If you have ever been to a wedding in Southwest Pennsylvania, then chances are great that you know what a cookie table is. If not, then you have missed out on something special. Historically, cookie tables were found predominantly at Catholic and Eastern European family weddings. Today, the famous tables can be found at almost any Pittsburgh wedding. Other areas in Ohio, West Virginia, New Jersey, and New York all have their own version of this tradition.
Cookie tables are a sight to behold and one that many wedding guests look forward to more than the wedding itself. Once you have experienced this sweet wedding tradition, you'll be looking for the cookie table no matter where the wedding takes place. Filled with tray after tray of homemade cookies, these tables can range from a small table with a few hundred cookies to elaborate spreads that span the wall of an entire hotel ballroom, holding thousands of cookies. Not only can guests sample all of the sweet treats at the wedding, take-home containers are also provided so no one leaves empty-handed. And we are not talking about a few chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies, either. People spend weeks making their special delights for the big day. From pecan tassies and dainty lady fingers to that special family cookie that has been made for generations, you name the cookie and it will probably be on the table.
While no one is quite sure when the cookie table tradition began, the consensus is that immigrants started it out of necessity. Elaborate wedding cakes were expensive and many immigrants were unable to afford them. Cookies could be made for the wedding by grandmothers, mothers, and other family members at a relatively low cost that was spread out among many people. By bringing old-world cookies to weddings, the tradition was also a way for immigrants to honor their heritage in their new country.
The cookie table is so special because, aside from keeping the tradition alive, the Wedding Cookie Table gives family and loved ones the opportunity to show their love and adoration for the newlyweds through working with their hands. The baker carefully selects each cookie and takes great pride in his or her confections. Keeping the bride and groom in mind, often the baker aims to elicit a warm and happy memory. Each person is baking with love and pride for their loved one, and those feelings manifest into a variety of sweet, sweet treats that you and I get to enjoy!
If you are interested in having your very own Cookie Table on your special day, Classic Elegance Events is happy to incorporate this special traditional in your customized wedding planning package. Classic Elegance Events is a boutique wedding planning firm located in South Florida specializing in full-service wedding planning, day-of coordination and event consultation.
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