Wedding Cake Alternatives

Love is sweet, so let's dive into some fun alternatives to wedding cakes:Oh, and before you get too shocked, there are plenty of people in this world who don’t like cake and just don’t want it served at their wedding. That’s totally okay! There are so many wonderful dessert ideas that are sure to make your wedding spectacular regardless of whether or not there’s a cake.Whether it’s due to dietary restrictions, personal preference, or budgeting, here are some of our favorite alternative ideas to wedding cakes:

An Ice Cream Sundae Bar
This gives you lots of options for a low cost and it’s easily customizable to everyone’s individual tastes!

Donuts
A huge trend in recent years and ripe for puns that can be used to decorate the dessert space (“Donut mind if I do…”)

Cookies
A classic for a reason. They won’t fill people up, and they’re easy to give people to take home if you end up with too many leftovers. 

Macarons
Perfect for a sophisticated twist on cake, and you’ll have almost just as many possible flavor combinations! Plus, you can even stack them in a tower so that it looks like a cake and creates the same visual centerpiece for the room.

Cheesecake
This one is kind of a cake, but it’s great if you’re part of a gluten-free crowd and still want something indulgent.

Pie
One of our personal favorites, it’s homey and delicious and still unique enough to get people talking. You can even opt for smaller personal pies to make serving easier. 

Cake Pops
There’s something just so appetizing about cake pops, and they’re certainly a “pop” of creativity on the dessert front, especially when arranged in little bouquets.

Churros
Rich, perfectly spiced, and a great choice for a reception where people may be indulging in lots of drinks, since we all know fried carbs are a great way to soak up the booze.

Cupcakes
A close cousin to cake, cupcakes are great to make sure you’re offering a variety of flavor options without breaking the bank, and the individual portions make sure that guests who don’t want one aren’t wasting food.

Cinnamon Rolls
They’re not just for breakfast anymore! Or they are, if you’re having a morning or daytime reception and don’t necessarily want to eat cake in the morning (not that we’re judging). Regardless of the time of day, they’re certain to be a crowd pleaser.

Brownies
Perfect for the chocolate lovers in your life. You can’t go wrong with this classic dessert.

Dessert Station
The possibilities are endless when it comes to having a dessert station on your wedding day. From Italian sweets, to parfaits, baklava, mini pies, croquembouche, ice cream sundae or sandwiches - your guests will be delighted! 

Candy Station
Everyone loves a good DIY candy bar! Color coordinate with your bouquet colors, or add fun multi-colored candy like Nerds and M&Ms. 

Waffle Station
Similar to pancakes, but taken to another level. Add whipped cream, ice cream, sprinkles and chocolate syrup to make it even yummier.

Pancakes
Pancakes aren’t just for breakfast anymore. You can even stack them together to create a cake-like shape. There are also pancake artiststhat create photo-realistic pancakes on request. 

Savory Dessert Options

You can always opt for a savory dessert option if you don’t have much of a sweet tooth. Cheese station and crepes are just some of the options you can choose from. 

Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to skip the wedding cake. Your wedding is supposed to be a reflection of your unique love story and dessert is a perfect place to share something YOU love with your wedding guests. If you decide that for logistical or preferential reasons that a cake alternative is the way to go, you can still enjoy the tradition of cutting a cake by opting for an individual couple’s cake. It won’t serve the whole reception, but it will allow you to have your cake‑cutting moment.