Alternative to a wedding cake...but not cupcakes

Hi

As everyone has been so helpful on this forum with other queries I was wondering if someone could offer me a little bit of inspiration with regards to an alternative to a traditional wedding cake.

I'm having a small informal reception at a restaurant in Bath for approx 35 people and I don't really want a traditional wedding cake. Of all the weddings that I've been to I've never had any wedding cake, so I don't to spend out on something (when we're already of tight budget) that will be wasted.

I want something delicious, unusual but still a bit special. I know cupcakes are an alterntive but I'm not massively keen on them unless they are extremely special in some way

I'd still like to have something as a focal point, maybe something to have with coffee at the end of the meal?

I'm really hoping someone can offer me some much needed inspiration. Looking forward to our responses:)

I have seen (i think on this forum somewhere) where someone had a massive cheese block thing in a circle with bride and groom on top decorated with a ribbon - you could have this with crackers or something?? Or are you wanting something sweet?? I want a huge creme caramel instead of a cake, but my mother seems to think this is rediculous!!

How about a cheese cake - rounds of cheese stacked on top of each other? We're having one for our evening food and our caterers will decorate it with figs, flowers etc

I saw an amazing picture of a tiered chocolate rice crispy cake... yum.

We're having miniature cakes as I didn't one a great big cake either x

we are having a cheese cake too. brought an adorable 'bride and groom' mice to go on the top xx

I saw these:



Just hoping they are not just out for valentines day!

How about a croquembouche? It's the french alternative to a wedding cake... a tower of profiteroles!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croquembouche

can't remember where but I saw a cake shape made from sweeties mainly jellies think you could have what ever colour sweets youu wanted.

Ah yes I did see in a wedding magazine this week that a couple had a stack of Krispy Kreme doughnuts instead of a cake and they are rather delicious!
Instead of an actual cheese cheeses cake, you could also go for different cheesecakes from somewhere like the Cheesecake factory shops if you have one nearby! x

My friend was just telling me yesterday she saw in a magazine where some celeb couple (forget who!) had a tiers of meringues! She said it was very pretty :\)

one of my friends had lots of jam and cream scones - set out like cupcakes on a lovely stand there werent any left either!

My sister had a profiterole covered cheesecake which was yummy, other idea's I've seen are Krispy Kreme (which I must admit I'm tempted to do myself), a 3 tiered rice crispy cake and until I realised that I'm it might melt in the August heat I was very tempted to do a rocky road cake.

we are having a cheese tower from thecheeseshed.com like this but with different decorations and lots of fruit an tomatoes... xx

A tower of krispy kremes or how about a tower or arrangement of cookies?