By Haleigh McGavock
With more couples designing their wedding details to reflect their unique personalities and tastes, new ideas emerge in all aspects of wedding details, from fashion to florals to food.
One area that’s been creatively reimagined is how and what food to serve at a wedding. Many couples are shifting from the traditional wedding reception food menu to custom options that give guests a variety of foods to choose from.
Donuts have become a popular food to serve at a wedding. It turns out there are many ways to incorporate this crowd-pleasing confection into your wedding ceremony and wedding reception food menu.
Donut Wall
You’ve probably seen this tasty trend pop up on your social media feed. The grand donut wall is quite literally a wall lined from top to bottom with donuts, and your guests can easily grab one off the wall to enjoy.
The donut wall can also be the perfect backdrop for several elements of your big day. It can stand alone or behind your wedding dessert table, and it can be the background for some amazing wedding photos.
The donut wall also opens up the possibility for some hilarious donut puns and dad jokes. Create your own (or find ones you love) and print them on custom signs to hang above the donut wall. One of the best things about the donut wall is how adaptable it is. You can customize its look to match the style or theme of your wedding.
Cake Substitute
Some couples are forgoing their wedding cake entirely in favor of this highly customizable treat. If wedding cake isn’t your thing or you are just looking for something new you might consider gourmet donuts as a wedding food. Create a donut tower on a multiple-tiered cake stand with different flavors on each level, or you can stick with one that might be a shared favorite between you and your love. A bonus to this alternative is you save time cutting the wedding cake and can dig in immediately.
Décor
Who says you need to keep all of your wedding desserts in one spot? By using small tables or large cake stands, you can provide fresh donuts all around your wedding reception venue. Your guests will always have access to them and won’t have to make trips back and forth to the dessert table.
You can also have the wedding caterers pass them out on trays throughout the wedding reception venue as hors d’oeuvres. You can also use donuts with personalized place cards and have them set out on tables and waiting for the guests.
Continue your sweet theme by sending guests home with a box of mini donuts as wedding favors. These wedding favors can be customized in your favorite flavors or in colors that match your wedding color scheme.
You can also branch out from the wedding reception and offer them at your wedding ceremony. Leave donuts in a decorative basket at the entry to your wedding ceremony venue. Guests can pick up a donut as they find their seats and won’t have to wait until the wedding reception to eat.
Donut Tower
Another option is to create an all-donut dessert bar for your wedding reception food menu with this fun pastry display idea. Sort the donuts by flavor and slide them onto skewers attached to small stands. Your guests can easily grab the donut of their choice from these mini-towers.
Dessert Table
If a donut wall or donut tower isn’t in your wedding plans, you might include gourmet donuts as part of your cake table or dessert table with other wedding finger foods you may decide to offer. You can stack the donuts high on a multi-tiered cake stand with different flavors on each level, or you can create an assortment using different flavors of donuts.
Another option for your elegant dessert table is to use single cake stands to display different flavors. Include custom tabletop signs for your dessert table treats, and place the personalized signs next to each cake stand with the flavors listed. This lets your wedding guests pick and choose from among their favorite donut varieties.
This post was originally published in the fall 2019 issue of Manhattan Magazine. Manhattan Magazine is a product of Sunflower Publishing.
Vendor Information
Photography | Ashley Ice, @ashleyicephotos
Designer | Brick and Ivory Events, @brickandivorykc
Venue | 28 Event Space, @28eventspace
Floral | Inspirations in Bloom, @inspirationsinbloom
Donuts | Donutology, @donutologykc
Cake | Petals and Pastries, @petalspastries
Cinema | Her Third Eye Productions, @herthirdeyeproductions
MUAH | Hello Lovely KC, @hellolovelykc
Bride | Lily Clifford, @lilythebigreddog
Dress | Emily Hart Bridal, @emilyhartbridal
Stationery | With Love and Letters, @withloveandletters
Rentals | Supply Event Rentals & Design, @supplyevent