Cupcakes are a hot trend at weddings. Some couples love them so much they'll forego the actual cake and have cupcake creations for their main dessert. Regardless of how you're using cupcakes in your wedding, it's important to remember that these sweet treats can also make for beautiful display pieces, whether by themselves, in a small group, or in a larger arrangement.
The great thing about cupcakes is that they can promote happiness or create memories just by showing up to the party. They can be cute and full of vibrant colour or speak with a quiet elegance and beauty simply by the way they're crafted. If cupcakes are a part of the sweet treat lineup at your wedding, here are five unique ways to display these tasty and eye-catching delights.
1. The Cupcake Tower
One popular, but very customisable approach is to use a tiered cake display. You can dedicate each tier to a specific flavour or colour of cupcake, or mix up the colours and flavours. Some brides and grooms will have quite a few flavours and put signs on each display tier to indicate which flavour is on it.
A cupcake tower is a larger display, so it easily commands attention. It also enables you to play with colour elements at the reception. You can arrange coloured cupcakes on the tiers so that they either blend in or contrast with the primary wedding reception colours. It's also important to remember that for a tiered presentation, you don't need to have a circular display piece. There are rectangular and square options that stand out and are a little more eye-catching.
2. The Pedestal Approach
Cupcakes seem to live well aesthetically in the general neighborhood of the wedding cake. If you're a couple who wants your cake to live on a pedestal, you can use cupcakes as a sweet compliment at the base of the pedestal. If the wedding cake is small, you can use the bottom two tiers of, say, a four-tier display, for cupcakes, then use the top tier for the cake itself. Depending on how large your table and the cake are, you can make the cupcake base more or less dense. Just remember, you don't want to take away from the cake, so sometimes fewer cupcakes are better. You can also have cupcakes on plates arranged around the pedestal as well.
3. Leverage Different Shapes, Elevations and Configurations
If you have more table room and your cupcakes are colourful, it may be better to simply spread flavours or colours out on plates. Small, two-tiered plate displays or small acrylic tower risers can add different elevations to a cupcake display table. Mix and match circular, square, rectangular, even triangular, dishes and display piece shapes if you have them.
If you have a simple cupcake design with only a few dominant colours, you can even arrange them into shapes on a large table. Configure them into the number that represents the year you got married or arrange them in the shape of a heart or another symbol associated with your wedding event.
4. Small Displays
Cupcakes can be memorable symbols of your event, and they don't need to compete with your wedding cake or other venue decorations for attention. Knowing this can take the pressure off creating a big display and allow you to focus on smaller ones. Let a simple garnish on a dessert plate do the trick. A unique emblem or addition to each cupcake makes it beautiful in groups of one, two or more. You can add lollipops to cupcake designs, candied hearts, fresh edible flowers, and numerous other touches to personalise each one.
5. Use Unique Frosting Designs
As we said, cupcakes are a creative touch, so it's important to remember that just as your cake decorator can whip up interesting visuals with frosting, your cupcake pro can do the same. These cupcakes have frosting that's created to mimic flower blooms. With this level of creative flair, you can literally arrange cupcakes into a “garden” or make small “bouquets” of cupcakes.
Here, the decorations on the frosting look like tiny, bright Easter eggs. They're perfect for an Easter weekend or early spring wedding, and you can integrate florals around them, too. Add sprigs of rosemary or another garden filler between plates or cupcake groupings for a natural touch.
A Final Thought
Since cupcakes bring fun and elegance to your event, it's a good idea to focus on the cupcake decorations first. Once you understand the colours involved and the design touches you like, it's easier to start to envision display pieces. Just remember, with all the responsibilities of planning the event, don't forget to enjoy one of those cupcakes on your big day too!