Sweet & Sugary Stations for Late Night Wedding Cravings
If you’re anything like me, you love to end your savory meal with a sugary sweet treat. It makes for a complete and balanced diet… for my health of course! Wink wink. You’ve had your chicken tenders, your grilled cheese, your burgers, and tacos but now it is time for a late night dessert. In this blog, I will cover the best late night sweet treats that every wedding should have at least one of.
ICE CREAM OR GELATO STATION
Ice cream or gelato stations will always be a great choice to have as a late night wedding snack. It is a favorite of most, and it feels so good to eat a cold dessert after a long night of dancing in a warm room. It comes with a large variety of toppings and many vendors offer vegan options for those who are dairy intolerant. Gelato is easier to eat in a cup, but ice cream can be served in a cone or even better, between two cookies. Ice cream and gelato may be cold but the trend of having them at your wedding is hot!
POPSICLE STATION
If you enjoy the idea of a cold late night sweet treat but are not a fan of ice cream and gelato, a popsicle station could be a great alternative. Popsicles come in many flavors, can be carried on a stick, and you can choose natural fruit and juice or even chocolate dipped, appealing to any health-focused guest. A popsicle is the sweetest fruit-themed treat around.
CUPCAKE STATION
Ah, cupcakes. A classic choice and for good reason. Cupcakes are delicious all around. The squishy muffin, the sugary icing, and the topping choices can make anyone feel like they’re in a cute bakery. They’re easy to grab on the go and fan-favorite flavors like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and coffee are easy to come by. Cupcakes are also great for guests that missed out on wedding cake slices or didn’t like the flavor. It’s a “mini” cake but now you get to choose your favorite. A chocolate muffin with vanilla icing plus sprinkles, anyone?
MACARON STATION
I don’t think this blog could be late night dessert-focused if we didn’t include macarons, the royalty of dessert. My favorite trait about macarons is that they can be as artistic as they are delicious. They come in many colors so if you wanted to match your wedding color palette with your macarons, you easily could. They can even be monogrammed with words or images as well as printed with delicate floral patterns, how beautiful! Much like the colors, macarons can come in many different shapes and flavors, so if you wanted pistachio heart-shaped macarons with tiny figs on top, it could most likely happen.
CANDY & CHOCOLATE STATION
Like ice cream, chocolate and candy are a crowd favorite. They’re tiny and easy to pop into your mouth as you’re running to the dance floor because your favorite song is on. Admit it. We have all screamed, “Oh my gosh, this is my song,” while eating, at least once. At a candy and chocolate station, you’ll have the chance to be creative and fill your candy bag or plate with the large variety of sweets offered. These stations will make the wedding reception feel like Candyland and will provide for some super cute and colorful Instagram moments. As mentioned above, you could add a chocolate fountain for those guests with big sweet tooths. If your sweets are packaged, don’t be afraid to get creative. Packaging can be customized with sweet words, pictures, and colors. All around, a very fun and flexible station to have.
S’MORES STATION
Throwing it back to the campfire days! S’mores are delicious, unique, fun, and bring a sweet and childlike nostalgia to any party. They are a little messy but worth it and here’s why. S’mores are not just the original flavors anymore. They can be customized. White chocolate, dark chocolate, salted caramel, nutella, and pretty much any chocolate flavor you can think of. S’mores also come in many forms now. S’more pies, s’more shakes, and s’mores in a cup. You can also add peanut butter, fudge, and brownie pieces! If you’re feeling extra cute, you can even get the marshmallows monogrammed with pictures or names. You can prepare the s’more yourself or have it done by a s’more professional. Either way, I love it. Where is the fire, I am ready to roast my marshmallow!
FRUIT TART STATION
Like the popsicle bar, fruit tarts are another sweet and fruit-themed dessert idea. There is a reason you see them everywhere. It’s difficult not to love the combination of sweet pastry cream, flaky crust, and sweet fruit. Fruit tarts can be served in jars or individual mini portions. You can also ask your baker or vendor for a variety of fruit like strawberries, blackberries, peaches, raspberries, and more. These tarts can be only one fruit but are often a mixture of fruits. Be sure to check the season of the fruits first if you’re desiring a certain one!
PIE STATION
Do you have a craving for a slice of something sweet, but cake is not your style? No worries! Have a slice of pie. These fruit-filled confections are not just for the holidays or picnics in the park. You can choose to serve pie as a slice or as a mini pie for individual consumption. You can even have the mini pies prepackaged in a cute box to save for later. Let’s not forget about the flavors! Apple, peach, pumpkin, walnut and more. If you’re feeling extra sweet, serve a scoop of ice cream on top.
COOKIES & MILK STATION
How charming is this dessert idea? Cookies and milk are the epitome of a comfort snack. There are so many cookie combinations with this one plus a few milk options like strawberry, chocolate, and regular, which includes dairy-free options like oat, soy, and almond. The milk can be served in cups or bottles if you’re trying to take this late night snack to-go. If you desire an extra sweet cookie experience, you can add a chocolate fountain to drizzle or ice cream to make yummy sandwiches.
DOUGHNUT STATION
If there was ever a main star of wedding desserts, it is doughnuts! They are so fun, scrumptious and you can get so creative with them. You can have a doughnut wall, deep-fried doughnut holes, and doughnuts on a stick. That’s just the doughnut types. I also need to mention that doughnuts have so many flavors, shapes, toppings, and color options. It is also very easy to theme them. October wedding? Orange pumpkin-shaped doughnuts. February wedding? Loads of heart-shaped doughnuts with pink and red icing. They are delicious and aesthetically pleasing!
CHURRO BAR
Churros, much like s’mores have come a long way when it comes to creativity and the flexibility of design. They are fluffy like doughnuts but with a twist of crisp and cinnamon. You can choose the original churro on a stick (so delicious), but you can also dive into the world of gourmet churro desserts. They are a dessert chameleon. I’ve seen ice cream sandwich churros, macaron churros, churros in a cupcake, churro doughnuts and I’ve even heard of churro poutine where the churro replaces the fries. There are endless possibilities with this late night dessert, so enjoy!
GOURMET POPCORN STATION
Can you think of a more perfect salty + sweet combo dessert better than gourmet dessert popcorn? Me either. This is for the guests that love their savory and sweet as one, and I get it. It is a flavor explosion of excellence. Gourmet popcorn can be drizzled with caramel, chocolate, and fudge. It can also be flavored with peanut butter, marshmallow, peppermint, and more. It is also very easy to mix with every other candy imaginable, like M&M’s, pretzels, and toffee. The list is truly endless. Like other desserts in this blog, gourmet popcorn can be eaten at the venue or taken home in cute bags and boxes.
DESSERT BREAKFAST STATION
Wedding receptions can easily fall into the early morning hours. It is technically morning after midnight, so, why not serve sweet breakfast treats? Indulge your morning cravings with waffles, crepes, and biscotti. If you’re planning to pull an all-nighter, you could even pair these morning treats with a coffee or espresso bar. Make your breakfast extra sweet with syrup, whip cream, and berries!
ESPRESSO BAR
If you’re a couple that shares a mutual love for coffee and believes that every event, including your wedding, should be caffeinated, an espresso bar is for you. Weddings can last for hours and well into the morning, so an iced or warm and comforting espresso, cappuccino, or latte will be exactly what the wedding doctor ordered. Espresso bars also offer hot teas and hot chocolate for the younger or decaffeinated audience. Bonus point, it smells amazing!
BOBA TEA STATION
Boba tea is delicious, fun, and adorable! In its basic form, the drink consists of black tea, milk, and chewy tapioca pearls, all shaken together and served with a large straw to accommodate the circular shapes waiting invitingly at the bottom of the cup. Boba tea has so many flavors to choose from. Popular ones like chai tea and taro tea are great but there are also unique flavors like lavender and lychee. You can also order fruity flavors like mango! The tea can be premade and served or the guests can choose from pre-set menu of various boba flavors. It’s a yummy and drinkable late night dessert and I 10/10 approve!
The late night desserts mentioned in this blog are our favorites here at Exclusive Planning and Management, however, there are so many more! We can help you create the sweetest late night dessert stations around, making your wedding reception truly feel like a romantic Candyland. Cheers to a night with extra love and a little extra sugar.
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