FROM LEFT: Jars of brightly hued candies; Colorcoordinated chocolate bars; one of Atlas’ festive dessert tables
In the Beginning…
I have always had a soft spot in my heart for sweets. I grew up watching my grandmother bake, and my fondest memory from childhood is of sitting in her sunny kitchen watching her pull homemade rocky road cake out of the oven. As a young adult I had been known among family and friends for my perfectly executed dinner parties that culminated in creative dessert bars. I quickly realized that there isn’t a lot of fanfare around dessert and decided to specialize in trendsetting dessert displays.
Couture Confections
Many of my clients shop designer labels, so I thought, Wouldn’t it be fabulous to bring high fashion from the boutique to dessert? For one Pucci-loving client, I created a fanciful dessert bar using a Pucci-inspired print. Now everyone wants a fashionable dessert bar at her party.
Tricks of the Trade
Create a dessert table around something that inspires you. The design can be pulled from something as personal as a family heirloom or as simple as the pattern on an invitation. Let the table tell a story about the event so the dessert not only becomes functional it becomes part of the design.
Pick beautiful linens and unique vessels. Since your sweets will be the stars, the accoutrement
should have a coordinated, tailored look.
Always sample your dessert vendors before using them for your event. A beautiful cake is not always the best-tasting cake! Pick desserts that look good together and provide a balance for your guests’ palates.
Provide goody bags: It’s always a treat to give guests something to take home to remind them of how sweet the day was.
