How Sweet It Is: Building the Candy Buffet of Your Dreams
You're not alone. More and more brides want to see a tower of sweets at their reception.
Motives differ: some like how buffets allow guests to hunt and pick according to their personal sweet tooth.
Others like the fairytale flavor. Candyland, Babes in Toyland, Willy Wonka: some of our earliest dreams of abbondanza involve forests where gumdrops hang from trees, chocolate runs in rivers and pillars are peppermint sticks.
And if that makes you nervous, rest assured you have company. Because a candy buffet isn't free. Like any other "wow" aspect of a wedding, it's part of your overall investment. And while the waitstaff might pass the hors d'oeuvres and the venue lay out the linens, you could be on your own when it's time to design the candy buffet.
But not to worry: here are some tips from the pros for translating that bountiful delight in your head into a mouth-watering reality at your wedding.
The Secret to Sweetness
Scan all those photos of candy buffets throughout the web, and you'll quickly spot two things.
One, buffets are monstrously popular. And two, while some are a feast for the eyes, others seem to fall short of the heights their planners must have hoped for.
So what's the secret?
Here's number one: buying enough candy. Sounds simplistic, but it's key.
"The first thing I tell brides — you really can't do candy as a hard commodity. It's more a decoration," says Jon Prince, president of online candy giant CandyFavorites.com.
"I talk to hundreds of brides. They'll say, 'I'm having 200 guests, and I want to give each guest 3 ounces, so I guess I need about 37 pounds of candy.' Sounds reasonable, and 3 ounces might be enough to actually satisfy your guests, but visually? It won't be enough to make a presence."
Prince suggests that instead of seeing candy by the numbers, brides take an aesthetic approach. "You choose the flowers because they're beautiful," he says. "The candy buffet should be too."
And unlike flowers, Prince adds, candy serves double duty as an edible item. "Still, you have to budget the candy buffet into your wedding expenses. It doesn't work well as an afterthought."
But what about the wedding planners who suggest buying a pound of candy per person?
Prince says buffets work best when you plan by the eye, not the numbers.
"To make it look gorgeous, I'd start with the table, not the guest count. I'd take five to 10 types of candy, and buy 15 to 20 pounds each, whether you actually need that much or not."
He adds, "When it comes to candy, the more the merrier. If you have a large table overflowing with candy, you have presence. The biggest disappointment I hear is that the candy buffet didn't look substantial."
Like a Kid in a Candy Store? Here's What to Buy
Okay, so now you have a handle on those numbers. But between the heaping bins at upscale food markets and the galaxies of candy choices online, which temptations do you choose?There aren't any hard-and-fast rules, says Prince.
Not really, he says. Instead, it's the season's colors and themes that are driving brides' choices.
To illustrate, Prince describes an all-white Miami wedding where the couple set up 20 to 30 pounds each of white candies, placing the unwrapped varieties in jars, martini glasses and other interesting containers, and piling custom-wrapped mint rolls in front. "It looked fantastic," he says.
Mark Kingsdorf of The Queen of Hearts Wedding Consultants concurs: it's the themes that shape candy buffets. "And like everything else in weddings, candy buffets are getting more and more personalized, with more and more variations.
"Of course, 'Everything old is new again,'" he adds. "So you see things like retro candy buffets. At one wedding we did the candy bracelets and necklaces on the elastic cords; the little waxed bottles filled by sugar water.
"There are very few themes you can't do with candy. Beach weddings are fun, with all those boardwalk choices: saltwater taffy, caramel apples, fudge, peanut brittle."
"I like to focus," explains Prince, "but the focus can be anything. Candies you personally like, or a theme, or a texture. If you're having an all-white wedding, you'll want an all-white candy buffet. If you're having a destination wedding in an exotic location, you could choose dramatic, Caribbean types: Island Punch Jelly Belly beans.
"In the end, you want 'presence.' Mies van de Rohe once said 'Less is more,' but he definitely wasn't talking about candy buffets."
Fashion a Feast for the Eye
You're set. You've narrowed down your choices... and you've got the goods. Now how do you add those visual touches that turn your buffet from "aww" to "jaw-dropping"?
"Basically — and this is a good idea — the couple matched their candy containers to their floral vases."
Don't have quite that much fine crystal waiting in the wings? Here's a budget-friendly alternative from Kingsdorf. "Find some interesting containers: different shapes, different heights. Personally, I've used a dozen different containers from Ikea, and the most expensive one was about $10."
He adds that clear containers are best, to show off the contents, and that container mouths should be wide enough for the scoops.
"A nice bunching fabric gives you spill and texture. Put some of your containers on top of that."
The final touch? A floral arrangement. Or more cheaply, some complementary pillar candles in your wedding colors.
Kingsdorf adds that your most personal touch could be the candy bags. "At one of the weddings I did recently, the couple went to a dollar store and got a bunch of takeout containers in red, one of their colors.
"They personalized each container with a little sticker, which was inexpensive and very cute. Anyone could do the same thing: use a tag or little rubber stamp, or stickers.
"Just find a way to add that custom touch."
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (for Candy)
So why are candy buffets so sizzling hot these days, anyway?
Simple: they're a huge hit with guests. "Favors can be a tough choice," points out Kingsdorf. "Depending on your guests, you might find yourself picking up a ton of personalized CDs or bottle stoppers at the end of the night. But when it's edible, people eat it ... or take it home. I think a lot of brides are cueing into that."
Prince adds, "It's just a trend people are enjoying right now.
"But when you really dig down," he muses, "it's not about the product at all. It's about nostalgia.
"In a lot of weddings, two people are taking a major step toward adulthood. The candy buffet lets them connect back to any fond memories they have of childhood.
"Candy is powerfully reminiscent," he concludes.
Tags:
July 2nd, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Just wanted everyone to know that I just got awesome penny jars for my candy station at Walmart for only $5. They had a variety of cheap and various styled jars for a candy table! Good luck!
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:28 pm
For anyone looking for some cheap gumballs I would try Samsclub.com. I bought 850 for $20 and included shipping. They have the cheapest candy.
June 30th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
so just wanted to let anyone know who is in the process of getting canisters/glasses, I just got my harvest 2008 catalog for ltd commodities and they have a set of 6 canisters with a double shelf for like $30, not bad. I just ordered mine…figured it would be a nice way to have to layers plus then adding other dishes
June 30th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
I’m getting married next spring but am already organizing some of this now. We’re planning on getting large apothecary vases and filling with colors that match our theme. Gumball.com sells solid colored gumballs with 850 in a case. I’m going to buy a few cases of lime green gumballs and probably a few white cases. I’ll probably also throw in some chocolates, fruity candy, and sugar free gumballs.
Hope this helps!
June 29th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Hi Everyone,
I’m planning to get married Aug or Sept of 2009 and loving this Candy Buffet. If anyone has any glasses they want to get rid of, please email me at: Liz_ma81@yahoo.com, with pics and prices and I would like to buy it from you.
Thanks!!
June 21st, 2008 at 1:38 am
Dana,
I just used photoshop and made a new pdf file with the size I wanted my sticker to be, and made a circle inside of it, then made my design or image. I then made the pdf file a JPG and copy and pasted as many as I could onto an 8.5 x 11 page, then had that printed on sticker paper at kinkos, and cut them with a circle cutter I bought at Michaels. Hope that helps!
Kaydee, Im getting married August 30th also
Coming sooo soon!! Congrats!
June 20th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Tammy,
I meant to ask you also: what program is easiest to use to create labels for the take out boxes. I’m having trouble finding something I like.
thanks!
June 20th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
I’m getting married August 30th and am doing a candy buffet, which I’m so excited about! Anyways I’m going to get block letters that spell out candy but I don’t know what to do to decorate them or even how to start with that project! My colors are pink and white if that helps so if anybody has any ideas I would love to hear them!
June 20th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Thanks for all the info Tammy! You have such cute ideas!
June 19th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
Just an idea for the sign at the buffet table
We had a picture taken holding signs that read love is sweet
It was our wedding anniversary so our three kids held the signs we got a lot of compliments on it.
June 19th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Dana,
Sorry it took so long to respond, but my sign is about 24 inches long, and the highest point height wise is around 11.5 to 12 inches. The letters are only about 3 inches I think tall or so, so they are smaller, but its big enough because its the whole saying. If I were to just do Love or Sweet, I would definately want them bigger. It will definately be noticable on the table, and big enough to stand out
HTH
Tammy
June 19th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Elizabeth,
Im positive I have the 1/2 pint ones. I dont really think they look bigger in the picture, but it could just be because I see them in person also. You could always return and exchange for the pint if you want, but those are pretty big and will take more candy. But its totally up to you! HTH’s
Tammy
June 18th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Brittney are you still selling the martini glasses? If so I am interested please e-mail me at ElizabethC2001@hotmail.com
Tammy I ordered my chinese boxes on papermart but I got the 1/2 pint ones and they look smaller than the ones you show on your picture. Are you sure this is the size you got? Please help. Thanks.
June 18th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Does anyone know where to buy very large bar glasses? Like martini, snifters, margarita and champagne ones? I saw some at Micheal’s but was wondering if anyone had some more ideas. I think I am going to do a twist on the candy bar and make the jars my center pieces on my table. Any thoughts/suggestions would help.
Thanks!
Ashley
June 18th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Hi Ladies, if you haven’t seen the “Candy Land” shower theme at Brides.com, it might help out with some great display ideas!
What I love: the glass beads, satin ribbons, glitter (yes glitter! How often do you get to use glitter??) and rhinestones to really dress up the cards and signs.
And, the wonderful fabrics used to wrap the vases. Plus, the bare branch arrangement brings a ton of height and drama to the table — ifyou think your display lacks a focus, well this would definitely provide one! I love how they’ve tucked the giant lollis at the bottom and hung the cones from the branches. You could use rock candy sticks instead of flowers in the cones.
Plus, the simple metal stand they use to stack the penny candy jars is very attractive and sweet. And simply tying some premium ribbon onto the scoops really styles them. Just some ideas!
June 17th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Deborah~
The best advice I can give you is that fortunately this day is all about you and your groom! Yes, I have seen receptions that do not do a meal and have large Candy Buffets! The unique thing about Candy Buffets is they not only offer your guests a wonderful treat but are also a nice favor for them to take home to remember your event long after it’s over! To acheive that “wow factor” allow approximately 1 pound per person of candy and sweets! A candy buffet is about “Eye Candy” too! You want your table to appeal to everyone! Grownups and children alike! Be creative. Personalize your table using labels with you and your future husbands monograms, ribbons tied to the scoops, or personalized take home containers! Make it yours! This is your day! Best, Patty
June 17th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Thanks so much Patty!! great ideas….have you seen many who do the candy table instead of a wedding cake??? Especially where they are not doing a meal for the reception???
tahnks again!!!
June 17th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Hi Deborah………..this is Patty. I own SimplyCandyBuffets in Illinois. We do hundreds of candy buffets and my suggestion to you would be to mix it up. Do a cupcake tower with a 9 inch round cake on top in your wedding colors. Also, add to your table snowflake cookies, gourmet white chocolate popcorn, taffy apples, lolipop towers, gourmet white chocolate dipped pretzel rods with blue sprinkles, or gourmet strawberries and color themed candy. Make it whimsical, and fun for all the guests! Try silver chocolate kisses, ribbon candy, salt water taffy, sour balls all come in colors that match your wedding. My best to you and your fiance! Patty
June 17th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Marshalls is definately a great place to get containers. That’s where I got all 10 of my containers. Thanks.
June 17th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Hello
I am getting married on Jan 3 and am having a winter wonderland wedding with periwinkle, silver and white and a lot of snow flakes ! I love the candy buffet idea but have some questions….this is a second wedding for me…i am divorced adn my fiance is widowed. We are doing a pretty simple wedding with a simple reception at the church after the ceremony! If you do a candy buffet are you still doing cake?? We are not serving a meal…I was originally going to do just cake, nuts and home made mints in periwinkle and white . Now I am wondering if I should do cupcakes mixed in with candy….any ideas on protocal???
thanks in advance!
June 17th, 2008 at 8:35 am
Hey Megan,
I have 8 of my containers, what I am looking for now is something unique for the guests to fill up. I have heard of chinese take out boxes, but we are having those at a hibachi station. So i was looking for something a little different.
June 17th, 2008 at 8:14 am
Kim-
I have found a great place for containers is a Marshall’s and TJ Maxx…I have found six out of the eight I have so far from there…and they were cheap! Large apothecary containers mostly. Just an fyi. Good luck!
June 17th, 2008 at 8:12 am
Thanks! No i haven’t tried those, i will definitely look into that! Thanks so much!
June 17th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Hi Megan,
Yes it is! It’s definitely similar to turqouise. Thanks! I am waiting on buying containers because i want to make sure all the different candy sizes fit into them. I have all of my big glasses i just need to get enough candy and something for the guests to fill up! Thanks so much for your help.
June 17th, 2008 at 8:05 am
Here are some blue candy links
www.candywarehouse.com/bluecandy.html?page=all
www.groovycandies.com/V2product_ProdNameALL.asp?cat_id=42
I keep thinking of more ideas as I search…
Have you tried salt water taffy, or those old fashioned hard candy sticks. They come in lots of colors.
June 17th, 2008 at 8:01 am
Kim is this the color blue you’re speaking of….if I know I can help you find some more.
www.ohnuts.com/buy.cfm/bulk-candy/rock-sugar-swizzle-sticks/light-blue-crystal-cotton
June 17th, 2008 at 7:43 am
Hi ladies,
My wedding colors are Chocolate Brown and Bermuda Blue. The chocolate part is covreed but I am not having too much luck with the right color blue. Anyone have any ideas or suggestions?
June 16th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
Tammy,
Just curious on the cute little sign you made for your buffet: how large did you make yours (length/height, etc)? I love your idea, and want to make some sort of “raised-up” sign also, but just wanted to have an idea of how large a sign needs to be in order for it to be seen amongst all the candy. Thanks!
June 16th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Kim,
If you’re talking about what the guests will take their candy away in, what I did was order 1/2 pint pink chinese take-out boxes from papermart.com. This seems to have been a popular theme among other candy buffets I’ve seen so far. The ones I bought were the cheapest I could find for about .09 each. I got 200 boxes for about $30.31 (19.36 for the boxes, $10.95 S&H). Mine were white but this website also has other options for colors. The thing I liked about them was that I can create fun labels in any way I like to stick to the front of each one, plus, they’re small enough so that each guest gets just a little bit of their favorite candies…still leaving candy for others! Good luck!
June 16th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Britney, you need to put like flower pedals or extra tulle around the
table or jars or get other loose candy around the jars !
June 16th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Megan go to bulkcandy.com or the candy warehouse .com
June 16th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Brittnay,
if you want to add some wow to your table the cheapest/easiest way is to get a box and cover it with some eye-catching fabric (coral or pink/orange pattern). then put maybe one big bowl and 2 smaller ones and crystal or something… good luck!
hope this helps
June 16th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
I am looking for some unique ideas to use as the favor box or bag for the guests to fill up at the candy buffet. I am placing each one on the table and am having around 200 guests. Any ideas?
June 15th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
anybody know where to order personalized twist ties (we bought plastic cellophane baggies, and want to have twist ties for guests to tie on their candy bags). Found twist ties, online that say Baby Girl or Baby Boy, but none for weddings.
June 14th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
The cheapest candy I have found so far is on www.bulkfoods.com. They have free shipping for over $75, but they do have temperature restrictions for chocolate candy and other meltable items.
June 14th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Brittany,
Try going to your local Joann fabrics and see if they have an overlay fabric in your color or colors that you cna put on top of your white fabric. Something with some sparkles or something. They have a ton of fabric, and you can find one on sale and get a few yards just to have it overlay. They have alot of see thru glittery, sparkle types that would look gorgeous!
June 14th, 2008 at 8:20 am
Patty,
Do you know of a cheep place to get candy. I need enough for aprox 250 people, so I am looking for coupon codes, free shipping , something. Thanks
June 14th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Hi Brittany!
This is Patty from SimplyCandyBuffets in Illinois! Let me try to help you here. You need that table to POP!!!!!!!! Try lolipop towers. Some gourmet popcorn. White chocolte pretzel rods with your colored sprinkled on them. Gourmet large sugar cookies. Tie different colored ribbons to your scoops. Hot gue ribbons to your glass jars. They will come off very easiely after your event. Put hat boxes, books, bowls, anything to have your table on different levels for eye appeal! The rule of thumb is at least 1 pound of candy per person! It’s not about having left over. It’s about that “whoa! factor” when people first come in the room and see your table. Try some sour balls, salt water taffy. They both come in assorted colors and are nice filler you can layer. Spice it up girl! It’ll look amazing!!!!!!!!!! If you click on my website under portfolio you’ll get some ideas hopefully!
June 14th, 2008 at 6:33 am
I would maybe do a table runner that’s orange, pink, or green, or do a criss cross of two table runners in your colors. Or one of those overlays in one of your colors to spice up the table. I love the way your candy looks I think that all looks super. That’s all my creative mind can think of because that’s all I have for the one I’m doing for my brother in law’s wedding.
June 14th, 2008 at 12:02 am
Ok ladies! I am down to 1 week until my wedding and i am having HUGE problems with my candy buffet. I have posted some pictures of what i have right now so maybe someone will have some good ideas to jazz it up a little. Remember i am not done, there is still some more rock candy that i am waiting on so…. I just need some ideas! I’M DESPERATE!
June 12th, 2008 at 11:55 am
Thanks Dawn…loves those pics….and ideas.
June 12th, 2008 at 11:33 am
Megan, my first thought was "gerbers!" And a pastry tray, tiered, kind of girly. And then blammo, I ran across almost the perfect pics on flickr, which basically never happens. The first couple used a pastry tier, wooden letters and pink gerbers to great effect (albeit for a baby shower) (From KarinaPetoe). You wouldn’t have to put cupcakes on the pastry tray, you could put any of your candy treats.
And then right after, there was a pic of lovely paper lanterns overhead, that definitely adds a lot of drama to the display if you can hang things from the ceiling. (from Danny Lakeboy). Click on the links and you can see a bit more of these buffets.
June 12th, 2008 at 11:15 am
I am planning a brown, pink, and a little white candy buffet for my brother in law and future sister in law.
I have the containers. I have the candy too. I have a white table cloth to work with and a satin brown table runner that’s plain. What else can I do to dress up the table without going overboard and being tacky?
June 11th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Yogurt is just fine. Thanks so much I appreciate it.
June 11th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Hi Elizabeth,
Do they have to be white chocolate? Or can they be yogart?
http://www.bulkfoods.com/….txtsearchParamTxt=2042
June 11th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Does anyone know where I can find some cheap white chocolate pretzels. I found some at the Candywarehouse but they are $60. I need something half that price. Help! Thanks.
June 10th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Lizette,
You could use Black Licorice, and they have gumballs that “lemonade” flavor that are actually pink and white. Dont forget about Good and Plenties! Those should be easy to find. I saw pink tic tacs packaged at walmart yesterday while looking at candy, they are for breast cancer. Those could be something extra to just put on the table or something. I’ll look around when I go out and see what candy is pink and black that could be found anywhere.
June 10th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Lizette~
Hi, This is Patty. I own Simplycandybuffets.com in Illinois and we just did a candy buffet in Black/white and pink. I’ve enclosed a photo for you. Perhaps it will give you come ideas! They’re theme was polka dots! If you need any additional help, please let me know.
June 10th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Lizette
email me at isaiah73098@yahoo.com
Corinna
June 10th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Corinna,
Thank You sooooo much. There is not a rite aid in Neb or Iowa. Could you please tell me how much the candy is-kisses, patties and m&ms. Please just whenever you have time I dont want to trouble you.
June 10th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Lizette
I had a red, black & white theme buffet
I had black & white gum drops
Black & white taffy
white & red gum balls but they had pink (these were individulay wrapped so I just picked out the colors I needed.
Here at my local rite aid they have the pink wrapped hersheys kisses, york patties & pink m&ms
If you have a rite aid perhaps they will have them there
We also had black foil wrapped hershey kisses
If you have trouble finding them let me know I would be willing to purchase these and ship them to you at what ever the actual cost is.
June 10th, 2008 at 10:42 am
Hi ladies,
I am also having a candy buffet. My colors are pink, black and white. I have been looking for candy and take out boxes for three months and I am going crazy. My wedding is 8-16-08. I am having a very hard time finding pink and white gumballs and just cheap pink white and black candies in general. I live in a small town ini Neb so shippping is going to kill me. I want a big wow factor, but I dont want to spend my budget on shipping. I am also looking for some ideas on what to use other then jelly beans. Thanks!!
June 9th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
Elizabeth,
The letters I got from Michaels were probably the smaller ones you saw, they are 3 inches tall each. But when having “love is Sweet” it takes up alot of space, so there was no way I could use the larger letters. They were buy the other wood items and letters at Michaels. Hope tht helps!
June 8th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Thanks Sharon and Corrina I appreciate your help. Then I will start to buy candy. I was afraid if I bought it too far in advance that it might not taste the same or spoil. You can tell I don’t know much about candy….I will take your advice and run with to the store to find as much as I can. I am excited. Thanks girls. Oh and I finally found the famous candy scoops at Michaels. They sure know how to hide them well. I found them in the wedding aisle but they were high up and no wonder I never saw them. I am just happy I found them.
June 8th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Dear Elizabeth,
) The big candy companies make their candy months ahead– Ex: Hershey is working on fall and Christmas candy now and soon will be starting the valentine and easter line. The most important thing to remember when storing any type of candy is keep it in a cool and dry place away from direct sunlight and it will keep for a long time. When setting up your buffet if using chocolate do not put near a window as the sun can still melt it in an air conditioned room. Hope this helps
I had a retail candy store (years ago
Sharon
June 8th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Elizabeth,
I did call the candy shop and due to medical reasons they are not taking any orders for awhile. I will check back with her in August to see if she is taking September orders.
As for the candy I think it is alright to buy the candy now.
I bought mine in February for the end of may and it was all still fresh
June 8th, 2008 at 10:51 am
Corrina did you have a chance to get the information on the candy apples yet? Thanks.
June 8th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Thanks Tammy I will order the boxes this week. Could you tell me about your wooden letters that you bought at Michaels? What size are they? I went yesterday to look for them but they had some really small ones or too big. I could not find the size I wanted. I found the glitter paint and the paint. Please help. Also can anyone tell me how far in advance I should start buying the candy. I need it for Septmember but I thought if I start buying candy right now it’s too early right? I need some advise. Thanks.
June 7th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Dana,
If you find out let me know! I know Orientaltrading.com has some smaller ones of the swirl and unicorn type, but not large ones. I have seen the whirly pops at our mall candy store but they are like $6 each, and I am not payin that much for a lollipop,lol.
June 7th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Dana,
I purchased mine from dollar tree & michaels but when I went back for more they were sold out. Do you by chance have a walgreens near you. When I was there about a month a go they had them there for $1…good luck!
June 7th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Does anyone know where to find some of the large swirled lollipops for somewhat cheap? I know someone mentioned Dollar Tree and Michaels, but both stores in my area didn’t have anything like that?
Thanks!
June 7th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Elizabeth,
I got the 1/2 pint boxes, which is a cup or a half of a pound. They arent huge so it depends on how much candy you want your guests to have but I thought a half pound is good for each guest. I do think the aqua and lime were alittle more expensive, but still the cheapest I could find anywhere.
Tammy
June 6th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Tammy could you let me know the size of the boxes you bought. They have different sizes for the aqua boxes and then they have different sizes for the white boxes. Did you pay 0.09 for all the boxes? I am seeing that the aqua are 0.34 while the white are 0.09 cents. Let me know I am getting ready to order my boxes. Thanks.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Corrina let me know when you have a chance. The price is really great and I would love to get a couple in my colors for my bridal shower. I am going the candy buffet and I also have chocolate covered strawberries and some more goodies. Thanks again.
June 6th, 2008 at 10:16 am
CANDY APPLES!!!
I would KILL to get them at that price!!
If he is infact willing to ship them, can you let us all know??
I would love to get some and have them be part of the candy buffet
thank you again ladies! This takes the majority of at least one part of the wedding away!
June 6th, 2008 at 7:35 am
Mary Ann,
I would love a copy of your candy spreadsheet. If you could please send it to me I would very much appreciate it. I’m doing a candy buffet for my vow renewal celebration in September 08. My email address is mesoul1199@gmail.com.
Thank you
June 6th, 2008 at 12:28 am
Mary Ann can you send me your spreadsheet again? Im not sure if you ever sent it to me, but I didnt receive it. My email again is Sunset2354@yahoo.com. If someone else has it that is readin this now, maybe you can foward it to me also? I’d like to see it and work alittle riht now with it. Thanks so much!
June 5th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
I would love the MAC version of the spread sheet! Please!
shannon@v3tucson.com
thank you so much!
June 5th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Elizabeth,
I was just at my local Michaels and they just got a new shipment in. My store they are located by the wedding stuff, then also again on an end isle for Candy Buffet items along with ribbon and some candy. Wouldnt hurt to ask the store if they have them, otherwise they will special order them for you if you are really interested in them. Dont forget to use coupons!!
June 5th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Hi. I attached a screenshot of a sample spreadsheet if you would like it. I used a template in Numbers to create it. I did not change any images, and you can change the images to your liking.
Thanks
Jennifer
June 5th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Hi Everyone. If any of you have iWork ‘08, I created a Numbers spreadsheet with a summary and budget summary to see total costs. If you would like a copy, please let me know. I would be more than happy to email it to you. I’m not sure it will open or format in excel but I will convert it. I used the calculation for candy needed from Mary Ann’s spreadsheet. Thanks, Mary Ann.
Jennifer
June 5th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Elizabeth
I’m sure she would be willing to ship them.
They were $1.50 an apple and can be done in your colors
I am placing an order for some today for my son’s party I will ask her
June 5th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Corrina does the shop where you got your candy apples ship to Texas? How much were they? Just curious they are lovely.
June 5th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
I need at least 10 of them. I am going to another store to see if they have them. Thanks girls.
June 5th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Every Michael’s I have been to has the scoops hanging on the top row in the wedding section. They have been hanging up next to the sachets. I plan to get some this weekend myself. How many do you need?
June 5th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Michaels does not have an online purchase option.
How many are you looking for?
June 5th, 2008 at 8:43 am
Hey guys I went to Michaels and they did not have the candy scoops. Where exactly are they? Can we buy them online?
June 5th, 2008 at 1:28 am
the scoops came from Michaels craft store $5.99 for a set of 2
June 4th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
Stacee, I think you are talking about the ones from Corinna. I also bought them, you get them at Michaels arts and crafts and they are plastic which is better really, no noises when people drop them on the glass containers.
June 4th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
where did you get the candy scoops with the cut out heart?
June 4th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Thank you for all of your interest, I have PLENTY of glassware so if you are interested you can personally email me at bmarlow001@satx.rr.com.
Andrea, I found my second batch of glasses (lol) on sale for between $12 and $20 and i even found some of the small ones for as little at $5. The first set of pictures i put up i have either a dozen or half a dozen of each glass and the second picture i put up are the new ones and i only have what you see. I got a really good deal for most of these and i would love to just get rid of them for what i paid for them even maybe a little more.
I hope to hear from all of you soon
And i will be sure to put up pictures of the finished product after the 21st! I cant wait!!!
June 4th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Corinna and Brittany,
Where did you find your glassware? And Brittany you said you found most of it on sale, if you don’t mind, what kind of price did you pay?
June 4th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Hi Brittany-
I am very interested in purchasing a number of your vases for my ouw candy buffet. So please email me with some info on prices and let me know if they are still available. thanks
katie
June 4th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
I am also REALLY interested in buying the used containers for my wedding on 11/1/08. I would love pricing information. Claudialief@gmail.com
Thanks
June 4th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Tammy,
There wa two serpentine tables & one round table
yes the peanut m&ms were from valentines day
the metal tin favors had the personalized m&ms
the apples were from a local candy shop they were awesome and inexpensive. as for the scoops we usedthe same ones for al the candies. I am sure no one used full scoops of anything. everyone wanted to have a good mixture so te scoops should be fine for all the unwrapped candy. your boxes are a bit larger than mine were, I used the pillow boxes so they held about 2 1/2 full scoops of candy maybe 3
June 4th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Corinna, what an awesome job you did!! I have a couple of questions. First how Many tables did you use and how big were they. From the pictures it looks like you had peanut m&ms, where did you find them in your colors, or are they valentines? Last what is in the metal tin favor tons? Your candy apples are awesome, did you make them? I got the same scoops as yours but am worried they might be too big for m&ms and jelly belllies, as in alot for one scoop. Anyone recommend any smaller scoops I can use for those two candies?
June 4th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Hi Corinna~
Are you interested in selling the glassware? I own http://Simplycandybuffets.com in Illinois and would be happy to buy your glassware. If you’re intetested in selling it, please feel free to contact me at candybuffets@aol.com Thanks so much
By the way………you did a magnificent job!!!!!! Your buffet was awesome! Best to you and your groom, Patty
June 4th, 2008 at 11:39 am
two more
June 4th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Here are a few pictures of our candy buffet from last weekend.
I had 120 guest and honestly didn’t buy that much candy. We had candy left over and evryone filled their boxes and some returned for more.
We had 2 (the ones from costco) bags of personalized hersheys miniatures. One bag of reeses miniatures (costco size)
5 pounds of malt balls
5 pounds of eachblack & red jelly beans
5 pounds of gum drops
5 pounds of gummi bears
5 pounds of cherry hearts
5 pounds of sour cherry balls
5 pounds of jaw breakers
5 pounds of jordan almonds
5 pounds of m&ms
3 pounds of kissables
3 pounds of hersheys kisses
5 pounds of taffy
2 pounds of dinner mints
1 pound of gum balls
a large container of sugar free candy
40 pepermint sticks
20 large lollipops
20 unicorn pops
50 candy apples
50 personalized m&m tins
50 jones soda bottles
There was quite a bit of candy left over
June 4th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Hey! This is comment is for Brittany. I am very interested in your glasses. My wedding is in November so after June is perfect. Let me know if they are still avaliable. Thanks
Rebecca
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:37 pm
duh… i forgot to mention i’m engaged now!!!!!… and I definitly want a candy buffet!
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Hi everyone, I never even heard of a candy buffet until i was at my friends wedding in New Jersey and she had a candy buffet setup. I thought it was so orginal and it was setup up so beautifully. I later checked online for candy buffets and to my suprise they were very popular. I told my friend i was on this site reading a bunch of posts about candy buffets and she asked me to post a picture of the buffet she had at her wedding. In case you want to see the site that did her buffet, its called Lisa’s Candy Buffet, www.lbcandybuffet.com . Her picture is actually on the website. But i thought i’d chime in and answer the question below, i think it came out to over 1/2 lb of candy per person and there was just so much candy, it was great. I love reading these posts!!
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:32 pm
Dana and Jennifer,
I bought the raspberry blue rings, the tootsies, and candy sticks from www.candywarehouse.com , I bought the gummy frogs, gummy sharks, fun dips, apple O’s, all of the laffy taffy, airheads, gummy grapefruit, and the babyruth baseballs and caps all from www.metrocandy.com , I bought the salt water taffy from www.sweetcandy.com because it saved me like $7 getting it from there then metrocandy. I got the dum dums from www.spangler.com , and the gumballs I picked up from gumballmachinevending.com because they were near by and way cheaper to pick up then delivered. I believe the rest of the stuff I am getting I am going to get from Sams club (hershey kisses, pixie sticks, hershey miniatures) and from grocery stores, Hope that helps! Good Luck!
Tammy
June 3rd, 2008 at 9:38 pm
As if i needed more glasses i found myself buying about 8 more! ugh… Well here are the pictures so if anyone will be interested in any of these once i am done i will be more than happy to get rid of them after the 21st of June
I found a lot of these on sale so i will be willing to get rid of them at the price i paid (which was REALLY cheap) let me know, i know how hard it can be to find GOOD novelty glasses!
June 3rd, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Hi! I’ve been reading all these! Such good ideas!
I’m doing a candy buffet for my September 2008 wedding. My colors are fuschia, apple green, white and espresso. I have about 13 vases to fill candy (probably going to get a few more)- with about 83 pounds of candy thus far. I am expecting to have about 200-210 guests. How many pounds of candy should I have?? I’ve really shopped around for the best prices per pound and ordered my candy through www.bulkfoods.com and www.economycandy.com. I didn’t want to order generic candy- I wanted candy people will actually want to eat. I already ordered and received it.
I have caramel apple pops, blow pops, spearmint leaves, cherry slices, gummy frogs, yogurt malt balls, chocolate caramels, chocolate peanuts, chocolate and yogurt pretzels, chocolate raisins, chocolate malt balls, gummi apple rings, good and plentys, grapefruit gummis, watermelon and apple licorice, sour watermelon slices, green jordan almonds, pink jordan almonds, and green fruit slices.
-All my candy goes with my color scheme.
Hopefully I can help anyone too!
I also have some of those vases that Brittany has- I got mine from Michaels, but feel they aren’t very big. I also got some trifle bowls from Bed, Bath and Beyond for $8. I got scoops from Michaels, and I am planning on getting ladels too.
So, does anyone know what is the standard amount of candy to buy per person? Just wondering if I didn’t buy enough or bought too much.
Thanks!
Beth
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Here are two photos of the candy buffet from my daughter’s wedding on 5/31/2008. Her colors were cornflower blue and black — so we tried to stay as close to possible with the candy in those colors.
We used Hershey Kisses for fill-ins on two items that we ran out of — which worked out fine, since the silver wrapper went with the color scheme.
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Hi Brittany,
I would be interested in a couple of those.
I sent you an email regarding what I’m interested in.
Thanks
Jennifer
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Tammy,
Did you find good buys for the salt water taffy and the candy sticks you bought? Where did you find these candies?
Thanks!
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Here are the rest and please note that on the 1st glass in the pics below, it is a shorter glass than the rest but the bowl is very large it holds about 2lb of candy.
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Ok, I dont know what happened the last time but here are the pictures of the glasses i have. I have half a dozen of each so if you are interested PLEASE let me know, I have no idea what i am going to do with them otherwise!
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Mary Ann,
I would also love to have a copy of your spreadsheet: dana_marie_walker@yahoo.com
Thanks for all the help!
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:51 am
PLEASE send me the spreedsheet!!
I need all the help I can get
shannon@v3tucson.com
thank you so much ladies
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:34 am
I would love a copy of the spreadsheet as well.
Claudialief@gmail.com
Thank you
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:31 am
not sure why my photo didnt show up before. here is it again!
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:27 am
Hi Jennifer!
Yes! This is my own business! LOL. At times it seems like a lot of work but the finished product is oh so worth it! People are in awe all the time. I have been asked if I franchise, but have been alittle busy of late to give it much thought. SimplyCandyBuffets.com we not only do weddings, but are booked for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Rehearsal Dinners, Theme Parties, Sweet 16, Halloween, Birthday parties, and Corporate Events, and we travel! So, in answer to your question, yes, it’s mine and please feel free to contact me! We have loads of sources!!!!!!!!
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:27 am
Hi Tammy,
Where did you order your candy?
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:09 am
My candy is started to be delivered and its so exciting. Its so hard to tell though if ad when theres enough. I still need to order my m&m’s, Jelly Bellys, hershey kisses, hershey miniatures and whatever else I decide. I have to figure out how many “pounds” I have actual ordered so far to maybe give me a better idea of what else I need to get. Its exciting though seeing all the candy together! As you can see, Im doing the candy in my colors, my fabric too for the candy buffet is going to be the Michael Miller Caribe Disco Dot which will look adorable I think! This is one of the things I am looking most foward to see at the reception!
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:09 am
Patty,
is this your own business? I would love to get involved in something like that. Did you start this on your own?
Thanks
Jennifer
windpooh2@verizon.net
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:08 am
Hi Patty,
I’m going to check out your site. I’m in the process of scheduling my popcorn/candy buffet. I may contact you for some additional information.
However, does anyone know where I can get some glasses at a decent price?
Thanks
Jennifer
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:08 am
I would love a copy of your spreadsheet. I’m ready to purchase the candy and could use your help. My email address is windpooh2@verizon.net
Also, I found a website www.bulkfoods.com that has good prices on bulk candy, I think. Does anyone know of any sites cheaper?
Thanks
Jennifer
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:06 am
Mary Ann,
I would love a copy of your excel spreadsheet. My email is ahiggins84@hotmail.com I am planning to do a candy buffet myself, but not until next summer, so any help would be terrific!
Thanks, Andrea
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:04 am
Hi Everyone! This is Patty from SimplyCandyBuffets.com in Illinois and we do Candy Buffets for all types of Life’s Celebrations! I just thought I would add a helpful hint to all of those thinking about doing a Candy Buffet. Candy Buffets are about that “WOW” factor! At SimplyCandyBuffets.com we allow 3/4 to 1 pound of Candy per person. Be creative! You can mix in Gourmet popcorn, Chocolate Tuxedo Strawberries, Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods, Cupcake Towers, Lolipop Towers, Giant Cookies. You want to have a Candy Buffet that people will be talking about long after the event is over! Make it whimsical. Customize it to you and your Groom’s favorite candies or sweets. The last event “Simply Candy Buffets” did we ordered over 300 pounds of Candy for 70 people. It was amazing!!!! People were coming in the banquet room from other weddings just to see the Candy Buffet. If I can help any Brides, please feel free to contact me!
Best, Patty
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:02 am
Hi there Mary Ann!
Thanks for the information. I would love to see the sheet as well, my email is sstone2 at cbs.com. I am having half the amount of guests, so half the amount of candy will probably work out fine right?
Also, what did you provide guests to hold the candy in? Boxes? Bags?
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:01 am
Mary Ann,
I would LOVE to see your Excel spreadtsheet! You can email it to Sunset2354 at yahoo.com. I am going to have around 220 people I believe. Did you have alot of candy left over with your 237 guests? or just enough? I still ma having trouble figuring out if Im ordering too much or not enough candy. I would definately rather have more then less, we can always eat the candy at the after party!
Thanks so much!
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:59 am
My daughter wanted a candy buffet for her wedding — which was May 31, 2008, and would the favor for the guests. It was a huge success - and it as great for getting people to interact with each other. We live in Indiana, and this is something unique to our area. I will post some photos of as soon as I can. Her colors were cornflower blue and black, so we did try to stick with her colors in the candy selection. We had 237 guests., and a cylinder plastic candy container that would hold up to 6 oz. depending on the candy. We raised some jars, used celebration lights that you twist on from Walmart and scattered them on blue & black material covering the items raising the jars. Helpful hints. I have an Excel spreadsheet with all of our candy calculations that I would be happy to forward to anyone - and on the spreadsheet I show where we bought the candy. Personalized mini Hershey Bars are on sale for $27.95 for 100 at Foreverwed.com, about $20 off. Check online at couponcabin.com to find out if there are any online codes you can use when purchasing candy. I would be happy to answer any other questions anybody might have — it might save somebody time if they are planning on this for their wedding!
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:39 am
Hi
I am getting married August 21 08
I have no idea where to find candy scoops… any ideas?
Also, how BIG do my containers need to be?…
I am having between 150-200 guests ( all from out of town!! ahhh!! ) … and how much candy?
Thanks for any suggestions anyone may have : )
Shannon
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:25 am
Hey guys, this is a generic question but since I haven’t started to plan yet… how much is it to have a candy buffet for about 100 people. Is it worth it to DIY or hire someone that charges like $8 a person.
Someone please help….
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:16 am
Does anyone remember the name of the company in Illinois that had the Candy Buffet business that had all the great ideas yesterday in the blogs that were lost the last 24 hours? I’m racking my brain trying to find them for my daughter’s wedding!!!!!!!!!! Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Maria
June 3rd, 2008 at 12:49 am
I am getting married November 1, 2008 and I am very interested in seeing pictures of the containers and any pricing information.
We could all share and ship these to cut costs. Let me know.
Thanks, Claudia
June 3rd, 2008 at 12:07 am
OH NO IT DID NOT!!!!!
(Oh yes, it did.)
Sorry, ladies, but we had a major problem tonight, and had to roll back the site a full 24 hours, meaning the last day’s comments are KAPUT. Argh!!
We’ll be manually entering the text ones, but if you posted a comment with an image, the image is lost. I am SO SORRY! So if you made an image post, please take a moment to repost if you can, because everything on this page was interesting and useful, yes, this means YOUR comment!
(Sorry Brittany, I know you just posted all those great pics! Terrible timing!
And Tammy, your pic is the ONE from the last 24 hours we still have, so I can repost that!)
Thanks everyone for your patience!
May 28th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Hi Brittany, I am planning to do a candy & popcorn buffet at my wedding. It is in October ‘08. I would love to see any pictures you have to see if they will work for what I’m doing. Hopefully, you will have them up soon. Thanks, Jennifer
May 28th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Tammy, thank you for your input! I will definitely check the reception site to see what they might be able to offer!
May 28th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Thanks for all the ideas!
May 27th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Michelene, The glasses were shipped to my mothers house and she will be bringing them over hopefully this week so i will be sure to take pictures and have them up by the end of the week! Thank you for your interest
May 27th, 2008 at 12:09 am
Brittany, I would love to see your novelty glasses. My daughter is wanting a candy buffet as well in her may 09 wedding.
May 26th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
I am having my wedding on June 21 and having a candy buffet with novelty glasses to hold my candy, I had to buy them in bulk so i have like 40 novelty glasses that i now have to get rid of. If anyone is interested in these glasses please let me know I would love to work out a deal with someone. I will try and put some pictures up of them this week some time.
May 26th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Dana,
Im not sure where you are having your reception at, but you might want to check with your reception hall! I was looking at buying or making my own also, but then the lady at my reception hall said that they had them and were going to set the table up with different levels for me. So depending on where your reception is held, it wouldnt hurt to ask!
May 26th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Hi there,
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading everyone’s ideas on here…you guys are all so creative! I have chosen to have a candy buffet for my August 9th wedding. Just curious as to if anyone had any ideas about where I could find some clear Plexiglas boxes/cubes to give the table a “lift” or levels. I like something similar to white candy buffet pic at the top of this page.
Thanks!
May 24th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Seekie, try the Luau section of Candywarehouse.com, they have some cute stuff. Also, try Orientaltrading.com. I found round tags from Wilton Craft at Joann Fabrics (probably any craft store might have them) that you can go to their website and use their software and templates to print your own tags (don’t have to download anything, it’s all on their site). Wilton.com I’m going to use ribbons to tie them on the handles of my boxes I think. The pack comes with some practice sheets too so you can see how it looks before you use the real ones.
May 24th, 2008 at 7:23 am
Hey ladies,
I am an event planner in New York City specializing is candy buffets. I am happy to answer any questions you may have.
Best,
Amy Atlas
May 23rd, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Thanks Melanie!
Elizabeth,
I really dont have a template for the labels. I did it all on photoshop and just made a 2×2 circle I believe it was, and took it from there, adding the flower, and dotted line. I bought avery sticker label sheets that were 8.5 x 11 and printed them at Kinkos then I had a circle cutter from Michaels that I used to cut them out. I also bought the boxes from papermart.com. Hope that helps!
Tammy
May 23rd, 2008 at 9:42 am
Tammy I loved your labels on your boxes can you send me a template that I can work off on. Where did you find the stickers at? Also where did you buy your boxes from? Thanks.
May 23rd, 2008 at 8:52 am
Tammy,
Thanks for the info on your sign, it’s darling. Also, see my comments from May 9th on our daughters candy bar and it will give you info on what we had and what was left over. I think I said we had 160lb of candy but I really think it was more than that like l80-l90lb. If I had to guess I think we might of had between 20-30lbs leftover but that’s just a guess.
May 23rd, 2008 at 12:52 am
Melanie,
Thanks so uch for the response. Thats alot of Jelly Bellies! lol I will plan on getting 5-6 lbs of each of the 3 flavors. I plan on getting M&M’s also, was just going to stick with 2 5lb boxes of that. To think I thought this candy buffet would be cheap,lol, just the jelly bellies and M&M’s alone is like $200! Did you have M&M’s?
Anyways my sign is made out of wood. I bought the letters at Michaels, the salloped piece of wood at Jo-Anns and the rest of the wood at Home Depot. Just painted it all in my colors, painted glitter paint over that, added some rhinestones then screwed, glued, and nailed it all together. My father helped me out some, but it was pretty easy really.
p.s.: was all your candy gone at the end of the night, or just the jelly bellies?
May 22nd, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Tammy,
FYI - We had around the same number of people. We had 10 other candy choices besides the jelly bellies. We bought a total of 16 lbs of jelly bellies and they were completely gone. Could be because they were mixed and people wanted to see what all the flavors were but people really like them. So I guess if it were me I would get a least 5 lbs of each color. What is your sign made out of?
May 22nd, 2008 at 1:46 am
I am trying to figure out how many jelly bellys I should order. There will be around 220 quests, and its just one of the candies I am getting for my candy buffet. I was planning on getting berry blue, lemon lime, and cream soda, and was going to get at least a 5 pound box of each but is that too much? Should I just buy by the pound, or is that not enough and get a 10 pound box? Does anyone know what a person who has actually used jelly bellys has gotten? I wish i knew what a pound of jelly bellys looks like to get an actual idea, anw what would fit in my jars.
On another note, I picked up my gumballs today, finished my candy sign a few days ago, and finished my favor boxes last weekend
I posted pictures. I was lucky enough that the gumball factory place I got them from was close by so I could pick them up instead of paying for shipping which would have clost around $40. I hate that shipping is so high when sending candy,lol, its like more than the cost of the candy alone! Im still looking for scopps, and may buy those ones from michaels today, I didnt realize they were plastic, but am thinking it might be good since the jars are glass it wont make so much noise or chip the glass.
May 20th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Hi - we are having a luau wedding this July and I would like to have a Candy Buffet. Please advise of what type of candies would be good for an outside/poolside reception in New Orleans. We will have about 100 guests (adult/kids).
I was thinking the following tropical colors: orange, kiwi, red, yellow, teal.
Thanks
May 16th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Hi Brittany — I really have NO idea if this is helpful — but I wanted to throw out some decoration ideas I had for a bar-theme candy buffet.
First, I might skirt the table in black. Or maybe a shimmery bronze, like the copper accents that a lot of bars have. Then I would cover the top with a dark green felt, like pool tables. You could take something like two pool cues and sort of cross them behind the table for a background. In front of that I would put some kind of personalized bar sign. www.americanbridal.com has one, “ANDERSON’S MARTINI LOUNGE” for example. I’ll try to post pics. A neon sign would be nice but they’re pricey and probably don’t fit your post-wedding decor. HOWEVER, you can get a similar look by using glow sticks or LED rope light. You could frame a sign in LED rope light cheaply and get some drama, especially if your reception room isn’t too bright. Oh, and maybe add a potted fern to the table. Or maybe that’s OTT. lol!
Personally I wouldn’t do all jelly bellies. I think there’s more interest and anticipation with different sizes/types of candy. Plus, if you can put something larger, round and green in the martini glasses, you’ve got “olives” — just as an example. Cute.
I would put out all the usual bar paraphenalia to help decorate. Ashtrays (new, of course
) filled with candy. Scatter a few chocolate cigars over the ashtrays or stand them upright in shot glasses. Under the giant “drinks” I would put a few personalized coasters .. very cute. In addition to giant glasses you could also fill beer pitchers, pilsner glasses … the second one great for small candy. I’d add a few bowls of unshelled peanuts, pretzels, popcorn to the table for effect.
I found, you will not believe, cocktail-flavored saltwater taffy at www.candywarehouse.com with little cocktail pictures on the front.
Finally to really personalize I would browse Google Images for beer labels. If you have photoshop or a friend with it you could print out some amazing custom labels, add your names & dates, to go around your oversized beer mugs and other cylinders. Print them to adhesvie sheets and stick over a champagne-colored wide ribbon, very cool. Just some thoughts!
May 16th, 2008 at 11:08 am
Thank you for responding!
The bar glasses that i found are REALLY big, I found a few of them at alwayshappyhour.com and webstaurantstore.com they are very large so i am not worried about having to refill them all the time but if that is the case i have someone that will be standing there managing the candy bar. I had to buy my glasses in bulk even though i only needed 1 or 2, I am considering using more than that now that i have so many but i dont want to overcrowd the table, what do you think? I also need to try and get rid of the extra that i have so if anyone knows anyone! I am not worried about the candy bar matching my wedding I want it to be fun for my guests so i just want to fill it will fun candies that have some resemblance to different bar drinks. I really liked the rock candy idea for stirrers! I have really only been looking at jelly belly beans because it is the only candy that i can find that has all the different tastes. I have quickly realized that this is not a cheap idea so i am not so worried about trying to make it cheap so if anyone has any ideas it would be greatly appreciated!
May 15th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Hi Brittany,
I love the bar theme….I am using some over sized martini glasses in my buffet. I was ready to reply to your last post but you stumped me with the colors. I am going to my favorite candy spot “winco” tomorrow I will look for your colors just to give you some ideas. I did see some ivory jordan almonds, ivory dinner mints and ivory m&ms as well. I’m not sure if I saw the sage green m&ms. If you don’t already have your heart set on the sage green & ivory candy you can always do candies that are colors of mixed drinks. Like tequilia sunrise, margarita colored/flavored jelly beans. Pina colada jelly beans? The rock candy is cool…kinda looks like the little stirrers? Maybe some light blue candy like a blue hawaiian. I will be racking my brain tonight for sure. Sorry it took so long to reply!
10 days & counting!!!!!
Corinna
May 15th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Hi Brittany, I think the novelty bar glass idea is cute but depending on how big the glasses are, you could be refilling them often which could be a pain. I read in one of your messages that you didn’t want to spend a lot of money. A candy bar is not cheap. I think we spent around $400.00 on the candy alone. You want to have a nice variety to make it interesting. If you look at other candy bars they have a least 10 different types of candy.
If your glasses are not hugh you don’t have to worry so much about making them look full but like I said you will be filling them a lot. Be sure and raise some up to vary the height. You could get some round trays like what they would use in a bar maybe