Dessert Table Essentials

If you have just started to discover the world of dessert tables and candy buffets and want to start putting them together for your children’s celebrations (and other parties in your life) then there are a few essential items which I feel (as a mum, not a stylist) will help you style a dessert table.

Now of course I am by no means saying you need to have these items to prepare a dessert table or even need to have a “styled” look for a dessert table. Kids birthday parties can be just as wonderful with simpler items a simpler look or even no dessert table! However this is for those of you who DO want to put together a styled look dessert table.

Nikki Fitt Photography_Tanya Castellino ballet party_59a

*Click on the images to be taken to the relevant stores where an even larger range of items can be found for your dessert tables*

General tips:

HIRE: Where money and/or storage is an issue you may not wish to purchase the below items for use only a few times a year. In this case please visit the hire category on the Life’s Little Celebration’s children’s party directory to find businesses to hire candy jars, cake stands, tables and more from!

Someone on my facebook page had a great suggestion as well to share items amongst friends in order to help with the cost.

Another great tip shared on the facebook page is to purchase all your essential items in white so they can be re-used for all parties regardless of the colour scheme. I also would suggest buying items in pairs so that your table is symmetrical and coordinated if that is the look you are after.

Table and Tablecloth

Let’s start with the basics. You need a table! Now if your dining table or another table you own is a great size and can be moved easily then that is fantastic. Otherwise a simple trestle tables such as this from Bunnings for $69 will do and they have smaller sizes available too:

Trestle Table from Bunnings

 

Next is the tablecloth which really sets a lovely setting for all your desserts! It is best to avoid plastic tablecloths or tablecloths that only hang down half way for your dessert table. Certain tables also look great without a tablecloth at all, so it depends on the look you are going for.

Purchasing a gathered or ruffled tablecloth can be an item you will easily use for each party and will also ensure it fits properly for a dessert table look hanging all the way down to the ground:

 

6ft tablecloth, $60 – Saffy and May

 

White gathered tablecloth – Saffy & May

 

White ruffled tablecloth – Saffy & May

 

Cake Stands:

The next item would be your cake stand/s. I would suggest going with white cake stands for your main cake as well as 2 more smaller size cake stands that you can also use on your table to display items at a different height. The stores I have included in this post (as well as the other party boutiques on the Directory) also have a range of coloured cake stands and these are also great if you feel it is a colour you will use regularly in your parties.

 

Displaying desserts on different levels makes a great effect on a dessert table and cake stands is an easy way to make your desserts stand out.

A milk glass cake stand such as this, although more pricey than other options, does have a great height and quality and looks fantastic on a table:

 

White milk glass cake stand – Sweet Style

 

Another lovely option for your main cake stand:

 

White scalloped cake stand – Mum’s Little Party Secret

 

 

These smaller size cake stands (also available in a larger size) for $34.95 are a great option for displaying cake pops, macarons and other desserts where you could have one on either side of your main cake stand:

 

Small ceramic white cake stand – Sweet Tea Party Supplies

 

Perfect for a rectangle cake stand option:

Rectangle cake stands – Mum’s Little Party Secret

 

Someone reminded me on my facebook page of a great tip Kara Allen of Kara’s Party Ideas shared on her recent tour of creating your own cake stands using a candle stick holder and platter on top. You can find tutorials online for DIY ideas such as this so definitely worth a google or pinterest search!

 

Candy Jars:

If you’re planning on regularly using candy jars on your dessert table, you could start off with 4-6 jars to mix on the table with platters and stands. You could also go with acrylic candy holders if you’re worried about little hands and breakages.

Click on the images to be taken to the stores to see more of a range:

 

26cm Lisianthus Apothecary Candy Jar – Leo and Bella

 

27cm Bluebell Apothecary Glass Candy Jar – Leo & Bella

 

Acrylic candy container scalloped – Just Party Supplies

 

 

Acrylic candy jar available in various colours – Fantasy Kids Parties

 

 

 

Risers & Platters

Risers are another important item to use underneath your cake stands and platters to display your cake and desserts at different heights on a dessert table. It is a shame when the desserts at the back of a table and the cake are not seen because they are all at the same height as the front desserts!

You may be creative with items around your house – for my first dessert table I found some dishes at home which turned upside down made fantastic risers for a candy jar!

However other options I like are cardboard suitcases, small wooden boxes/crates and timber boxes:

 

Set of 3 white cardboard suitcases for $39.95 – Bickiboo

 

 

Timber boxes – Saffy & May

 

White timber riser custom made – Vintage Sew and So

 

Acrylic riser for dessert table – Occasion by Design

 

Classic white platters are fantastic for along the front of your dessert table. I love melamine platters such as these as they are at the front of the table within easy reach of childrens hands and are unbreakable:

 

White rectangular platters – Occasion by Design

 

White square melamine platters – Occasion by Design

 

 

Drinks

Regarding drinks, purchasing a drinks dispenser (although it doesn’t have to sit on your dessert table) is another item you will use many times over. Dispensers such as these are wonderful as it is raised so a cup can easily fit underneath it:

 

The Jasper drinks dispenser – The Little Big Company

 

Oasis Glass Beverage Drink Dispenser with Metal Stand 10L – Leo & Bella

 

If you want to go for mini milk bottles which are such a cute look at a kids party, these mini glass bottles are great for a slightly older child:

 

Glass clear milk bottles – Love the Occasion

 

Plastic milk bottles for smaller children are sold from time to time at The Reject Shop. Online you can purchase these from overseas and they can be shipped internationally.

 

Plastic mini milk bottles – Shop Sweet Lulu

 

Of course another option is to use mini water bottles from the store and use a printable bottle wrapper to cover the label!

 

Dessert Holders:

As for the desserts on your table, I find mini dessert holders such as these are fantastic for items such as jelly or mousse!:

 

Mini glass jars with lids – Sweet Style

 

Acrylic dessert cup – Occasion by Design

 

Tiered stands are another way of presenting desserts such as cupcakes and macarons, or also perfect for stylishing presenting savoury items. For a balanced look on your dessert table purchase 2 of the same design:

 

3 tiered fine bone china cake stand – The Little Big Company

 

2 tiered cake stand – The Little Big Company

 

So there you have it, my round up to get you started with the essentials for a styled dessert table!

I hope you have found it useful to give you ideas of what to purchase whether it be online or in store. As I mentioned before – you by no means need all these items to create a dessert table. I have collected bits and pieces over the 3 years since my first child and also hired items when needed!

Enjoy the planning!

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Introducing Sweet Celebrations

Does anyone else love discovering more party boutiques to browse when party planning? Well today I am introducing you to one of my vendors and blog sponsors Sweet Celebrations – which is an online party boutique also offering event styling and party hire in Sydney!

Sweet Shoppe

 

Bobbie who runs Sweet Celebrations is a mother of two young children who started Sweet Celebrations with the purpose of helping other mums to make their child’s birthday party a special event.

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Bobbie a number of times and she is genuine, down to earth and offers great customer service.

Here is a collection of cake stands and glassware available for purchase or hire (sydney) from Sweet Celebrations. I love the green milk glass cake stand which I hired from Sweet Celebrations for my daughter’s 1st birthday:

 

 

Over the years Bobbie found it hard to source all the items she needed from a single place. Having to look for different products in many different places, or having to buy lots of different products to create a theme or style a party made it very time consuming and expensive.

Parties are her passion and she love sourcing new products!

These are some of the lovely hire items available (Sydney) such as ruffled tablecloths and cute mushroom stools (also available for purchase) and kids table and chairs:

 

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An example of a kids table you can create using hire items from Sweet Celebrations:

Lady beetle kids table set up with items for hire from Sweet Celebrations

 

If you have a special celebration coming up and need someone to style it for you, Sweet Celebrations also offers party styling.

This is a really sweet woodland party styled by Sweet Celebrations:

PartyStyling

A range of fun and pretty partyware is available at Sweet Celebrations. Find tableware, decorations, favour bags and all you need to plan and coordinate your party decorations at the one store:

01 Tableware

There is everything from baking cups to lanterns, wooden cutlery to favour tags – everything in a range of colours:

02 Partyware

If you’re looking for a place to finding a range of partyware in one place along with the options of hire items and styling, then Sweet Celebrations  is a must visit online! You can also find Sweet Celebrations on facebook here. 

 

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Introducing ‘Any Occasion Events’

We have such fabulous businesses on the children’s party directory and another of my advertisers is  Any Occasion Events which started out as a wedding invitation specialist many years ago and has gradually transformed into a bit of an anything goes kind of business.

From custom invitations and printables, custom made tablecloths and runners, chair covers, candy buffets and sourcing pretty things from shimmer gumballs to cake stands.

You may have seen the custom tablecloths featured in amazing parties such as this celebration styled by The Little Big Company:

 

 

Emma who owns Any Occasion Events loves all things pretty and crafty so no request is unreasonable and she is happy to go out of her way to create or source those little details for your celebration!

I love these chair covers – just imagine them in blue or coral pink for a mermaid theme!

 

 

 

This image is just stunning! One of these sequin tablecloths for a special Christening or 1st birthday would be amazing:

 

Also love this paperie Emma has designed and created:

 

 

Emma regularly sources unique items such as beautiful cake stands as well as popular confectionery items so make sure you join the Any Occasion Events facebook page so you don’t miss out on her wonderful finds!

 

Have you got serious tablecloth cravings yet? I know I have!

Thank you Any Occasion Events for sharing your wonderful products with us!

Contact Emma at Any Occasion Events for prices on any of her items!