Cake is considered a wedding staple, but it doesn’t have to be the centerpiece of your wedding dessert selection. Many people choose to do individual desserts, both for the ease of not having to cut the cake and for the customizable options of having multiple kinds of cupcakes. If cake isn’t your thing, consider these awesome individual desserts that will have your guests excited to see something different while still maintaining that beautiful classy atmosphere you are looking for in a wedding reception.

Pecan Pie Tarts

For the Southerner in all of us, a little tart full of sweet sugary filling and roasted pecans is the perfect after-dinner delight. These are a great option because of their crunch, both with the pecans and a good mini pie-crust with its crumbly edges. For a twist, some people add a browned-butter glaze for the crust edges, just to deepen the flavor.

Cannoli Bites with Various Fillings

Cannoli are a wonderful Italian dessert consisting of a crisp shell with a creamy filling made of ricotta cheese inside. Often, small bits of fruit, pistachios, or chocolate chips are added to the filling, making them quite customizable. Tiny cannoli not only add an Italian twist to your dessert, they are also simply delicious.

Lemon Bars with Powdered Sugar

Want a refreshing option for your summer wedding? The tang and sweetness of a sticky lemon bar is as nice as lemonade! For an added fun, you can put paper cut-outs on the top of each bar and sift the signature powdered sugar on to create a design that stays when you take the paper away. This way, your dessert can be perfectly themed to your wedding.

Blueberry Cheesecake Bite

Classy and rich, a small piece of cheesecake heaped with summer fruit like blueberries is a great twist that adds both the deep flavors of berries and the light and creamy smoothness of the cheesecake. Graham cracker crust rounds out this perfect dessert option.

Banana Pudding Dessert Cups

Banana pudding is a hard dish to serve in a classy way, until you realize you can make individual “mini shots” of banana pudding, complete with adorable additions like a pretty cookie or a dusting of chia seeds on top. Banana pudding is making a comeback with its melt-in-your-mouth smooth flavor and the fact that it can be served cool, not cold like ice cream.

Baked Donuts

While regular donuts are delicious, baked cake donuts are both pretty and something new for many guests. Especially if you choose to serve these cuties with a cup of coffee, they make a sweet and casual way to end the reception, or just to usher everyone onto the dance floor. You can add icing in the colors of your wedding to make them even more themed.

Mint Brownies

The combination of mint and chocolate is delightful, and fudgy, soft brownies pair so well with mint chips or mint icing! For a nice twist on the more common fruit-flavored desserts, this will ensure that everyone gets a refreshing pick-me-up at the end of the meal. Brownies are also a great option if there are plenty of kids at your wedding, since they are recognizable treats even when served in a beautiful presentation.

Strawberry Shortcakes

Beautiful and seasonal, strawberry shortcakes provide a nice counterpoint to other, more sugar-forward desserts. Shortcakes are lightly sweetened and perfect with tart berries and a dollop of whipped cream. For a fun option, make a “shortcake bar,” allowing your guests to assemble a berry shortcake with a few different options.

Chocolate Mousse Cups

Chocolate mousse is rich and fancy, but easy to eat when served in small tarts or cups. You can add many different garnishes, from a hazelnut on top to flakes of coconut or shavings of ultra-dark chocolate. The cocoa lovers in the room will definitely thank you if you choose this one.

Rather than feeling like you have to commit to just one of these mini-desserts, you can definitely pair a few options together to give your guests variety and excitement at the dessert table, while also providing a few options that are gluten-free, dairy-free, or avoid major allergens like nuts. The variety of desserts ensures that everyone gets their sweet fix no matter what they are able to eat, and you can include your absolute favorite there in the mix so that you can have a moment to enjoy a sweet interlude during your happy, busy day.

When you have weddings on the brain anyway, it is hard not to get excited about the upcoming royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Here are some of the aspects we are most excited about.

The Hype

Honestly, the fun of getting up early, getting some friends together, and making some fun royal wedding themed snacks and drinks may be the best part of the day. Celebrating love and a beautiful ceremony is really what makes the royal wedding so exciting. Given that royals in the UK are not monarchs who rule with an iron fist, their opportunity to represent the country in a dignified manner while the government remains parliamentary makes it easy to romanticize the royals and enjoy watching parts of their lives.

The Dress

Given that even the designer of the dress has been kept under wraps, Meghan Markle’s appearance at the chapel is likely to be one of the most impressive moments. Working one-on-one with a designer and including her best friend and stylist Jessica Mulroney’s opinion makes it seem like this will be a wedding dress to remember, perfectly chosen for Meghan herself. You can be sure there will be detailed coverage of every aspect of the gown, from the elements that make it traditional to any unconventional choices.

The Carriage

We’re excited to see the royals embark in an Ascot Landau carriage on a tour around the city after the ceremony—this is one of the 100 carriages kept in a collection at the castle, and the royal couple chose this one in particular for their journey. It’s a tradition, but it also seems an awful lot like a fairy tale, so it’s sure to make us squeal.

The Castle

Let’s face it: marrying in a castle and living in a palace are just dreamy. The architecture of the buildings where the wedding will happen and the reception will be held are enough to make us feel like we were invited in to dance the night away. The buildings themselves, like St. George’s Chapel, are so imposing but they are made special by the moments in history that have taken place inside.

The Arrivals

Watching everyone arrive will be so fun: from the adorable little Princess Charlotte and Prince George to the many dignified royals, the outfits and manner of guests are sure to be interesting. There will also be the arrival of royal favorites William and Kate, as well as the Queen herself! Part of the fun before the ceremony proper is watching everyone roll up.

The Family

Speaking of William and Kate, all the close family members will make the wedding extra special. With Meghan reportedly being walked down the aisle by her mother, and William possibly being the best man for Harry, there will be close ties between many of those who participate in the wedding itself. Other royal family members and members of Meghan's family and friend groups will be notable in the crowd, usually given fairly choice seats.

The First Look

We all melt when we see the way Harry looks at Meghan, and you just know that the moment she enters the room, peoples’ eyes will be on Harry. Some people are already betting that he’ll shed a tear or two at her beauty—it’s the moment mushy romantics live for! There is a moment of unguarded emotion when a husband-to-be sees his bride in all her loveliness, and it embodies the beauty of weddings quite well.

The Decor

While no one will be throwing streamers around at a royal wedding, the interior of the Chapel is sure to be an impressive site to behold. Given the many guests—hundreds, if not thousands of them—the space has to be quite large and the scale of it all will be a sight to behold. For those of us who have never been inside a cathedral, the ceremony is like a mini trip to London, equipped with access to the most impressive spots.

The Celebrities

Celebrities like Victoria Beckham and others will be present throughout the crowd, so one of the most fun parts of the televised coverage of the wedding will be spotting those whose faces we recognize among the crowd. There is something extra exciting when you realize just how many important people are watching the same event you are at the same time.

The Romance

Let’s face it, a love story is what brings people to a royal wedding, even when it is taking place live in another time zone. Harry and Meghan are no traditional couple, given that they were born in different countries and lived very different lives up to the point of their meeting. Their ability to fall in love and get married makes the rest of us sigh with happiness and with the joyful hope that love can conquer all.