Don't Let Them Eat Cake

There are so many lovely wedding traditions that come to mind when planning a wedding, but that doesnt mean you have to incorporate all of them into yours. Every detail of your special day should be personalized to please you and your fiancee. Discard the traditions you dont want, and tweak others so they fit YOUR wedding day vibe. Perhaps you picture your nuptials taking place at sunrise on a beach instead of an afternoon church ceremony. Maybe you want to walk down the aisle carrying a swag of greenery instead of a bouquet. These choices are yours to make and you should do you. Your friends and family will love celebrating your day with you even more if it reflects your own unique vision. We suggest examining every single tradition and modifying any you arent feeling. For example, if the thought of serving a three-tiered white cake doesnt fill you with joy, then we suggest thinking outside the box, dessert-wise, and dishing up a delicious alternative. There are so many fun, delicious and creative choices for sweets. Weve rounded up our top four favorite options for what to serve at a reception instead of cake.

Pie

Golden-crusted and delicious, the baked goodness that is pie makes a perfect wedding dessert. Pie is playful, affordable, approachable and easy. Pie comes in a multitude of flavors. And pie is yummy. We love this gorgeous option with a braided edge and decorated with fresh flowers: Your guests can be served their pie buffet style. Or you could provide personal tiny pies for each attendee. Bonus, individual pies can double as your wedding favors. Pie can even be served on a stick. If you want a good photo op with the hubs, pose in front of a stack of pies.

Cheesecake

Surprise your guests with luscious, decadent cheesecake instead of a wedding cake. Creamy, indulgent and layered this scrumptious dessert will have everyone wanting seconds. Load a table full of multiple flavors so that everyone can choose their favorite. Cheesecakes are versatile and can be made to coordinate with any color scheme. We adore these mini cheesecakes rocking the purple and blue hues: Cheesecake can even be stacked in lavish tiers to mimic a traditional wedding cake.

Cookies

Sugary, crispy, crunchy and so irresistible, cookies make an excellent option for your wedding reception finale. These guys are portable, inexpensive and everybody loves them. Cookies can be super personalized with your names and wedding date, like these adorable succulent-inspired confections from HayleyCakesandCookies.com:

Meringues & Pavlovas

For a really unexpected wedding cake alternative, we suggest airy Meringues or Pavlovas. Very delicate and sweet, a meringue is a light-as-air confection of sugar and egg whites. A Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. This dessert features a crisp crust and a soft, marshmallowy interior, usually topped with fruit and whipped cream. They come in all shapes and sizes including pavlova tiered cakes, mini meringue roses, pops, drops, kisses and sandwich cookies.