DIY Dessert Stands

The dessert bar has become a wedding staple—but not because it's cheaper than a proper cake. "Since you don't have portion control on a dessert bar, you need to have extra of everything so you don't run out...and that can add up," explains L.A. planner Mindy Weiss. The reason couples gravitate to a customized array of sweets is to crowd-please. "Wedding cake often goes to waste. By the time dessert rolls around, guests don't want to return to their seats for yet another course," says Juliet Totten of Poppies & Posies, in New York City. "A dessert bar is engaging; guests are free to eat at their own pace." If the concept sounds too informal for the reception, then consider it for your engagement party or shower. And while there are professionals who assemble these feasts for a living, why not do it yourself? Anyone can put mini tarts, cream puffs, macarons, cake pops, whoopie pies, and cupcakes on pretty tiered plates, right? A brief how-to on making your own dessert stands follows after the jump.