The best way to celebrate the changing of the seasons is with a dessert table full of mouth-watering treats. Whether it’s a casual gathering of friends or an elegant soiree, this color-packed table will be a crowd-pleaser for any occasion! Here’s how to pull it all together.
Choose a base tablecloth in a fall-colored shade.
Choose a base tablecloth in a fall-colored shade.
When it comes to selecting the tablecloth for your dessert table, there are two things you’ll want to keep in mind: color and size. You want your base tablecloth to be large enough to cover the entire surface of your dessert table. You also want it to match your fall-themed dessert table so that everything looks like it belongs together. Once you’ve got that squared away, look for a material that is washable (e.g., polyester) as well as stain-resistant—the last thing you need is for someone’s spilled hot chocolate to leak through onto your beautiful hardwood floors!
Select your accent pieces.
The next step is to select your accent pieces. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Decorative pumpkins
- Fall leaves
- Fall flowers (e.g., sunflowers, mums)
- Fall candles and votives with holders
- Vases filled with water and floating candles or flowers (make sure they’re non-flammable)
- Platters, Trays and dishes of various sizes for serving dessert on
As for serving utensils, keep it simple. You can use standard forks, knives, and spoons, but if you want something more festive try using wooden spoons or even twig picks!
Pick coordinating dessert plates and napkins.
One of the first things to do when you’re setting up your dessert table is to pick coordinating plates and napkins. Think about color, size, shape, design, and texture for both. You don’t want your guests looking at different desserts on different plates—you want them to see a cohesive look from one side of the table to the other.
Make the pumpkin your guest of honor.
The pumpkin is your guest of honor, so it’s important to include multiple pumpkins in your dessert table. You can use smaller decorative pumpkins as centerpieces, or you can display larger gourds as part of the centerpiece. If you have some on hand, choose interesting-looking acorns and twigs that complement the color palette of your table (i.e., yellow and orange). These items will add an extra touch that makes your display feel complete—and they’ll give it a rustic feel!
You could also incorporate pumpkins into other aspects of your display:
- Use them as vases for flowers (like sunflowers) or greenery from the yard
- Use them as candle holders by carving out insets big enough for tea lights inside each one and applying glue to keep them upright on top of plates or pedestals
- Fill one with nuts or chocolate pieces
Bring on the desserts!
Next, it’s time to get to work on the desserts! The most important part of creating a dessert table is having a variety of desserts that are all different in some way. Think about the different textures you can use: fudge, pie crusts, cake layers, meringues, and frostings. Or think about the flavors: chocolatey brownies or caramel apple cupcakes. How about color? Strawberries and blueberries are traditional fall fruits; try adding some blackberries if you want something more unique. The shape is an easy one—you can make cookies into leaves or pumpkins; cakes into cakes (duh). Size is another easy option—you could use mini versions of your favorite pies for example…or just go crazy with how tall your cake is! Finally, the shape comes in again when thinking about serving pieces: don’t just put everything on one plate—bring out multiple serving utensils such as forks, knives, and spoons so everyone gets what they need without reaching across someone else’s plate.
Add floral embellishments.
- Add floral embellishments.
From fresh flowers to faux, from silk to wood, there are many options for you when it comes to choosing your floral embellishment. Whether you’re going for an earthy fall vibe or something more romantic, there’s a flower that can help bring your dessert table together! We recommend adding fall-themed candles and centerpieces in addition to floral pieces. These can be placed around the table as accents or even on top of each place setting. A few ideas include:
- Heart-shaped pumpkins
- Pumpkin-shaped vases
- Pumpkin candles
The key to any successful dessert table is keeping it simple, fresh, and clean.
A great dessert table doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, the more simple your design is, the better it will look. To keep things clean and simple, follow these steps:
- Choose a few colors that you like and stick with them.
- Use only one type of cake stand or serving dish for each item on the table.
- Keep flowers simple—no more than three per vase (or bouquet).
Now that you know how to create an elegant dessert table for fall parties, check out these other awesome ideas!
Conclusion
With these tips and tricks, you’ll be able to construct a beautiful and delicious dessert table that will have your guests raving. It’s an easy way to bring the magic of fall into your home, so why not give it a shot? You’ll love the results!
