How to Design a Groom's Table for a Wedding

While people may focus on a wedding reception as a celebration of the bride, designing a groom's table can add to the fun--and restore a little balance to recognizing both partners in the wedding. A groom's table features a cake, pre-cut and securely wrapped in small pieces to take home. There is a tradition that says that any girl or woman tucking the groom's cake package under her pillow the night after the wedding will dream of the man she will marry someday. True or not, it's a fun idea to add to your festive day.

Instructions

1

Coordinate table coverings with the other reception decor. Remember, however, that the groom's table is not required to match the other table coverings. Since it is smaller than the bride's cake table and may be located at some distance from it, consider highlighting it with a stronger tone than the colors used elsewhere. If decor is pale blue, consider a darker or brighter shade of blue. If the other decor is pink, consider burgundy. The same coordination can be obtained by matching the tablecloth and choosing a distinctive overlay.

2

Highlight the groom's table with other decorations. The most classic addition to the table is a standing, framed photograph of the groom. A copy of the wedding invitation, framed, also makes an excellent, coordinating accent. Flowers are always suitable. Remember that the main contents of the table will be trays of wrapped cake.

3

Consider decorating the table with items that say something distinctive about the groom's personality. One way to do this is to use something from his interests as containers for the cake. For a history buff, consider trays or serving pieces that reflect his favorite period. For an avid hiker, consider offering the wrapped cake packages from an open day-pack. Use oversized brandy-snifters as containers for a groom in the hospitality industry. Sports memorabilia can also make the groom's table personal. In general, these are decorative touches, rather than massive displays, but they help to tell guests a little about the groom.

4

Order cake that also recognizes something about the groom. Tradition suggests something very different from the bride's cake. Groom's cake is usually dark or spicy or both. It is typically firm, unfrosted and single-layered, to make it easy to wrap up betore the reception. Most bakeries offer a wide variety of flavors. If your groom loves chocolate or nuts or all things citrus, this will give you ideas for choosing a groom's cake.

5

Provide wrapping materials to your bakery, to coordinate with decor (unless your bakery provides standard wrappings that you like). Foil papers and ribbons work well to bring a bit more attention to your small packages. While white is customarily reserved for the bride, white paper with a colored ribbon is perfectly appropriate. If members of the wedding party are in charge of wrapping groom's cake, add several pairs of scissors and rolls of tape to their supplies to make the job go quickly.