Pie Bar Setup

Tired of tiered cakes and cupcake displays as the go-to desserts for big events and weddings? Not that we don’t love a good cake or cupcake, and the nod to tradition. We love a good fluffy baked treat with silky frosting and creamy ganache, especially when topped with an inspired decoration. But sometimes we like a little something different, too, especially for a more rustic, vintage, or comfortable, homey vibe—and what’s better for that than warm, flaky pies?

A pie bar is an easy and often inexpensive way to impress. Pies can be made to match any season with harvest-inspired fillings from rhubarb in the spring to fig in the winter. Pies can be arranged in pie plates, on cake stands, and are easy to move around to create a visually appealing display. As we learned doing our latest cookbook review (check back for our next post!), pies can even accommodate guests with dietary restrictions like gluten-free and vegan diets. Plus, adding other pastries and bowls of fruit can stretch a few pies for larger parties without sacrificing flavor or a beautiful dessert display. Different heights and different shaped vessels can make a few items look like a large spread.

For our autumn-inspired wedding pie bar, we displayed our desserts on a vintage hutch using pie plates, dessert plates, and cake stands. We had two large apple pies, and a few mini pies in other flavors—pecan, plum, and berry. We also served turnovers, caramel apples, and fresh apples. The display was easy to set up and the desserts were fuss-free, making this dessert bar an easy and inexpensive DIY—especially if you have baking-inclined friends and family interested in helping!

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Photo Credit: Casey Maxon and Aurore Joigny