Chocolate fountains have become a very fashionable wedding reception accessory, and a fun way to entertain or sustain your guests during the day. If you are considering chocolate fountain hire for your wedding, here are some of the questions you may need the answers to:
What is a chocolate fountain?
A chocolate fountain is a tall metal tiered construction that continuously heats molten chocolate which rises up the inside the fountain and cascades down the tiers on the outside. Guests can dip small items of food into the cascading molten chocolate using skewers or fondue style forks.
What can be dipped into a chocolate fountain?
There are various types of dips that can be used with a chocolate fountain. Fruit is one of the more popular options, and strawberries, banana, kiwi, grapes and pineapple all work well. Sweets are another possibility, and marshmallows and fudge are firm favourites. Finally cakes and cookies can be used, with mini doughnuts, wafers, brownies, shortbread, and gingerbread sure to please.
Dipping items should be chosen according to the type of chocolate used in the fountain. The most popular flavour is milk chocolate, but dark chocolate is considered a more elegant option, and white chocolate may be a little sweet but it makes less mess than the other two. Some chocolate fountain suppliers also offer speciality flavoured chocolates such as strawberry, raspberry, or orange.
When should we use the chocolate fountain?
Chocolate fountains can work well at various times during the wedding reception. While it is customary to serve savoury food at your drinks reception, there is no reason why you can’t have a fountain centrepiece instead, and it will certainly keep your guests amused while you have your photos taken.
Alternatively you could use the chocolate fountain as dessert and have it running after the wedding breakfast. It could even be used in place of a traditional wedding cake. Instead of cutting the cake you and your new husband could take the first dips and feed each other with them. Finally you could run the chocolate fountain during the evening reception to keep energy levels up for dancing.
Some couples choose to hire several small chocolate fountains and use them as table centres. This may seem an expensive option but if you think what you will save on a floral table centre as well as dessert, it may not be too pricey. A table top chocolate fountain is a very sociable dessert and will give your guests plenty to laugh about. You could even introduce forfeits for guests that drop their dipping item into the fountain.
Should we hire a chocolate fountain operator?
An operator for the chocolate fountain may seem an unnecessary expense, but they will make sure the chocolate is topped up, replenish the dipping items, and make sure the fountain is working properly. Without someone who knows how to work the fountain, your spectacular centrepiece might turn into an almighty mess.
If you do decide to hire a fountain without an operator, make sure someone at your venue is experienced in chocolate fountains and is willing to set it up so you don’t have to get chocolate all over your wedding dress.
