Ooh la la- the Croquembouche!

I know this may be blasphemous, but I'm actually not a big fan of wedding cakes, overall. Fondant is not really my thing and I've had my share of really disappointing dry slices that needed to be washed down with a glass of champagne (so not a complete loss).

I can't be the only person who feels this way though, because cupcakes have become all the rage at weddings. Stacked into tiers, cupcakes are a really cute and affordable alternative to the traditional wedding cake.

However, if you're still not a big fan of cakey substances, or are looking for something more grand than cupcake tiers for your wedding, why not get inspired by the French?

 

The croquembouche (or pièce montée) is often served at weddings, baptisms, and first communions in France. It usually takes the form of a high cone of profiteroles filled with pastry cream, which is sometimes dipped in chocolate and bound with caramel. The croquembouche can also be decorated with threads of caramel, sugared almonds, chocolates, flowers, or ribbons. 

 

They can also include macarons or be completely covered in macarons (like in the picture above), which is deliciously stunning. 

The prices for these works of edible art depend on how complex and how tall your croquembouche is, but they are often less expensive than your typical four tiered wedding cake.  So, if you're looking for an affordable and unique alternative to a wedding cake, I would look no further than your local patisserie.