Dessert Displays

For a dandy-themed graduation party in Hollywood, Canvas & Canopy designed a dessert buffet that eschewed the twee look in favor of a sophisticated display of treats on cake stands made from vintage candlesticks and shelves built using industrial pipes.

Marcy Blum Associates built a bakery-style display case to offer guests breakfast-to-go treats from New York bakeries at the end of a wedding reception.

An illuminated table held jars filled with candy.

The candy shop was brightly lit and filled with Ernst & Young's colours, yellow and white. There were four candy stations that had fudge, yellow cotton candy, a self-serve candy bar with branded plastic bags, and white-iced cookies and cupcakes.

Stacks of books supported and decorated the dessert tables. Typewriters, globes, and open books added to the presentation.

Ridgewells provided two dessert stations with mini-sweets like pie bites and tiny macaroons for the after-party.

A candy buffet toward the entrance had a mostly blue palette.

Atlas's yellow and black display for the launch of Pilates NYC's pre- and post-natal programs.

At the Campfire Ball benefit for Children’s Oncology Services in May at Venue One in Chicago, Cork Catering set up a make-your-own s’mores station.

Inspired by the food truck craze, Abigail Kirsch in New York created roving carts to bring guests desserts and beverages, like gelato with dipped miniature cones and toppings, or sangria and punch.

Guests indulged in chocolates and baked goods while checking out the chocolate artwork inspired by artists such as Matisse, Van Gogh, and Jackson Pollock.

Colorful sweets topped a table at the preview night. "The day before and the day of Sneak Preview Night hosts nearly 10,000 media and auto industry executives, so it’s a challenge to set up for one event during another," the auto show's Callari said. "In addition to the limited setup time and juggling of events, the venue itself is vast, with high ceilings and thousands of windows. Making that space feel intimate and festive requires creativity. And we have to be conscious of costs since this is a charity event, but we do not want to lose the world-class look of the L.A. Auto Show."

A lavender candy bar offered cakepops, cupcakes, and rock candy.

Occasions Caterers set up an elaborate dessert buffet in a separate room at the Anderson house with Cuban sweets like drunk pineapple, exotic fruit crème brûlée, coffee parfait, and cocktail arroz con leche.

A baked-goods station had sweet bites, including mini brownie squares, sugary doughnut holes, and bite-size chocolate chip cookies.

BMW returned as the automotive sponsor this year with an all-white lounge area for guests—with a touch of color from this edible logo.

On March 27, Gc Watches hosted its "Moments of Smart Luxury" event at Malaparte in the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto. The event, part of the company's global "Smart Luxury" campaign, was produced by Candice & Alison. It featured an elaborate dessert display from cake artist Alexandria Pellegrino of Cake Opera. Pellegrino was one of the evening's featured "rising stars" whose work embodies smart luxury, and her decadent display offered chocolate cupcakes, toasted almond meringues, and ganache butter cookies.

ID—which airs shows such as Dates From Hell, Deadly Affairs, and Frenemies—had a "guilty pleasures bar" at the Discovery Upfront in New York April 4. The bright station offered a decadent array of candy and cake pops, as well as giveaways of nail polish and T-shirts printed with the labels "Diva," "Vixen," and "Ladykiller."

Several vendors set up ornate sweets tables. A display from Elysia Root Cakes held gilded, tiered confections, vintage props, and flowers from Ashland Addison Florist.

At a dessert table from Sugar Chic Designs, pink macarons were displayed on dainty, miniature ghost chairs.