From Sundae Stations to Root Beer Float Stations and more, Bridgeman’s Ice Cream Parlor offers a unique take on wedding desserts. Photo: Kelly Reeves Photography
Bakers and makers are charting new territory when it comes to wedding treats.
The topography of the reception dessert table is evolving. The tiered white wedding cake is no longer a given, and it’s ceding space to more varied terrain. Whether you want to scale a macaron tower or explore rolling hills of ice cream, modern weddings are letting couples choose their own adventures.
If you’re feeling a bit lost navigating this uncharted territory, don’t worry. We’ve discovered bakers, makers and vendors who are mapping new configurations for your wedding dessert destination.
Scooping up sweet treats for over 80 years, Bridgeman’s Ice Cream Parlor is tried and true. Plus, there’s something for every wedding season. For winter and spring weddings, consider its Affogato and Sundae Station: The addition of hot chocolate and coffee to your ice cream bar is a sweet, warm treat. Summer and fall weddings call for its Root Beer Float Station: Who can say no to homemade root beer and Bridgeman’s vanilla ice cream? Sundae shooters are also available. Bridgeman’s, Woodbury; bridgemans.com
You might be breaking the glass on your wedding day, but your guests can break the brittle. For an exciting late-night bite, consider an out-of-the-box option like slabs of toffee or brittle (complete with wooden hammers for guests to break off pieces) or a s’mores station from St. Croix Baking Company. It’s just the start of the incredible dessert options from celebrated pastry chef Charles Froke—including intricately decorated cakes and cupcakes, custom bars and cookies, two-bite mini desserts and plated desserts. St. Croix Baking Company, Hudson, Wisconsin; stcroixbaking.com
Signature cocktails are a thing and so are dinners featuring state- or hometown-centric ingredients, but what about bringing that same pride to the dessert table? Consider giving a sweet nod to one of Minnesota’s iconic music makers—Prince. If you’re a fan of him and cheesecake, take your pick of over 15 cheesecake varieties. Founding owner and head baker of Cheesecake Funk, Vanessa Drews, worked at Paisley Park, where she would on occasion bring in her scrumptious desserts. They not only caught the attention of staff and musicians, Prince also took notice and was a fan and vocal proponent of her baked goods. Cheesecake Funk, Minnetonka; cheesecakefunk.com
Donut mind if “I do!” Swap out a traditional cake with a donut buffet. Dorothy Ann Bakery & Cafe, a third-generation family-owned and operated bakery, may be known for its cakes, cupcakes and mini desserts—but it also offers more than 20 different types of donuts, such as bismarcks, cake donuts, mini donuts, raised donuts, specialty donuts, sweet rolls, turnovers and even gluten-free donuts. Yum! Dorothy Ann Bakery & Cafe, Woodbury; dorothyannbakery.com
Consider a personalized cutting cake from Nadia Cakes—so the newlyweds still gets their sweet moment. Photo: Type & Timber
We get it. Sometimes, you just want a slice of decadent wedding cake. From a cutting cake to cupcake towers Nadia Cakes can design just about any delicious dessert. This winner is beloved nationwide, and its owner Abby Jimenez is a Food Network Cupcake Wars winner and was also featured on TLC’s Fabulous Cakes. Nadia Cakes, Woodbury; nadiacakes.com
What’s sweeter than fine chocolate? As of August, Painted Turtle Chocolatier is under new ownership, and owner Jackie Van Norden is excited to bring a fresh taste to this mainstay. Consider its truffles, such as chocolate, caramel, peanut butter, milk and dark chocolate, or create your own flavor profile with the chocolatiers, for a fun display or addition to your dessert table. Plus, bars, cake truffles, cookies, gelato and more are the cherry on top! Painted Turtle Chocolatier, Osseo; paintedturtlechocolatier.com
If we all scream for ice cream, we’re bound to fall for gelato. This delicate, small-batch Italian treat is made in traditional flavors like almond stracciatella, hazelnut and pistachio. For intimate weddings, consider personal gelato cups in flavors of your choice—so even a Midwest wedding can include a taste of Europe. Orso Bianco Gelato, White Bear Lake; orsobiancogelato.square.site
Nothing says love like a handmade pie—especially when it’s heart-shaped. For a dessert that’s as sweet and gushy as you’ll be on your wedding day, consider a curated pie table. These tasty pies come in a variety of sizes (including hand pies, little tarts, pie jars, pie pops and whole pies) and flavors—many of which are infused with local spirits. Plus, the flakey crust is a family recipe. Sara’s Tipsy Pies, Stillwater; sarastipsypies.com
It’s OK to ditch tradition—especially if ice cream is on the table. For a wedding dessert that is an event in itself, look no further than Nelson’s Ice Cream. Whether you select a bright red Nelson’s trailer or mobile freezer, Nelson’s trained scoopers will serve your guests heaping servings of traditional ice cream. It’s an ideal option for outdoor summer weddings, and, honestly, there’s nothing like a generous portion of ice cream to remind you to savor your wedding day. Nelson’s Ice Cream, Stillwater; nelsonsicecream.biz
We understand that traditional desserts (ahem, tiered cakes!) may not be for all couples. For something that still gets the oohs and aahs, look toward a macaron tower. With a variety of custom colorings, designs and flavors to choose from, there’s a taste to please all your guests! Take it a step even further with a beautiful macaron cake. Memoo’s Macs, Woodbury; memoosmacs.com
