i’m matt james

professional event producer

  • 27 years event-planning experience
  • Winner of 30 industry awards
  • Clients include:
  • Elton John,
  • Stella McCartney,
  • Sarah Jessica Parker,
  • Kevin Spacey……and more

welcome

Matt James professional event planner
CONTENTS

ON THIS PAGE

01 customized dessert table food ideas

How to add creative twists and personal touches to make memorable moments

personalized Polaroid style custom photo cookies of a man 'through the years' for his 90th birthday
custom photo personalized Happy Birthday m&m's
custom photo personalized macarons printed with a woman's face
personalized custom photo marshmallows with photo of presenter from The Today Show

02 unusual dessert table food ideas

Quirky and unusual treats that create talking points, buzz, and atmosphere

rainbow colored cotton candy cake
whiskey liquor flavored boozy marshmallows
Rosรฉ wine flavored pink lollipops for adults
chocolate and caramel sweet pizza

03 eye-catching dessert table food

Visually-arresting treats to grab guests’ attention and add wow-factor

decorated candle apples with donuts, cream, and straws
square colorful decorated artisan chocolate truffles
snowman themed cakesicles
cupcakes decorated to look like flowers

04 popular dessert table food ideas

Classics, crowd-pleasers, and safe-bet treats to ensure guests feel full

handmade cherry pie pops
handmade Oreo brownies to order
handmade Keto vanilla glaze gourmet donuts
Handmade lemon dessert bars
ADVICE FROM A PRO

dessert table food ideas

FEEDING v ENTERTAINING

  • Special event party food has two objectives: feeding and entertaining.
  • I recommend devoting approx 70% of your dessert table food to feeding your guests.
  • So focus on crowd-pleasing โ€˜safe-betโ€™ options; familiar, palatable, and popular dessert table treats,
  • likely to be enjoyed by most people.
  • The remaining 30% of your dessert table food should be dedicated to entertaining your guests;
  • treating them, surprising them, indulging them, impressing them,
  • creating experiences for them, and even helping them discover new things.
  • I’d suggest allocating 10% to quirky, unfamiliar, adventurous treats and unusual flavor combinations.
  • These act as talking points and conversation-starters that create buzz and atmosphere.
  • Another 10% should be eye-catching treats that add visual flair and wow-factor.
  • People eat with their eyes first,
  • so these treats grab their attention, peak their curiosity, and encourage them to explore.
  • The final 10% should be โ€˜a few of my favorite thingsโ€™; treats that reflect your / the guest of honorโ€™s taste,
  • so that guests get to share the experience.
  • Lastly, be sure to sprinkle a few personalized treats throughout these categories,
  • such as personalized candy or custom photo cookies / macarons / marshmallows etc.
  • Special occasions should feel special.
  • So, if youโ€™re serving everyday treats, such as cookies, candy, and cakes, you need to add a creative twist,
  • to elevate them beyond the ordinary.
  • Itโ€™s these creative twists, clever little details, and personal touches that guests photograph, share, and remember.
  • Check out a preview of some of my customized, unusual, eye-catching, and popular dessert table food ideas below,
  • then click ‘Open Full Post’ to see all ideas in each section.
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MATT’S TIPs

Matt James professional event planner
in this section

01 customized treats

  • Special occasions should feel special.
  • So, if youโ€™re serving everyday treats, such as cookies, candy, and cakes, you need to add a creative twist,
  • to elevate them beyond the ordinary.
  • Adding a personal touch makes them far more interesting for party guests…
OR PREVIEW BELOW
the idea

PERSONALIZED M&Mโ€™S

Itโ€™s the clever little details that create talking points, so swap regular candy for personalized M&Mโ€™s with photos of the guest of honor

blue and yellow custom photo m&m's with a woman's face
the idea

CUSTOM PHOTO COOKIES

Entertain guests with unique custom photo cookies showing the guest of honor at different stages of their life

personalized Polaroid style custom photo cookies of a mother and baby
the idea

CUSTOM PHOTO MACARONS

Attention to detail creates talking points, photo ops, and memorable moments, so add some custom photo personalized macarons alongside regular ones

custom photo macarons printed with a little girls face
the idea

CUSTOM PHOTO MARSHMALLOWS

Transform regular marshmallows into something more memorable with edible ink printed custom photo marshmallows featuring the guest of honor

personalized custom photo marshmallows with photos of two presenters from The Today Show
VIEW MORE

customized dessert table food ideas

personalized custom portrait cookie of a young girls face
custom photo personalized white cake pops featuring photos of a woman's face
personalized s'mores kits with custom text on the crackers
personalized custom cookie cutter of a man's head, a dog, and a couple's faces pressed into rolled out dough
in this section

02 unusual treats

  • Iโ€™d suggest allocating 10% to quirky, unfamiliar, adventurous treats and unusual flavor combinations.
  • These create talking points.
  • Whether they love or hate them, guests will discuss and share their opinions with one another;
  • they act as conversation starters and create buzz and atmosphere,
  • which will help make your party a success…
OR PREVIEW BELOW
the idea

CHOCOLATE PIZZAS

Rich and decadent, these chocolate pizzas will add a quirky and unexpected creative twist to any dessert table

chocolate and caramel pizza
the idea

boozy lollipops

From rosรฉ and mint julep, to Moscow mule and brown sugar & bourbon, these boozy flavored cocktail and liquor lollipops give them a quirky adult twist

Rosรฉ wine flavored pink lollipops for adults
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Matt James professional event planner
the idea

cotton candy cake

Satisfy any gluten-free guests with a fun and quirky alternative to traditional cake by offering cotton candy cake by the slice

rainbow colored cotton candy cake
the idea

FREEZE-DRIED ICE CREAM

An easy way to offer ice cream on a dessert table without fear of melting, these freeze-dried ice cream treats are sure to pique guestsโ€™ curiosity

Freeze dried ice cream; strawberry flavor
VIEW MORE

unusual dessert table food ideas

gourmet pizza flavored cotton candy
Baileys flavored boozy liquor popcorn
'sushi' made from candy
whiskey liquor flavored boozy marshmallows
in this section

03 eye-catching treats

  • People eat with their eyes first,
  • so you want to grab their attention,
  • peak their curiosity,
  • and draw them in with some elegant, stylish, visually-arresting, or even outlandish treats,
  • that will encourage them to explore…
OR PREVIEW BELOW
the idea

flower cupcakes

These stunning flower cupcakes will add wow-factor to any dessert table and guests will surely want to photograph and share them

cupcakes decorated to look like flowers
the idea

THEMED CAKESICLES

For theme parties, holidays and occasions, or just to bring a smile to guestsโ€™ faces, add some themed cakesicles to your dessert table treats

snowman themed cakesicles
the idea

artisan chocolates

Lending a striking visual and a sense of decadence, artisan chocolates and truffles definitely suggest a special occasion

rows of decorated artisan chocolate truffles
the idea

decorated candy apples

Make the humble candy apple more tempting with these unusually flavored or elaborately decorated gourmet candy apples

decorated candle apples with donuts, cream, and straws
VIEW MORE

eye-catching dessert table treats

pink and white decorated mini donuts
40th birthday 1980's themed decorated cookies
elegantly decorated cakesicles arranged on a plate
elaborately decorated heart shaped hot cocoa bombs
  • I recommend devoting approx 70% of your dessert table food to feeding your guests.
  • So focus on crowd-pleasing โ€˜safe-betโ€™ options; familiar, palatable, and popular dessert table treats,
  • likely to be enjoyed by most people.
  • This means classic treats, such as cupcakes, brownies, donuts, cookies, pies, and dessert bars.
  • many of which can be ordered online…
OR PREVIEW BELOW
the idea

pie pops to order

A great alternative to cake, these pie pops to order add a different texture to your dessert table treats and are available in a range of gooey fillings

handmade blueberry pie pops
the idea

handmade brownies

These rich and decadent handmade blondies and brownies to order are gooey and rustic enough that you can easily pass them off as your own!

handmade peanut caramel brownies to order
the idea

handmade donuts

Whether glazed, baked, vegan, or keto, sometimes you just want a gooey, stodgy, old fashioned, rustic-looking donut without all the designer froufrou, like these handmade donuts to order.

handmade rustic apple cider donuts
the idea

dessert bars to order

Whether you prefer cherry, lemon, or chocolate peanut butter, save yourself time with these dessert bars to order

handmade lemon bars
VIEW MORE

popular dessert table food ideas

rustic handmade gourmet cookies Cherry Garcia flavor
iced cinnamon rolls in a baking pan
handmade cookies & cream whoopie pies
handmade mini pie desserts

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