I'm helping to make desserts for my friend's wedding this summer. The wedding will be outdoors in a park, so food will basically be outside (under shade) for many hours. I am scrambling for ideas of things to make that are festive/celebratory but that will keep OK outside for so long. There will be about 60 guests.

So far someone is making fruit pies (brilliant!) so...what can I make?

It doesn't have to be anything super formal, but I would like to make something "special". My friends love chocolate, spice, nuts and fruit.

I've come up with brownies, cookies, and almond meal or semolina cake. Do you clever Serious Eaters have any other ideas?

Hey serious eaters, hope you can help me out. This sort of goes with the pescatarian Thanksgiving thread but sort of doesn't, so I guess I'll ask here:

I'm going to a potluck Thanksgiving but I don't eat meat. I am totally OK (and love) making a meal of delicious sides, but my friends invited me to bring a turkey alternative to share with everyone. I eat fish and shellfish, and have brought these to our get-togethers in the past with plenty to share. I'm 98% sure that an all-vegetarian alternative won't go over too well with my group, as there will be plenty of sides and well, they like protein.

Do you have any suggestions of what I could bring?

Here are some caveats: I don't want to take up their oven space, so something that I can make ahead or eat at room temp would be optimal. Also, I am not a huge fan of salmon.

What I was thinking - a pot of crab soup. It's Dungeness season soon and crab is kind of Thanksgiving-y, right? (Well, I'm thankful for crab!) Also, it won't take up oven space and can be a main dish for me but a side for everyone else.

Is crab for Thanksgiving weird?
Do you think a Maryland style crab soup (even with Dungeness) would be OK or maybe a pumpkin crab bisque to make it autumnal?