30 Wedding Cake Alternatives

Grooms Celebrate With an Alternative to the Traditional Wedding Cake at Their Reception — Photo by Audra Wrisley

We've said it before, and we'll say it again: A traditional wedding cake will never go out of style. But if you want to depart from the tried-and-true classic confection and opt for a wedding cake alternative, we've got you covered. You may not consider yourself a "cake person" or find yourself drawn to integrating the lemon squares that you and your partner love from your favorite bakery into your big day. Regardless of your reason, know that your wedding dessert is completely up to you.

And whether you opt for brownies, half-baked cookies, or even popsicles, we're sure that your guests will be impressed (and eager to enjoy!) your treats. And if you're not ready to fully let go of the traditional tiered cake, consider dressing one up with additional desserts, such as macarons or doughnuts. However, you can also decide to opt for a different sweet treat entirely—and skip the classic cake-cutting. Below, find 30 of our favorite alternative ideas to the classic wedding cake.

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Create a Delicious Display

A Dessert Table at a Couple's Wedding Reception, an Alternative to a Wedding Cake — Photo by Brandon Kidd Photography

Instead of committing to just one dessert option, Field to Table Catering & Events filled a table with cupcakes, cookies, macarons, and other sweet treats at this couple's California celebration. We love how they decorated the set-up with tiny tea candles, creating an aesthetically-pleasing—and delicious—moment.

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Go for a Wedding Pie

A Pie at a Couple's Wedding, an Alternative to a Wedding Cake — Photo by Mason Neufeld Photography

There are no rules when it comes to your wedding. That means that if you want to skip the wedding cake and serve wedding pie instead, you have every right to do so. Adding a small cake stand transforms the quintessential American dessert into something a bit more elevated. We love the rustic-inspired pie this couple served during their celebratory weekend.

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Pick Up a Popsicle

Popsicles at a Wedding, an Alternative to a Wedding Cake — Photo by Brandon Kidd Photography

While they may appear to be a simple childhood treat, popsicles can be transformed into a decadent dessert offering that's the perfect alternative to a traditional wedding cake. We love how this couple opted to decorate theirs with white and black icing at their California celebration.

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Serve Up Some Doughnuts

Donut Bar at a Couple's Wedding — Photo by Lisette Gatliff

Is there anything better than hot and fresh doughnuts at your wedding reception? If you want to skip the typical wedding cake, opt to have this fresh dessert at your celebration—just like this couple did at their Bollywood-inspired nuptials.

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Make Your Dessert the Moment

Grooms Enjoy a Croquembouche at Their French Wedding — Photo by Audra Wrisley

At their wedding in France, these grooms leaned into the cuisine of the country when it came to selecting their wedding-day dessert, opting for a croquembouche of coffee, pistachio, and vanilla profiterole. We love how the towering edible structure from Helen Traiteur took center stage at their reception.

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Fill Glass Containers With Candy

Candy Bar at a Couple's Wedding Reception, a Wedding Cake Alternative — Photo by Ryan Ray

Just because you're skipping the classic wedding cake, it doesn't mean you have to sacrifice an aesthetically-pleasing sweet-treat moment. We love how this couple filled jars of pink, red, and gold candy at their California nuptials, making guests feel as though they were in a real-life candy store.

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Arrange an Array of Desserts

Dessert Table at a Couple's Wedding Reception — Photo by Mason Neufeld Photography

At their wedding full of DIY projects, this couple constructed the dessert table with the help of their families. The bride tapped the many bakers in her family to make the couple's favorite sweet treats—creating the perfect alternative to a traditional decadent wedding cake.

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Share a Scoop (or Two)

Man Serves Treats From a Ice Cream Cart at a Couple's Wedding in Italy — Photo by Bottega53 Studio

Turn your wedding-day dessert into a special experience for all of your guests. At their Italian nuptials, this couple hired a gelato cart to attend their reception, serving up scoops of the European treat to all of their attendees.

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Serve Small Pastries

Small Pastries at a Couple's Wedding, Alternatives to a Wedding Cake — Photo by Michellia Fine Imagery

Sometimes, the simplest desserts are the best desserts. At this couple's California wedding, Melons Catering and Events constructed tiny fruit-forward pastries, proving that it doesn't take much for a sweet treat to be spectacular.

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Suspend Your Sweet Treat

Slices of Cheesecake at a Couple's Wedding — Photo by Chris J. Evans

Instead of displaying their dessert on a cake stand, this couple decided to suspend pieces of cheesecake and cookies in the air—and surrounded them with lanterns. We love how they added their own unique touch to a traditional dessert bar.

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Construct a Wall of Treats

Dessert Wall at a Couple's California Wedding Reception, Alternative to a Wedding Cake — Photo by Katie Wilson

Integrating playful design into their wedding-day dessert, this couple decided to forgo the classic cake at their California nuptials, opting to partner with the Pau Smith Group to create a blue-and-white patterned installation full of doughnuts, pies—and even milk and cookies.

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Create a Doughnut Bar

Doughnut Bar at a Couple's Wedding, an Alternative to a Wedding Cake — Photo by Sacia Matthews

We love how this couple opted to create a doughnut bar at their wedding in the Berkshires—and gave their guests the option to customize their treats with sprinkles and frosting. Who wouldn't want to have a doughnut in hand to fuel them through a long night of dancing?

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Set Out Churros, Cookies, and Cream Puffs

Array of Desserts at a Couple's Wedding — Photo by Logan Cole

You don't have to stick to just one sweet treat when looking for a cake alternative. At this couple's wedding, they arranged an assortment of churros, cookies, and cream puffs for guests to select from. We love how they embraced the unexpected combination of treats.

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Lean Into a French Treat

Assortment of Macarons at a Couple's Wedding — Photo by Mark Tuzman

When you're searching for an alternative to a classic wedding cake, consider leaning into a French-inspired treat. We love how this couple served an assortment of macarons—as well as small cookies—at their reception.

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Customize a Cookie

Customized Cookies at a Couple's Wedding Reception — Photo by Mary Pastuh

Consider personalizing a sweet treat in lieu of a traditional wedding cake. At this couple's nuptials in Seattle, they turned to Morgan G. Co. to create desserts emblazoned with both of their first names.

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Offer a Tiered Tray

Tiered Desserts at a Couple's Wedding — Photo by Olivia Marshall

One of the benefits of skipping a traditional wedding cake? Getting to offer an array of all of your favorite sweet treats. At this couple's summer nuptials in San Francisco, they opted to serve handheld desserts, including s'mores-inspired brownies and mini berry cobblers.

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Include an Eclair (or Two)

Array of Desserts at a Couple's Wedding Reception — Photo by Kelley Williams Photography

At this couple's California wedding, they arranged an array of decadent desserts, proving that you don't need a traditional wedding cake in order to impress your guests with your treat selection.

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Add in Some Butterflies

A Croquembouche Tower at a Couple's Wedding — Photo by 515 Photo Co.

Rather than keep their croquembouche tower as-is, this couple opted to decorate the sides of the impressive dessert with butterflies. We love how the additional elements lent an ethereal aesthetic to the structured treat.

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Mix It Up With Millefoglie

A millefoglie wedding cake alternative served with fresh powdered sugar — Photo by Purewhite Photography

Hosting an Italian destination wedding? Consider serving millefoglie—like Galateo Ricevimenti did at this couple's nuptials. Topped with plenty of fresh fruit and a dusting of powdered sugar, it's the perfect option for the couple hoping for a dessert that’s stunning—but not overly sweet.

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Feature Frosted Doughnuts

A frosted doughnut cake tower with fresh flowers as a wedding cake alternative — Photo by Chantelle Watt Photography

Consider creating the classic tiered look with doughnuts instead of cake. Stack frosted doughnuts on top of one another (like Truffle Cake and Pastry did for this couple) and dress up the tower with plenty of blooms for a beautiful (and delicious) display.

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Portion Out Parfaits

A wedding cake alternative made of parfaits with fresh raspberries — Photo by Amy Allmand Photography

Mini parfaits are such a sweet alternative to a tall, tiered cake. Layer cake with frosting, and top your desserts with fresh berries for a beautiful display. We love how Katelin Hayes Desserts did just that at this couple's nuptials.

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Keep Tradition With Kransekake

A Scandinavian Kransekake dessert served at a wedding as a wedding cake alternative — Photo by Andrew Parsons

Kransekake is a traditional Scandinavian sweet, stacked tall with rings of almond cookie and royal icing. Consider embracing your heritage with this dessert, or simply bring it into the mix for a not-so-sweet option.

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Deck Out a Candy Bar

Candy Bar at a Couple's Wedding — Photo by For the Love of It

Who says you have to choose just one dessert? Putting together a dreamy display of treats may be the perfect option for you. Deck out a table filled with your favorite candies—like this couple did at their Malibu nuptials—to satisfy every sweet tooth.

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Embrace Chocolate Cream Puffs

A tower of chocolate cream puffs served as a wedding cake alternative — Photo by Harwell Photography

This option is the perfect choice for any chocolate lover. Creating a tower out of chocolate cream puffs is not only delicious—but also stunning—especially when dressed up with dainty roses.

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Serve Mini Pies

Mini pies served at a wedding as a wedding cake alternative — Photo by Anna Delores Photography

Want to serve a more rustic-inspired dessert? Mini pies will do the trick. Opt for a sweet design and put together a display with multiple flavors to give your guests the ability to choose something they’ll love.

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Decorate With Doughnuts

A wedding cake alternative of two-tiers with donut decorations — Photo by Clay Austin Photography

There's no reason why you can't have cake with doughnuts. We love the idea of decking out a cake in mini doughnuts for a sweet, fall-inspired look.

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Order a Stack of Pancakes

A wedding cake alternative made of a stack of pancakes with fresh flowers and maple syrup — Photo by Blair Schluter

Ditch the dessert options altogether and opt for a unique breakfast alternative. Bring pancakes into the mix by stacking them in multiple sizes like Laurannae Baking Co. did for this couple. We love the idea of two partners pouring the syrup together for a photo-worthy moment.

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Choose Savory Cheeses

A tiered wedding cake alternative made of different types of cheeses — Photo by J Harper Photography

No sweet tooth? No problem: Opt for stacked wheels of cheese to create a literal cake of cheese. We love the way this tiered one is dressed up with florals and greenery.

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Opt For Cake Pops

Blue cake pops served in tiers for a wedding dessert — Photo by Chloe Moore Photography

Cake pops are a great choice if you want something portable. Plus, they can be crafted to match any color scheme, making them the perfect addition to a stunning dessert table. We love the blue-hued ones Dip’D N Drip’D created for this couple's nuptials.

15 Fun Cake Pop Ideas for Your Wedding

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Dress Up a Childhood Classic

A wedding cake alternative of Rice Krispy Treats with Fruity Pebbles mixed in — Photo by Kristen Weaver Photography

Lean into the classics with a cake made from Rice Krispy Treats—and with Fruity Pebbles mixed in. We love the nostalgic vibe of this dressed-up sweet made by KRISP Treats .

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