Cookie Table at weddings?
 

I am from North East Ohio. In this region of the state/country, we have a large table or two that displays, and serves, a wide variety of cookies at wedding receptions. There is cake also, but our receptions always include the cookie table with the majority, if not all, of the cookies being made by the bride's and/or the groom's relatives. Whatever is not eaten at the end of the reception are bagged (nice little cookie bags are provided) and taken home by guests. I have seen guests make a beeline for the cookies and fill a plateful to nibble on at their table before and/or after dinner. We love that!:thumbup:

I have been given some strange looks when discussing this subject with "outta towners". lol SO... my question is this-is the "cookie table" REALLY just a local custom?:confused: We bake for weeks to have a full, varied and beautifully decorated cookie table at wedding receptions. The aunts take pride in it! does your area have cookie tables and/or other customs?
cherri

I live in So. Ea. In. We do not have a cookie table, I have never heard of this before. So, my answer is, it is just a local custom.

I'm from just north of Pittsburgh and this is definitely the custom around here. I've never been to a wedding where there wasn't at least one, and usually more, cookie tables. WQED tv just did a special cooking show about this--it was great. I can remember my mother, aunts, and cousins baking for weeks/months before the big day whenever a family member was getting married. Used to be you had to sneak them in your purse if you wanted to take any home; now they provide little bags--love it!! I hope this custom continues.

I'll be watching your posts to see if this is just a local custom or if other parts of the country do this. (I'm from a huge Italian family and thought it was just an Italian practice but it's not).

While I've never been to a wedding where this happened ... I know it's done some here and with the take home containers, usually more of a box type, so the cookies/squares do not get crushed in a bag.

Another thing that is being done at some are "candy tables" ... a buffet of candies to help yourself to, to enjoy at the reception and as take homes too.

Customs vary from one area to another ... and that's what makes it all fun and interesting when you attend.

Even the word "reception" has different meanings ... so one needs to know what "parts" they are invited to, when invited to a wedding!

never heard of this either.but great custom
my dd just got married in florida this past oct and she already had 2 boys so we had a sundae bar.every topping you could imangine
everyone loved it!
Gale

When my nephew married (New York State), there was the traditional cake, but the bride's mother came around to each table, passing homemade cookies. Was at another wedding where there was no cake. Instead, after the buffet meal, another buffet was set with an enormous display of baked goods. Everything from cream puff and pastries, tarts, cookies, provided by a bakery. Between the open bar and the sugar overload, EVERYONE was having a good time. It was unique and very memorable.

I've been to many weddings in La, Tx, and Ok and have never heard about cookies at a wedding.

so nice to hear the comments from a few folks from different regions. gives insight to parts of the country/world. when one of my daughters was married a few years ago we bought chocolates and set them in amongst the cookies. it looked pretty and was a hit. I have not been to a reception yet with a seperate candy table but, I have been to one with an ice cream bar. it was a fall wedding, and was a "children included" reception so it was also a big hit!

and Janrn; Pittsburgh is fairly close so maybe it's something of a regional area thing? I have talked to people from southern Ohio who think it's a weird custom.:p

yea Tartan! love cookies with my coffee or tea:thumbup:

We do it here too, my neices each had huge candy tables but others have the cookie tables...If and when my sons ever decide to marry I am having BOTH !!! I will be one happy Mom when that happens, I have been waiting forever to get a DIL .....then some grandbabies.

Never been to a wedding where there is a cookie table. Sounds like a good idea to me!

Must be a custom in the NE part of the country - never heard of such before. Sounds like a good idea, especially if there are children in attendance.

Wow, have never heard of a cookie table or a candy one either. Since I love sweets I think it's a great idea to have one or the other.

Pat in MN

Washington/Oregon here, never heard of it. Who needs a reason for a cookie table, I think they should be standard in homes everywhere lol!

I've been to many weddings where there were cookie tables/trays. You're right, the cookies are usually made by the families. It seems they show up at the more traditional weddings, not the new event-type. personably i prefer a cookie table to some of the god-awful grooms cakes that seem to be popular-most i've seen have been ugly!

This sounds much better than the candy table brides are having here in the South these days.

delma

I'm from an Italian family. We always have a cake and there's ALWAYS a tray of cookies brought to each table. Sometimes even little pastries as well. For many years, there has been the custom of a "Viennese" table set up with an array of desserts. Sometimes an enormous display, sometimes not so big. Depends on how much money the bride wants to spend and also depends on the catering hall. There is still always the cake. I think the idea of a cookie table with goodies made by family is a wonderful custom and I would venture to say it's local.

I, too, have never heard of a cookie table at a wedding reception. However, I think it sounds like a very nice tradition. Thank you for sharing it.

I've been to weddings here where there is a sweet table (everything from Eclairs to cannolli's) here in the Chicago area...last summer my niece had a candy table with all the different candies in clear glass jars...
But no cookie table...sounds great to me!

We did at the wedding of our second daughter. It is not at all a custom here. I did find very little of the cake got eaten because of it so I would probably do cake or a cookie table.

we were at a wedding several years ago where the bride and groom took a tray of cookies around to their guests and served each a cookie. The bride said it was a custom from the groom's side of the new family.

I'm from SE Ohio. Never have heard of a cookie table but like the idea. Candy table sounds good, too.

thanks for responding everybody. I love hearing which parts of the country/Canada have never heard of this. And from just a few hours south of me-in the same state . . . never heard of it. love it

I live in NE Ohio and I have never heard of this either...but love the idea. Went to a wedding where the brides family owned a bakery. They served at least 25 different flavors and styles of cake. Yummy!

We have been to two weddings with cookie tables, both of them (are you ready?) in Trumbull County, Ohio! We do not live near Trumbull County, and these are the only weddings we have been to with cookie tables.

I have lived in upstate NY, in SW Ohio and I now live in central Ohio. I have never heard of this tradition, but I do like the idea! Very nice!

I have never heard of this being done in Wisconsin but then I have not been to a wedding in quite awhile. Sounds like a really nice tradition to start. :)

Never heard of it before. I am enjoying reading varied custums.

I live in BC Canada and worked for a catering company for 20 years. Never saw a cookie table at a single wedding.

Now there is a trend here to have cup cakes instead of wedding cake.

I never saw much wedding cake getting eaten at the weddings I worked. It always seemed like such a waste to me.

I'm from Northeast Ohio too-this might be a nationality thing. I've been to a couple different weddings around here and some have cookie tables and others didn't. Also it could be the hall that might not let the family bring in "outside" food!
Personally, I love the homemade pastries that my family brings!

I have never heard of that but I think it's a FABULOUS idea!!! Then people can hang around and not be hungry while waiting either for the food or the cake!!! :) :) If I'm ever involved in another wedding, I'll encourage this!

Never heard of a cookie table but I like the idea. I was at a wedding this spring and there was a candy table. Great for snacking before the wedding party arrived and the meal was served.

My niece had a lavish wedding in Chicago 2 years ago, there was a table with all kinds of desserts. And a wedding cake.
There were a lot of firsts for this country bumpkin at that wedding! LOL

All of our Italian weddings here in Missouri have massive cookie tables, as well as, a large wedding cake. Since my mother had died three years before I got married and my husband is not Italian, I figured we wouldn't have cookies at my wedding, just food and cake. My dad, aunt, cousins and friends of the family would not hear of it. My dad and aunt got together and started baking and then friends of my family started calling asking me to come pick up all the cookies they had made. It was so touching. I was so blessed. An Italian getting married without a cookie table isn't really married, I guess.

My daughter is getting married in October, so I'll start baking and freezing them this summer while school is out.

Boy I need to go to more weddings. I am missing out on all this stuff.

We live in Ontario, just across the border from Detroit so you can see we are some distance from Ohio. I have been to several Italian family weddings and they also have huge cookie tables and put out containers so you can take some home. They make cookies and pastries of every kind and there is always enough to feed a small army. I think it is a great custom, very generous.

I have to say that weddings around here tend to be overwhelmingly expensive, formal and often overwhelming. Yes, I have seen a cookie table alongside a 4 course meal. My brother went to a wedding in Michigan where there was a wedding and then coffee and cookies at the church hall after. The wedding was actually the focus of the day. How cool is that.

I have never heard of that...but what a nice idea...no GREAT idea!

I love Italian!! In south St Louis, Mo, the local quip is that you are not legally married if you do not serve mostaciolli at the reception. Works for me! I love Italian food!

I prefer cookies over cake...just wish that I had thought of a cookie table when I got married. ;)
Sandy