Your Outdoor Wedding

Outdoor weddings are romantic and scenic, but there’s a lot that can go wrong. Here’s your guide to planning a trouble-free, outdoor wedding.

Who will officiate?
Some officiants will only perform ceremonies within a house of worship, so you’ll need to check with yours in advance before planning your ceremony outside.

Inform your guests
Guests need to know they’re attending an outdoor wedding so they can dress appropriately. It’s also a good idea to send weather information to out-of-town guests who may not be familiar with the climate.

Be prepared
Combat potential outdoor issues by having the following items on hand:

Plenty of water
Umbrellas
Handheld paper or wood fans
Sunscreen
Bug spray
Tissues/paper towels

Securing your Outdoor Wedding Location
For an outdoor wedding, the draw is the setting, so finding the right spot and coordinating the event around it is the most important task on your to-do list. Your setting options are as limitless as the great outdoors itself. But before getting your heart set on a specific spot, these are some key questions you’ll need to ask.

Is There Privacy?
Keep in mind that if your location is a public space – or even near a public place (like a street or sidewalk), you may have to contend with onlookers. Try to reserve your space in a secluded spot to prevent unwanted guests or distractions.

What’s The Backup Plan?
Obviously you’ll need a plan in case of inclement weather. If your location doesn’t have indoor facilities to accommodate your event should the skies open, you’ll need to rent a tent. Many rental companies will reserve your tent for a deposit and that way, if the weather is nice and you don’t use it, you don’t lose the full payment.

Can You Hear?
Will guests have to compete with roaring waves, gusting winds, honking cars, or screaming children to hear your vows? You may need to rent a sound system and mics for the officiant and yourselves. Your band or DJ should be able to provide this for you.

Outdoor Décor Elements
Let the setting speak for itself – Don’t compete with Mother Nature; rather, subtly enhance your background (whether it’s a sandy beach, blooming garden, or thick forest) with a complementary color palette and décor elements.
Au Natural – Consider details like burlap table linens and vintage furniture to set your scene. It blends into the outdoor setting while also creating a statement. Get inspired by the vintage gems available from Found Vintage Rentals.
Lighting – Create ambiance in your outdoor space by getting creative with your lighting – there is nothing quite like bistro lights, twinkle lights, or lanterns set against a natural scene.

Outdoor Wedding Flowers
Blooms – An outdoor wedding calls for flowers that can brave all sorts of weather. Look for sturdier blooms like mums, orchids, carnations, alstroemeria, lisianthus, calla lilies, and sunflowers. Also, don’t overlook these hearty, simple floral embellishments that look fabulous by themselves: baby’s breath, bells of Ireland, hypernicum berry, bupleurum, and dusty miller.
Style – Keep your containers and arrangements natural-looking, as an intricately designed, elaborate pedestal centerpiece in a tall candelabra just doesn’t fit. Instead, use loose arrangements in mason jars, wooden boxes, vintage containers, crates, or pails.

Outdoor Wedding Menu
Keep it simple – Even an elegant outdoor wedding calls for simpler fare that can withstand varied temperatures, so avoid items like mayonnaise or dishes which must be served cold. If yours is a casual affair, consider a traditional outdoor barbeque.
Keep guests refreshed – Have plenty of ice and water, along with teas or lemonades, especially if your outdoor wedding will take place in a warm environment. Alcoholic beverages like sangria, mojitos, or mint juleps will also keep your guests refreshed.

Outdoor Wedding Cake Ideas
Make it last – Wedding cakes can melt outside. Opt for fondant icing over buttercream. Stay away from mousse and ice cream cakes. Many types of cupcakes hold up well in the heat.

Outdoor Wedding Attire
Bride – Dare to go casual. Outdoor settings allow for breezy fabrics and shorter hemlines. Knee and tea-length gowns are making a major comeback, while lace and/or organza are good outdoor fabric options. But if traditional elegance is what you prefer then you can still plan a formal dress code – just consider what’s best suited for sun, sand, or grass.
Bridesmaid – You may want to forgo the giant ball gown and instead, stick to a romantic empire or a-line dress in a flowing organza or light-catching taffeta.
Shoes – For both bride and bridesmaids, opt for a wide, flat heel, cute ballet flats, or strappy sandals, as a stiletto may sink right into the ground.
For the guys – Lose the tux and consider an unbuttoned affair. Dress the guys in khakis and sport jackets or crisp oxfords. If you’re heart is set on a tux, get a vest with a full back – which will look better when their coats are off.

Outdoor Wedding Favors

Keep ‘em cool – Personalized paper fans are both decorative and functional.
Keep love blooming – By giving packs of flower seeds.
Plant it – Gift them with miniature potted plants or herbs.
Give – Forgo the traditional favors and donate to your favorite “green” organization in your guests’ names.

Outdoor Wedding Getaway
Up and away – A hot air balloon makes a dramatic statement and affords some romantic alone time with your new spouse
Sail away – Make your exit on a sail boat, yacht, catamaran, or canoe (hint: you’ll need a body of water).
Horseback – Make sure you practice before you galloping into the sunset.
Vintage Flatbed Truck – ‘Cause you’re a down-home couple at heart.
Horse-drawn carriage– This romantic exit is the ultimate departure fit for a princess.

Outdoor Wedding Entertainment

Fun and games – In a natural outdoor setting, you’re not limited to a traditional band or deejay to entertain the crowd; outdoor games like horseshoes or croquet can be a fun and unexpected twist.



Advice for Forgoing the Traditional Wedding Venue

Many wedding venues have outdoor settings available, which makes planning an alfresco event a bit easier (they provide and handle the essentials). If you’re planning your outdoor wedding at a public park, beach or private home; however, you’ll have added details to attend to:

Permits
Public outdoor locations require numerous permits and fees. Be sure to find out about any restrictions on noise, alcohol consumption, number of guests, food preparation, tables, tents, and time limits.

Rental fees
Keep in mind that you’ll have to rent everything – from tables and chairs to bathrooms and sound systems – and these rental fees can up your bottom line.

Details
Attention to detail is key to the success of an outdoor wedding. Coordinating the permits, rentals, backup plans – not to mention the typical wedding details – can be taxing. Seriously consider enlisting the help of a professional coordinator to keep things together.

Accessibility
Is there convenient parking? If not, you’ll need to secure a nearby lot and provide a shuttle – especially if you’ll have elderly guests or others with limited mobility.

Wedding Insurance
Outdoor weddings are a prime candidate for insurance, which will to help recoup losses caused by extreme weather conditions or any other circumstances that prevent your wedding from taking place.

Wedding Dessert Ideas

In addition to the wedding cake, some couples also splurge on a Viennese table/buffet, an impressive display of assorted cookies, mini pies, pastries or fresh fruit, for dessert. Some couples even opt for a fun, colorful candy bar straight out of “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” or a dessert station with gourmet cupcake towers and cookies but another great dessert option to consider is the interactive dessert station. Interactive dessert stations allow guests to get involved and actually create their own delectable desserts or watch as their desserts are created by a chef. Here are a few interactive dessert station ideas to consider that will have everyone talking well after the wedding is over.

Ice cream bar

Not just for kids’ parties, ice cream bars are a big hit with adults too! Ice cream bars are versatile and offer multiple dessert options. They can be sundae bars with lots of toppings for guests to select from like sprinkles, candy pieces, nuts, fresh fruit, flavored syrups and whipped cream. Add some fresh baked waffles, and the ice cream bar becomes a waffle and ice cream sandwich bar. Add some root beer, cola or club soda, and the ice cream bar becomes an ice cream soda station. Crazy for ice cream? Offer all of the above options. Your guests will thank you.

Bananas foster or crepes

Bananas foster is a popular New Orleans dessert that is created in a flambé pan with bananas cooked in brown sugar, butter, banana liqueur and rum and served with vanilla ice cream. The rum gets ignited during cooking, making this a showy dish that is delicious and fun to watch get made. Crepes are French pancakes that are also fun to prepare and eat. You can fill crepes with a variety of items like syrups, fresh fruit, nuts or Nutella spread and top with them with whipped cream for a sweet and satisfying dessert.

S’mores station

Who doesn’t like s’mores? Nothing brings out the little kid in you like making some s’mores. Guests can make them the old fashioned way by melting the marshmallow over a flame or electric burner and nestling the marshmallow and chocolate between two graham crackers, or for a more modern take, dip chocolate covered graham crackers in marshmallow fluff and have a server melt it all with a mini blowtorch.

Chocolate Fountain

Guests select items like pound cake, pretzel nuggets, Rice Krispies Treats, fresh fruit and marshmallows, skewer them up, and then dip them into the cascading fountain of melted chocolate. A chocolate fountain not only looks great, it tastes great too.

Fried dough

Fried dough in any form is fabulous and there are several variations on fried dough that would work well for an interactive dessert station. Perfect with a cup of coffee, there’s nothing better than freshly fried donuts rolled in sugar or cinnamon or donut holes with chocolate or caramel dipping sauces to top off the night. Zeppole, Italian deep fried dough balls covered in powdered sugar, taste great plain or filled with custard or pastry cream. Then there is the fun and more casual option of a funnel cake station. The deep fried batter is sprinkled with powdered sugar and can also include a topping of fresh fruit or jam.

Interactive dessert stations are sinfully sweet and a big hit at every wedding. Ask your caterer or reception venue if they offer interactive dessert stations, and if not, perhaps they’ll allow you to bring in an outside vendor that rents the equipment and provides the necessary supplies and servers.

What’s In And What’s Out

Wedding Cakes

Gone are the days of white cake, white icing and a figurine of the couple on top. Many couples are taking their cakes to new levels with unique fillings such as caramel apple or cream cheese, while others are making each layer of the cake a different flavor. The days of the white cake are over. Brides are opting for cakes with bold colors and abstract shapes.

The cupcake wedding cake is also becoming extremely popular. Instead of a fancy, expensive multi-tiered wedding cake, many couples are opting for cupcakes arranged in the shape of a cake. This is a much more affordable alternative to a traditional wedding cake. Your guests, young and old, will enjoy the cupcakes at your reception. What’s fun is that you can get the cupcakes in a variety of flavors.

If you’d like, you can still have a smaller, separate one tier cake used for the cake cutting ceremony.

Wedding Food

Instead of a sit down or buffet dinner, many couples are saving money by serving only cocktails and appetizers at their wedding reception. If you aren’t serving a meal at your reception, be sure to plan your wedding away from traditional mealtime and indicate that it is “cocktails only” on your invitation. You don’t want hungry, disgruntled guests who were expecting a full meal.

Dessert action stations are also becoming very popular. You can rent a chocolate or caramel fountain and provide lots of fruit, cake and other treats for dipping. A build-your-own banana split or ice cream sundae station is also a terrific idea.

Fried food and heavy entrees are out. Lighter fare, organic cuisine, and vegetarian cuisine are definitely in. Serve guests an organic feast of foods produced without chemical fertilizers, antibiotics or pesticides, and top it off with organic drinks. During cocktail hour, for example, try Square One vodka and Juniper Green gin, both fermented without additives.

Wedding Flowers

Symmetrical floral centerpieces are out. Choose centerpieces of varying size, shape and color. Stay away from using the same vases at each reception table. Choose local, organically grown flowers. After your wedding, donate the arrangements to nearby hospitals or other facilities.

In color palettes, green is still the most sought after color with accent shades of creams and white or hot pinks and mango coral. However, combinations of deep burgundy red Black Magic roses, Black Forest mini Callas and rich purple, almost black, tulips are striking against ornate damask linen. No more white linen on guest tables for sure.

Destination Weddings

Some reports indicate that as many as 20 percent of all weddings are now destination weddings where the bride and groom travel to a vacation destination to host their wedding ceremony and reception.

Celebrities have been hip on the destination wedding trend for years. But destination weddings aren’t just for the rich and famous.

Because of the travel expenses, most destination weddings are relatively small involving only the couple, family and close friends. Resorts and hotels offer packages that make planning a destination wedding relatively simple. Many offer the services of their own on-site wedding coordinator who will plan all the details of your wedding from decorations to sightseeing activities for your guests.

Though it may seem expensive to hold a destination wedding, it actually may be cheaper than holding a large wedding with a seated dinner in your hometown. It is commonplace for the bride and groom to pay for the hotel rooms, food and other guest expenses. However, normally guests pay for their own airfare.

When planning your destination wedding, keep your guest list small. Choose a destination with inexpensive airfare and avoid traveling during peak season.

The biggest drawback of a destination wedding is that unless you are wealthy, all your family and friends will probably not be in attendance. Many times all your invited guests will not be able to travel or get off work. Consider the schedule of your most important guests when selecting your destination wedding date.

All in all, a destination wedding can be a wonderful choice that allows you to experience your wedding in an exotic locale, combining your wedding and honeymoon in one destination.

Wedding Colors – These are interesting ideas for wedding colors

Tangerine with Azure Blue and a shot of Espresso
Sky Blue, Navy Blue, Celadon Green and a splash of Purple Wine
Glossy White, Metallic Gray, Bold Magenta and Sleek Black
Dark Cocoa, Seafoam Mint, Metallic Silver on Ivory
Blueberry, Raspberry, Lavender, Black and Charcoal Gray
Jewel tones mixed with antique metallic for fall and winter
Black and White, add a splash of Apple Green or Citrus Yellow

Wedding Cake vs Wedding Cupcakes

There’s something so whimsically childlike about unwrapping a cupcake and so elegant cutting into a tiered masterpiece. This is why it is so hard to decide between the two. If you’re having a formal wedding, you may choose a grand and elegant wedding cake. Wedding cakes are best for a formal sit down dinner, where the cake will be plated and served. With overall design possibilities, wedding cakes have more beautiful options to choose from and adds a grand element to your decor. If your wedding guests are traditional people, they might think cupcakes are too casual, or even worse, cheap.

But if you’re having a simple relaxed reception where fun is the primary goal, tell everyone to be a kid again and grab a cupcake. If your dinner is buffet, heur dourves style or just a celebration with cocktails in hand, then cupcakes are a practical choice. Once everyone is busting a move on the dance floor, they won’t have to sit again for dessert. They’ll just grab a cupcake and dance the night away.

If after all this you still can’t decide between the cuteness of a cupcake and tradition of a wedding cake, just have both. Cupcakes are a great addition to dessert and candy buffets, while the wedding cake will be a staple in your receptions decor.

New Wedding Trends

A new take on “something old” will be seen trending in 2012 weddings. Vintage inspirations are here to stay – however, we will start to see vintage used in a much need variation: good-bye rustic vintage, hello sophisticated old-world glamour.

Bridal Gown Trends for 2012
We welcome glamorous, romantic and old hollywood-style in bridal gowns in 2012. Designers have embraced and combined flowing elegance with texture and colour to produce show stopping gowns.

Theme and Decor Trends for 2012
Bridal couples will continue to incorporate family heirlooms and traditions into their 2012 wedding, just with less mason jars, tin cans and vintage luggage. The ‘shabby-chic’ will be replaced by detailed French lace on dresses, favours, cake detail, bouquet wraps, and invitations.

Think old-world glamour meets modern sophistication with lavish furnishings, rich textures, lots of white, and some metallics in grand traditional settings.

Sweets and Treats Trends for 2012
The cupcake and candy bar trend of previous seasons will shift towards cookies and dessert tables in 2012. Expect to start seeing more cookies, pies, doughnuts, and “hand-made” candy being served to fulfill the sweet tooth cravings of guests at 2012 weddings. We also expect to see a much anticipated return of the traditional groom’s cake.

Entertaining Your Wedding Guests

Your wedding is a special moment that remains in your memory. It is a unique moment that deserves to be peppered with less common items. The latest trend is to create a real show during the reception. Here are some entertaining ideas for your wedding reception that can turn your wedding night into a memorable event.

  • Create a slide show presentation including photos with you and your partner. These can be pictures from your childhood and during your relationship to suggest how it evolved. With the help of your photographer images from your ceremony can even be included. During the reception, it can run continuously or can be run only once, with a representative background song.
  • Magicians, dancers, acrobats can all be hired at a price to keep your guests happy and entertained. (And it’s fantastic for weddings that include children) Remember to check out any performer first before the big day to make sure you like what they do.
  • Caricaturists are also becoming more popular. This is not only a bit of fun, but your guests get to take away a lasting memory of the day.
  • Set up a photo booth with props like funny hats, wild glasses, wigs and chalkboards for guests to write messages that will appear in their photos. Guests will have a great time being creative, and you’ll have lots of photo memories to cherish.
  • Have the videographer set up a stationery camera so guests can record their own messages to the bride and groom throughout the evening.
  • Set up a lounge with cigars, billiards and casino games or poker. The gambling fans on your guest list will more than appreciate this option.
  • Create a quiet lounge area with couches, coffee tables and lamps for guests who would like to take a break from the music and dancing.
  • Use the season or your location as an opportunity to greet guests with a refreshing drink. Lemonade and sweet tea will quench your guests’ thirst while gathering in the blazing sun, or serve hot apple cider to warm your guests during chiller months.
  • What says fun faster than the aroma of fresh buttered popcorn or fluffy cotton candy? Rent machines that create affordable, easy-to-serve snacks to take the edge off guests’ hunger before meals are served.
  • Offer wine or beer tasting stations and let guests guess the newlywed’s favorite vintage or brew.
  • Who doesn’t like something with the word “bar” attached to it? Your guests will delight in all things bar, from a mashed potato bar or dessert bar to an espresso or martini bar.
  • Fondues are making a comeback, and whether you prefer sweet chocolates or savory cheeses, your guests will relish in the rich offering.
  • Bring in a gelato or ice cream cart to complement or replace the cake or cupcake tower.
  • Satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth — set up a candy buffet! It’s a great way to get guests to interact and have fun. Choose candies in your wedding colors so the buffet blends in with your décor, and provide favor bags and boxes for guests to fill themselves.
  • Hire a fireworks company to put on a show for guests at the reception site if it is outdoors. Even though a professional fireworks show can be extremely expensive, it will surely entertain guests and make them feel special. Brides on a smaller budget can opt for sparklers and ground fireworks to set off during the reception or during the bride and groom’s departure.

Wedding Dessert Ideas

Weddings today are as individual as the couples getting married. Even using all of the same basic elements, you have the freedom to do things that you really like, instead of just doing what everyone else does. If you are having a less traditional wedding, why not have some fun with some informal wedding desserts?

For brides who are having very formal and fancy weddings, complete with a ballgown, ornate handmade wedding jewelry, an orchestra, and fireworks, the big traditional wedding cake is really the right answer (and the bigger the better!). But what if your wedding is going to be on a beach or a mountaintop with the bride in a simple dress and unique handmade wedding jewelry, with just a few close friends? The over-the-top cake might feel totally silly at such a laid-back reception, so feel free to explore some more creative dessert options.

It is true that everyone loves cake. Even if you have decided against a big traditional wedding cake, you can still serve your guests the cake that they are probably expecting. One fun idea is to serve cupcakes instead of one big cake. They can be artfully decorated and arranged into a beautiful tower. Everyone will get a kick out of them, especially your youngest guests.

Another idea is to have individual cakes made for each table or even each place setting. Having one cake for each table to share is in keeping with the trend towards family style wedding service. That way, each guest can have the size piece that they want. If you go this route, be sure to provide each table with the necessary tools to cut and serve their cake!

The mini cakes at each place setting are another very cute idea. Sometimes brides will still have a large main cake and use the mini cakes as favors, but there is no reason that you could not serve them instead of the big cake. Have a couple of designs at each table to make it really festive. The only thing to remember about the mini cakes is that they can add up to cost more than one larger cake.

Cake is great, but it is not your only option for your wedding dessert. If you and your fiance have a favorite dessert, it would be great to feature it at your wedding. Have a passion for crème brule or tiramisu? Go ahead and serve it for your wedding dessert instead of cake. It is always nice when you can customize your wedding to reflect your personal tastes.

When you are seeking a fun alternative to the traditional wedding cake, you can also consider doing a dessert bar instead of just one sweet treat. Your guests will love the chance to choose from a wide array of cookies, pies, cakes, and brownies. To make it even more special, set up a full service coffee bar serving espresso and cappuccino to go with the desserts.

Your wedding is your day to do things your way. And while the big tiered wedding cake is perfect for many brides and grooms, there is nothing to say that you can’t choose another option. Have fun, and pick the desserts that best suit the style of your wedding and, of course, delight your sweet tooth.

Wedding Dessert Buffet

Every wedding deserves a sweet ending. Instead of ending your reception with a boring old cup of coffee, why not have a dessert buffet? It is a very hot trend, and with good reason – guests love it!

Many weddings now feature a dessert buffet. The couple can have a  classic wedding cake, with the special moment when the bride and groom cut the cake. Then a little while later, the doors are opened to an adjacent room, and a magical dessert fairyland appears before your very eyes. It is an incredible surprise and it definitely wows the guests.

So, what should you include in your dessert buffet? Well, the options are almost endless; it depends primarily on your budget and space. If you have a relatively small area for the buffet, put out a collection of beautiful little treats. Options could include petit fours, iced sugar cookies (with your monogram, of course), and clear glass cylinders filled with candies. The personalized M&Ms are really cute, and you could also have other favorites like red licorice twists and gummy bears. You can also use the display as your wedding favor by putting out pretty little bags for guests to fill with treats and take home. Make the bags special by adding a sticker that says something like, “Thank you for coming to our wedding. Enjoy a sweet treat for later. Love,”.

Some couples decide to do the dessert bar in a very big way. A great way to do it is to have stations like people do for the meal. Have one with a variety of cookies, one with the candies, and so on. Other tasty treats you can include are brownies, cupcakes, truffles, and seasonal pies. Chocolate dipped strawberries are always an excellent idea. When deciding on your desserts, think about what sweets go well with coffee or champagne, which is what your guests will likely be drinking.

Speaking of drinks, it is a great idea to set up a mini bar station next to the dessert buffet. Serve up fresh cappuccino and espresso, along with regular coffee and decaf. Offer guests liqueurs, such as Bailey’s Irish crème or Kaluha to spice up their drinks. Next to the coffee station, you can set out trays of champagne, because it does go so well with those chocolate covered strawberries – yum!

To make your dessert buffet truly impressive, add specialty stations like a funnel cake machine, an ice cream sundae bar, fresh candy apples, and everyone’s favorite, the chocolate fountain. For those who do not crave sweets, hire a popcorn cart. Your guests will be in heaven!

You will want to coordinate the dessert buffet with the rest of your wedding, especially if it is in a separate room. For instance, if your going to wear crystal bridal jewelry, have white and silver centerpieces dripping with Swarovski crystal briolettes on the dinner tables and in the dessert room. It is a fabulous effect, and tying the décor to your crystal bridal jewelry makes the whole wedding look very pulled together. If you do not have the budget to decorate another space, you could consider having servers bring around carts with desserts instead of setting up another display.

Everyone wants their wedding to be memorable and unique. One way to ensure that is to end it on a high note. Surprising your guests with a decadent dessert buffet is an excellent way to end a festive celebration and thank them for coming. It will make your wedding one that they never forget.

Cupcakes!

There’s one thing that every guest is after during a wedding reception – a good piece of cake. However, the traditional wedding cake can present a wash of wedding problems, which is why you may want to consider the newest little nuptial trend—wedding cupcakes.

Wedding cupcakes can offer variety of cake options to match the variety of your guests. Not only will guests be sure to find a flavor that they’ll like, they’ll also be able to find one that meets their particular dietary restrictions. From sugar-free for your diabetic friends to delicious favors that are also gluten free or vegan-friendly, wedding cupcakes give you the chance to make sure that every guest can partake of your cake.

Wedding cupcake displays also offer a distinct advantage over traditional cakes. These displays not only add a special piece to your special day, they also retain their design as the wedding party proceeds. A traditional wedding cake may look beautiful in the beginning, but once the carving starts that cake can end up looking more like a botched surgery scene than an important part of a precious memory. With cupcakes, your guests can enjoy the cake and continue to enjoy the beauty of the display throughout the night.

For many, nothing will ever replace the traditional wedding cake, but if you’re looking for something trendy and memorable to make your special day stand out, or simply need to solve the diverse dietary needs of your guests, cupcakes could be the tiny solution to your big wedding problem.

Wedding Cupcakes

Wondering if wedding cupcakes are a do or a don’t? If you’re not set on having the traditional tiered dessert at your reception, go ahead and break the rules. Wedding cupcakes are a fun alternative to cake and they have many advantages, too.

Be Trendy
The cupcake trend is still going strong across the bakery community and it’s heating up for weddings. If you like keeping up with the trends, serving cupcakes at your wedding is a must. Besides the fact that many bakeries are now baking wedding cupcakes and creating amazing wedding-worthy designs that could knock any cake out of the competition, celebrities are serving up the little treats, too.

Have Variety
When you serve wedding cupcakes, you don’t have to stress over what type of cake to choose – you can serve a few flavors. This not only eliminates any bride and groom chocolate versus vanilla wars, but also gives your guests a choice. You can serve fun flavors like red velvet or coconut. Or, you can accommodate special needs by serving vegan, gluten-free or sugar-free options.

Artful Arrangements
While your dessert will be served in small bites, that doesn’t mean it can’t look just as beautiful as a grandiose cake. One of the best things about cupcakes is the ability to arrange them beautifully. You can go for a tiered look that will give them the appearance of a more traditional wedding cake. Or, you can have your baker frost them fancifully and lay them out on a table with a few cake stands to make it interesting.

Save Money
Your wedding cake can be a big expense – a shame, as it’s gone so fast! Wedding cupcakes on the other hand are less expensive since they’re easier to make and whatever arrangement you choose can be assembled at the reception hall instead of at the bakery – eliminating the stressful transport.