Delicious and Beautiful: Dessert Table Layouts

The dessert table often acts as a centerpiece for the reception, a beautiful display that has guests eyeing the towering cake or selection of sweet treats they will get to devour after dinner. Choosing which desserts to feature on the dessert table is one of the most fun parts of planning a wedding, but arranging them on the dessert table can be a more daunting task. Deciding what kind of stands to purchase or rent, figuring out how to add visual height to a dessert table without a tiered cake, and choosing which design elements will best round out the overall look are all important considerations.

Here, we explore some of our favorite tips to create a dessert table layout that looks as good as the sweets will taste. Whether your dessert table will feature only one large cake, include a smaller cake and dessert bar, or be made up entirely of smaller sweet treats, there is a layout that works perfectly for every celebration and design aesthetic.

Showcasing One Large Wedding Cake

When your dessert table will feature only a larger, tiered cake, it is important to create balance and visual harmony. We typically recommend choosing a smaller round or square table for single cakes and displaying the cake in the center of the table. This allows the cake to shine as the focus without lots of empty table space surrounding it. Choose a cake stand that matches your design aesthetic and elevates the cake just a bit so that it really catches the eye.

If your dessert table is large and offers space around the cake, here are a couple of tips that will keep the cake as the star of the show and not let it feel overwhelmed by blank table space:

Add design elements that feel natural and romantic

Choosing intentional items to place on either side of the cake will fill that extra space and make it feel purposeful. We love using candlesticks for a classic, romantic look that brings warmth to the dessert table. Other great options include framed pictures of some of your favorite adventures together or small vases of flowers. The goal of including these design elements is to use space in an intentional way that still puts focus on the cake.

Ask your florist to create a meadow to surround the base of the cake

Floral meadows around cakes have become a major design trend over the past few years, and this is a great option for displaying a cake on a larger table. Having a large floral arrangement around the base of the cake adds visual weight, making the cake feel substantial as well as beautiful. This gives the cake a larger presence that looks great on any table.

Displaying a Cake and Dessert Bar

When you want the best of both worlds, including a cake and dessert bar spread at your wedding is the only way to go. This way, you get to have your favorite cake on your special day, along with any other desserts you love. In this instance, you will want a longer dessert table to fit all of the goodies, and choosing a variety of stands and display pieces is a great way to create visual interest. Then, you just need to decide if you want a classic, symmetrical arrangement on the dessert table or if you want a more organic, asymmetrical look.

Keep it classic and symmetrical

When you want an organized, elegant look on your dessert table, two main layouts offer balance and symmetry. Both options start with displaying the cake in the middle of the table, typically on an elevated stand to give it more height. Then, tiered displays, pedestal stands, and platters can be added at varying heights to create lots of visual interest that keeps the eye moving. The tallest of the tiered stands can either be placed directly next to the cake, so that the stands are arranged in descending height order, or they can be placed on the edges of the table so that the highest points are in the middle and on each side. Flat plates and platters can then be used in front of the stands to fill in table space. These are both great options that will look great on any dessert table. Our most helpful tip is to use display items that offer varying levels of height, as this will create stunning visual balance.

Go a bit wild and asymmetrical

If you prefer a more organic, less structured look for the dessert table, we recommend placing the cake off to one side. This creates a more asymmetrical aesthetic that comes across as less planned out and more naturally beautiful. Because the cake will likely be the largest dessert on display, it is a good idea to balance the dessert table by placing either a tiered stand or a large floral arrangement on the other end of the table. This layout is still balanced without feeling overly organized, and places equal focus on all of the desserts, not just the cake.

No Cake Allowed: Displaying a Dessert Bar

For those who don’t love cake, featuring only a variety of small desserts is the perfect option. Cookies, bars, cupcakes, mini cheesecakes, macarons, and dessert shooters can come together to create the perfect dessert spread with something for every guest. However, displaying these desserts can be a bit tricky. The main obstacle to navigate is how to add interesting height to the dessert table without the use of a tiered cake. We have listed a couple of our favorite remedies below.

Purchase or rent displays of varying heights

As you may have guessed by now, we love using tiered stands, pedestal stands, and any other display items that add height to the dessert table. These items are especially helpful on tables that don’t have a cake, as they are one of the only ways to add vertical interest. A tiered stand can be placed on either end of the table to anchor the layout, with a variety of other pedestal stands and platters arranged in between them, or a single tiered stand can act as the centerpiece in the middle of the table. Both of these options create a balanced visual, with lots of varying heights making the tablescape interesting to look at.

Use florals for height

If you are not interested in using larger tiered stands as part of your display, consider asking your florist to provide some smaller floral arrangements that can be used on the dessert table. Flowers are a great way to add a little height to the layout, and they will also tie the wedding colors into the dessert table. A typical rule of thumb is to use an odd number of arrangements (3 or 5 arrangements often look best), as this will help create symmetry and balance. Flowers are an essential part of wedding design, and incorporating them on the dessert table is a great way to add vibrant color and visual height.

Selecting your wedding desserts should be a fun and joy-filled process. Although arranging these sweets on the dessert table can seem difficult, it is really just a matter of choosing the right display stands and picking a layout that feels right to you. We hope that these tips and layout ideas help as you plan your dream dessert table, and remember to have fun throughout this process!