Dessert Table vs Wedding Cake - Which Is Right for Your Wedding?

This is one of those questions that comes up in almost every wedding conversation at some point. Do you go for a traditional wedding cake, or do you lean into a dessert table filled with tempting little treats? And if you’re stuck in the middle, slightly overwhelmed and googling at midnight, you’re very much not alone.

Both options can be beautiful, delicious, and completely right - it just depends on how you want your wedding to feel, how your day is structured, and how much you care about the ceremonial cake-cutting moment versus variety and flexibility.

So let’s talk it through, calmly, with cake firmly in mind.

The Traditional Wedding Cake

There is something undeniably lovely about a traditional wedding cake. It’s familiar, it’s symbolic, and it creates a clear moment in the day where everyone knows what’s happening. You cut the cake, there’s a bit of applause, someone inevitably makes a joke, and the photos are always good.

A well-designed wedding cake can also act as a real visual anchor in the room. Whether it’s simple and elegant or more decorative and detailed, it gives structure to the dessert moment and feels reassuringly classic.

The advantages - You get the iconic cake-cutting moment

It works as a strong centrepiece

Multiple tiers allow for different flavours

Serving is straightforward and tidy

Things to think about-

Not everyone actually wants cake

It can feel a little formal for very relaxed weddings

If cake isn’t your thing, it may feel more like tradition than joy

The Dessert Table

Dessert tables are where things start to loosen up a bit. Instead of one big cake, you have a spread of smaller desserts - different textures, flavours, and shapes - all styled together to feel abundant and inviting.

Guests love dessert tables because they get to choose. A little bit of this, one of those, back again for something else later. It encourages people to move around, chat, and help themselves, which suits a more relaxed, social atmosphere.

The advantages -

Something for everyone, including non-cake people

Great for variety and seasonal flavours

Feels informal and generous

Encourages guests to mingle

Things to think about -

You don’t get a traditional cake-cutting moment

Styling and planning are more involved

You need enough space at your venue for the setup

That said, this is exactly the kind of thing that’s easy when it’s planned properly from the start.

Why Not Have Both?

This is honestly my favourite solution, and one that works beautifully for a lot of couples.

A smaller cutting cake gives you the tradition, the photos, and the moment. Alongside that, a dessert table offers variety, flexibility, and the chance to really lean into seasonal flavours and different textures.

It takes the pressure off the cake needing to do everything, while still keeping it part of the day. It also tends to keep guests very happy, which is never a bad thing.

All white Dessert table with inspiration taken from Portuguese and Somerset flavours.

Thinking Outside the Cake Box

If neither option feels quite right, there’s plenty of room to play.

A tower of cheesecakes can give you height and drama with a slightly different feel.

Long, table-length cakes covered in flowers work beautifully for relaxed weddings and look incredible in photos.

A selection of smaller cakes lets guests choose their favourite flavour.

Family-style desserts like fruit pies, crumbles, or build-your-own shortcake tables create a lovely, communal feel.

If you’ve got an idea that feels a bit unusual, that’s usually a good sign. Those are often the desserts people remember.

Multi layer fig, orange and roasted vanilla cheesecake - photo credit @Emmaseaney

Final Thoughts

There’s no right answer when it comes to dessert table vs wedding cake – just the option that suits you, your venue, and how you want your day to feel.

Some weddings call for a classic tiered cake. Others shine with a generous dessert table. Many sit happily somewhere in between. The best choice is always the one that feels natural rather than forced.

If you’re unsure, it’s always worth talking it through. Once you look at timing, guest numbers, and the overall flow of the day, things usually become much clearer.

And if nothing else, it’s a very good excuse to talk about dessert for a while.

Written by Lydia Kraitman, a Somerset-based wedding cake designer specialising in bespoke wedding cakes, dessert tables, afternoon tea, and grazing tables.