Love is sweet, and so are these wedding dessert table ideas on a budget!
There is no doubt that a dessert table and a sweet buffet will elevate your wedding reception and can make the party memorable and special. Moreover, it becomes a great decorative element for your special day.
Besides the traditional wedding cake, there are plenty of sweet treats to add to your dessert table that will bring additional sweetness, colors, and style to your reception.
Cake pops, chocolate strawberries, candies, cookies, and donuts are just a few of the desserts that can stand next to the wedding cake.

Styling Tips for Wedding Dessert Table Ideas on a Budget
Before you start styling your wedding dessert table, you need to have a clear plan to follow, which will allow you to budget for each item much easier.
First, consider the guest list and wedding theme. This will give you a better idea of the number of desserts and treats, and their decoration too.
The easiest way to keep the costs down is to match the dessert table decoration with the color scheme of your wedding- you can easily do this with a variety of cakes and desserts. Add colorful accents that don’t cost a fortune, like fabric and paper decorations.
Second, the number of guests is obviously the most important factor to consider when planning your wedding dessert table. You should be able to offer some variety in the desserts, be it cakes, pastries, ice cream, or other treats, but also have enough for every guest to choose from.
To stay within your budget, you can make or order sheet cakes that can be cut into cute little squares, that not only look great, but you can get a lot of these made in a variety of flavors, without breaking the bank.

Location – setting up your wedding dessert table in a good location within your venue is super important. If you’re having an indoor wedding, it’s much easier as you just need to find a corner of the room, or a wall facing the entrance to make a grand display.
In case the party is outdoors, more considerations need to be taken for the placement – out of the sun, possible wind, and if there are kids running around it needs to be secure enough that the display doesn’t get knocked down.
Pretty signage for your cakes and trays is a popular way to let your guests know what they’re about to taste. Similarly, at a wedding reception, if you are serving some sweet treats in addition to the wedding cake, they should be labeled properly, especially if you have guests with food allergies.

Here are some additional styling ideas for your wedding dessert table:
- Choose a focal point of your table – this is your wedding cake, next add a tower displaying macarons or similar.
- Use a variety of serving bowls and items that are not normally used for desserts, like champagne flutes, beautiful boxes, pretty breakfast trays, rustic chopping boards, platters, and similar
- Add some greenery or flowers, and candles – these always elevate any event and make the food look extra appealing
- Make them easy to eat – the last thing you want is your guests getting their hands messy. Serving cake pops instead of cupcakes, or macarons instead of brownies will make for a more pleasant experience for your guests
- Jump on the trends – s’mores tables, candy bars, mini cupcakes, donut walls, and mini donuts are huge trends for weddings
- Simple backdrops are the best option for a dessert table as they make the food the star of the show

Wedding Dessert Table Ideas on a Budget
One of the hardest parts when it comes to setting a dessert table is picking the number of desserts.
One of the rules is to bet on 1 or 2 really special “star” items (cake, cupcakes, chocolate fountain).
Of course, the number of your guest is leading when you choose your dessert menu. Here is a simple calculation depending on your guest count:
- up to 30 guests = 15-lbs of candy
- up to 80 guests = 40-lbs candy
- up to 150 guests = 75-lbs candy
- up to 200 guests = 100-lbs candy
Here are some options that will help you narrow down your selection.
- Cake pops
- Macarons
- Donuts
- Brownies
- Pies
- Mini parfaits
- Meringues
- Dessert/candy bar
- Cookies
- Ice cream
- Fresh fruits
- Candy/ Chocolate nuts
- Conversation hearts
- Marshmallows
- Candy apples

Delicious Wedding Dessert Table Ideas on a Budget
Here is our list of the best ideas we found for you on Pinterest.
For more party ideas, do not forget to check our Pinterest board.
1. Homemade Donuts Cones

2. Wine Barrel Table

3. Vintage Cart

4. Rustic Flower Stand

5. Donuts Wall

6. Ladder Table

7. Wooden Shelves

8. Pallet Dessert Table

9. Rustic Garden Fence Backdrop

10. Vintage Cabinet

11. Paper Backdrop

12. Tissue Paper Heart

13. Champagne Glasses

14. Glass Jars

15. Vintage Wooden Baskets

16. Elegant Transparent Boxes

17. Cupcake Stands

18. Themed Cookies

19. Fresh Flowers

20. French Macarrons

21. Candies

22. Wooden Slices

23. Matching Wareglass

24. Picnic Baskets

26. Colorful Sweets

27. Porcelain Pieces

28. Invisible Shelves

29. Cookies & Donuts

30. Cinnamon Rolls on a Stick

31. Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Wedding Dessert Table Ideas
32. Cupcake Tier Tower

33. Cookie Bar

34. Milk and Cookies

35. Printable Signs

36. Heart-Shaped Plates

37. LOVE Letter Boxes

38. Hot Chocolate Bar

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