own hands. Find someone who will be responsible for setting the table and make sure this person knows about it in advance. Tell him or her all the details, show what you want, maybe even make a little try-out to see if this person will cope with this small but important mission. But never-ever do it yourself – you won’t have time for this on the wedding day.
Related post: Wedding dessert table ideas. Make a dessert bar instead of wedding cake
