The cookie table

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

Is this just a Pittsburgh area wedding tradition or do families do this everywhere? My family owned a bakery and we were italian so , need I say, my wedding had the cookie table of all cookie tables.

For anyone who doesn't know what this is - when someone in the family gets married all the aunts and cousins etc all bake their best dress up cookies and bring them to the reception and they are placed out by the caterer - who completely expects there to be a cookie table and prepares space for it. They are the best , sweetest, richest cookies each person makes (yes, it is pretty competitive). At the end of the reception the caterers usually bag up the left over cookies in a plastic baggie with a bow or some other decoration on it, and put them out for the guests to take home.

So , is this a Pittsburgh phenomenon or do you also do this where you live?

deepwaterdotter · ‎03-09-2010

Was done at all of the weddings I attended in the Midwest where one or both of the newlyweds were of Italian descent. And the cookies are scrumptious!

GCR18 · ‎07-03-2013

I've never heard of it. The weddings I've attended have all been in CT.

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

I'm from the West Coast and I've never heard of it. Of course, that might not say a lot as I don't get out a lot anymore. But for all the decades I was out there socializing, going to weddings, etc, I had never seen it.

My guess would be that it's a regional thing.

lulu2 · ‎03-09-2010

My husband is 100% Italian. My then future MIL told me my parents needed to have trays of Italian cookies at the wedding. We (the bride & groom) were supposed to carry the trays from table to table offering a cookie in exchange for a wedding envelope. No way was I going to do that. MIL got bent out of shape when I left the cookie trays on the table, allowing guests to help themselves to as many cookies as they wanted.

Peaches McPhee · ‎04-19-2010

Upstate NY here. I am familiar with this for Italian weddings, but I think most just buy the cookies from a bakery.

-- pro-aging --

Rochester, New York

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

@lulu2 wrote:
My husband is 100% Italian. My then future MIL told me my parents needed to have trays of Italian cookies at the wedding. We (the bride & groom) were supposed to carry the trays from table to table offering a cookie in exchange for a wedding envelope. No way was I going to do that. MIL got bent out of shape when I left the cookie trays on the table, allowing guests to help themselves to as many cookies as they wanted.

Yikes! Kinda like begging, eh? I don't blame you. I wouldn't do that either. I'd have been embarrassed.

Kachina624 · ‎03-10-2010

They don't do that in Texas where I spent most of my adult life. I think it's a fun idea and one that I'll incorporate in my next big formal wedding. LOL.

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment

LyndaGee · ‎03-11-2010

I'm half-Italian. I'm familiar with the cookie table, but I'm pretty sure they came from a bakery, too. Around here, that would be Luigi's. I like the little squares dipped in cherry juice and the mini Cannolis. Sometimes, the kids get to them and there aren't any left to bring home. Boo !

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

@lulu2 wrote:
My husband is 100% Italian. My then future MIL told me my parents needed to have trays of Italian cookies at the wedding. We (the bride & groom) were supposed to carry the trays from table to table offering a cookie in exchange for a wedding envelope. No way was I going to do that. MIL got bent out of shape when I left the cookie trays on the table, allowing guests to help themselves to as many cookies as they wanted.

I've never heard of this either.