Miss Hydrangea, Dallas
Age and Occupation: 26, Administrative Assistant
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Network Analyst
Engagement Date: June 2007
Wedding Date: September 2008
Blogging Since: January 14, 2008
Venue: Catholic Church and Reception at The W Hotel
About Me: Mr. H and I come from very different cultures and backgrounds so I'm excited to plan our wedding with a balance of both traditions. My mom has always been a DIY queen, and I'm just now starting to get into it with a new house and a wedding to plan!
Alternative To The Groom’s Cake
January 28th, 2008 @ 6:29 pm by Miss Hydrangea
For our wedding reception, I want to try incorporating new ideas that are fun and entertaining that our guests will remember for a long time to come. Partly because I like to be a little different, but mostly because I want everyone to have an awesome time.
In the South, you grow up attending wedding receptions where there is the wedding cake…and then there’s the groom’s cake. If any of you have seen Steel Magnolias, think blood red armadillo cake. To many, it’s the chocolate cake at the reception, usually depicting something important to the groom, whether it be his alma mater, favorite sports team or hobby.
Mr. Hydrangea is pretty impartial to the whole wedding planning process. He likes to stay in the background and watch Mom H and I plan, and only gives his opinion if it is something that really concerns him. A few months ago, I brought up an alternative for his groom’s cake which he seemed to like.
Instead of having the traditional groom’s cake, there is a popular Italian Gelato Cafe here in the Dallas area called Paciugo. For a price not far off from a groom’s cake, you can get this cute cart at your reception with up to 4 flavors, cups, utensils and a server for 200 guests.
There happens to be a Paciugo about a one minute walk from the hotel where we are having our reception. Mr. H and I went in one night and talked to their manager about reserving the cart. We tasted almost every flavor they had in the store and were sold on the idea.
I think that, deep down, Mr. H still wants his own groom’s cake, and our cake isn’t the most important element of the wedding to me, so I’m still going to try to keep ours simple and get a little chocolate cake for Mr. H as well.
Have any of you incorporated fun, out of the ordinary ideas into your reception?
16 Responses to “Alternative To The Groom’s Cake”
Mmm, I love Paciugo. Luckily, one opened up not far from me here in Houston.
To celebrate the 75th anniversary of my church, we had a Ben & Jerry’s car, similar to the Paciugo cart. It was a big hit!
Instead of doing the groom’s cake at our wedding, we were contemplating doing pies and cobblers with ice cream since our theme is Southern/BBQ/country kitsch. Plus, FI love his pecan pie.
That’s the BEST idea!
We want to serve Kopps frozen custard from Milwaukee at our reception. (grooms from wisconsin and this is one of our favorites!)
It will be a challenge seeing as we live and are getting married in FLORIDA. But we’re going to try to do it!
I was thinking about making wrappers for the cones that say
Kopps custard- the 2nd best thing from Wisconsin. (the first being the groom 
Awesome idea!!!
He wanted an ice cream sundae bar. i wanted a wedding cake…so, we are having both. An ice cream sundae bar served in martini glasses and a small 2 tier wedding cake for me. for an august wedding i agreed that ice cream would be perfect.
What a cool idea! I’m dying to have a late-night surprise of Dippin’ Dots. If I were in the Midwest, I’d so be bustin’ out the White Castle, too.
I love this idea! I wish we had them in Canada. Does anyone know of other companies that do this? Especially Canadian ones?
we are doing cupcake babies as our “wedding cake” and also some dessert shots for the “groom’s cake” -yeah vanilla bake shop!
I keep wanting to add on more sweets! - ie: candy bar already and debating about some cookie dunkers with lil shots of milk for late night dance floor snack : ) too much?
great idea!! =)
Great idea! I love it!
I absolutely adore the gelato idea, Kopps ice cream idea (I spent 9 months in Milwaukee) and Dippin Dots - which are in my opinion one of the best things about professional sporting events!
My fiance’s grandmother passed away, and we are giving her apple pie recipe to a bakery to make apple pies for the groom’s cake. But now I want a sundae bar, dippin dots, etc. - maybe we shouldn’t have a meal and just eat dessert for hours!!!
We’re doing gelato also… some friends of FH’s family own a gelato place in Newport so we get our favorite flavors =)
Hello! Yes!!!! Paciugo Gelato is a great idea! Call me and I’ll help you put it all together! I am at the Paciugo home office in Dallas. Give me a call! 214.654.9501 x 102 Ciao!
I (nor anyone I know here in CA) have never heard of a grooms cake until I found weddingbee! That being said…Gelato rather than MORE CAKE sounds SO SO SO SO YUMMY! People will swoon!
Oh yeah! We will have a Paciugo coming to Hermosa Beach in April! And then in Orange County by mid-summer…building take awhile 
Try the Fondente (extra dark chocolate)…pure love.
I was thinking about that idea too! I LOVE IT!
