by Caroline Sumner

Created on: March 15, 2010

One of my favorite parts of any wedding is the cake (surprise). I have seen some gorgeous cakes, practically sculptures made of fondant. Ever see that show "Ace of Cakes"? They do some stunning work. And while a decadent, extravagant wedding cake could be a lot of fun, it’s still fun to explore the other options out there.

My personal favorite alternative is a dessert bar. It provides tons of variety for the guests and can look amazing. If you know people who bake, you could recruit them to help fill the table with home-baked goodies. The other upside to a dessert bar is that, even if you don’t bake/know people who do, you can purchase amazing pastries and desserts locally and probably still come out with your budget more intact than you would with a traditional wedding cake. Especially since you could include candy, which can be purchased in bulk! Just add some nice trays and containers and you've got a beautiful dessert bar!

Cupcakes are adorable, though they actually can be just as (if not more) expensive than a wedding cake! However, if you use cupcakes, you can have a variety of flavors, which can be helpful if you have guests with dietary restrictions like allergies. That way you won't spend hundreds of dollars on a hazelnut-filled cake only to find out that 20 of your guests can't enjoy it!

Chocolate fondue is another fun, albeit a bit messy, alternative. The same goes for a chocolate fountain. They are, of course, incredibly delicious options – who doesn’t love fresh fruit, pound cake, and marshmallows covered in warm, gooey chocolate? – but the risk of dripping chocolate onto your gorgeous gown might be a little scary. You could always have a fancy bridal apron made to protect your dress, but if you’re not into that idea, white chocolate is just as delicious and a little less risky.

Dessert martinis are best if you have a mostly or all-adult guest list. There are thousands of incredible cocktail recipes out there (try Webtender as a good place to start) that will look elegant and satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth. It's easy enough to create virgin versions of the same drinks for those who cannot or do not wish to have alcohol.

Mousse is another incredibly delicious option, and it can be really simple (and cheap!) to make. I found a recipe that made mousse to die for using Jello pudding mix, condensed milk, water, and whipping cream. It took mere minutes to make and would have easily served six people. Whip up some mousse, pour it into chilled glasses, add some decoration, and you’re done! A few great combinations are: dark chocolate mousse with fresh berries, strawberry mousse with white chocolate shavings/chips, and lemon mousse with whipped cream. The same goes for puddings – they are simple to make and can be made to look really beautiful.

So if you're looking for an alternative to the traditional wedding cake, look no further! Any one of these delicious options will be budget-friendly, fun, and memorable!

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