How Sweet It Is: Building the Candy Buffet of Your Dreams
So — you've caught the candy buffet bug.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.
- The Secret to Sweetness
- Seducing the Eye
- An Aesthetic Equation
- Like a Kid in a Candy Store? Here's What to Buy
- The Theme's the Thing
- Retro Revivals
- Amplifying Your Style
- Fashion a Feast for the Eye
- Regal Crystal
- Affordable Alternatives
- Pro Planners' Tricks for Better Buffets
- Don't Forget the Take-Away
- It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (for Candy)
- Comments (1221)
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.
Seducing the Eye
"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."
An Aesthetic Equation
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 personal themes that are driving brides' choices.
The Theme's the Thing
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.
Retro Revivals
"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."
Amplifying Your Style
"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"?Regal Crystal
For starters: choose cool containers. "One of the more striking displays I've seen put the candy in William Yeoward and Baccarat," says Prince."Basically — and this is a good idea — the couple matched their candy containers to their floral vases."
Affordable Alternatives
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.
Pro Planners' Tricks for Better Buffets
"To make the whole look pop, raise some of those containers on the table." Kingsdorf explains an old catering trick is to take a catering rack or a milk crate — "the kind that restaurants and supermarkets get their milk delivered in" — turn it upside down on the table, and cover with a cloth."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.
Don't Forget the Take-Away
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.
I’m from Pittsburgh, PA and I’m helping a friend with her daughters candy buffet. Rachel, are your jars still available?
I will have about 30 or so jars of all kind of sizes and shapes for sale after September 6, 2008. I have martini glasses and some fun looking jars that would be great. I will post pictures after this date. If you are interested you can reach me at ElizabethC2001@hotmail.com. Thanks.
Hi Ladies,
Great job on this site- it is so full of creativity. My question is.. if ANYONE is looking to sell their apothecary jars from their candy buffet after their wedding please contact me. My wedding isnt until next August, so I have some time. please email me.
kudelks@hotmail.com
thanks
Hello!
I have 24 glass tapered vases that are very elegant for holding candy. If anyone is interested let me know. takishab2004@hotmail.com
hey everyone!!!
I have 17 adorable figurines that my sister used when she was getting married, but we didn’t use them all… There are 4 diff designs, there are a bride and groom (brown bears) in antique cars..I’ll take a pic and post. If anyone is interested email me sketybean@yahoo.com.
Thank you Jennifer!
Rachel
Are the jars still available I´m really interested…please contact me at mich.acc@hotmail.com
Kaydee,
I was just in Michael’s and saw pink rhinestones in the Martha Stewart section.
Rachel,
I was wondering if your jars were still available? Email me at sketybean@yahoo.com
I’m wanting to decorate my letters i got because they’re just white, I was thinking of putting pink rhinestones on them but where can I find pink rhinestones? Does hobby lobby have them?
Hi Rachel,
Are your jars still available? Please email me at bonnieyam@hotmail.com
Thanks.
Rebecca, we are doing ours all in the colors (green, ivory/white, brown) for more impact but it’s typically more expensive to do it this way. For instance M&Ms are around 8.99 a lb for individual colors as opposed to bags of regular ones.
You can probably get a lot of brown and orange (or a variety of colors) right after Halloween for yours!
I’ve seen them done both ways and have all been beautiful. I think the Brown, Orange, and Pink would look really nice though since there are a lot of options.
I am having a candy buffet at wedding reception in November. My colors are brown, pink and orange. It’s a pretty bright wedding. Should I stick with my colors in different types of candy or should I have all different colors? Thanks so much!
Hi Rachel,
How many different types of candy did you have? I’m trying to determine how many I need. I’m thinking between 5 – 7. Did you have any candy left over? Thanks – Jennifer
Rachel, email me jmc11902@aol.com
I may be interested!
Here you go! It’s towards the end of the night, so the table is a little disheveled.
Rachel,
I’d love to see a picture of your setup at your wedding!!
I did a candy buffet for my wedding a few weeks ago. It was a huge hit! Now I am selling the 17 jars and 4 scoops for $125. I live in the Pittsburgh, PA area. Let me know if you’re interested!
Rachel,
If you have not sold them yet I would like buy them from you. Please let me know.
Nancy :
Hello ladies! I was wondering what size of scoops work best. I plan to have small candies and some larger ones. Online I have seen 2oz and 5 oz…
Thanks so much!!!!
Kelli
Just wanted to share some pics of the candy bar I did for my sisters bridal shower this past weekend. It was a hit!! Everyone loved it and thought it was a different idea. Hope you like the pics. Enjoy!
~Diane
Hi everyone!
I normally am over on the Aqua blue bride side, but thought I would add some samples of items you might be interested in for your candy bars!
I have an ebay store (http://stores.ebay/vonlindern-design-studio) but these can all be purchased direct from me too at madebyviola@hotmail.com. They are a great way to dress up your lollipops to coordinate with your wedding or party without worrying about what color the actual lollipop is (so you can go ahead and buy those one’s that are the wrong color but a great price!)
I do also make handmade lollipops too! They are listed in my store.
If you have a candy bar buffet at your wedding and want to match your lollipops to your color, I have these lollipop covers. They are made of cardstock and you use double back tape to attach them. They can be any size. They are 45c each. Email me if you are interested! madebyviola@hotmail.com
I also make coordinating wrappers for mini hershey bars, nugget candy bars, large candy bars, lifesavers, gum sticks, andes mints, dove promise chocolates etc. You can order them all to match your tiffany blue theme. The designs are NOT limited to the one’s in these photos. I have damask, polka dots, stripes, paisley and so many more designs!
Viola
Hi everyone! I’m a long-time lurker here and finally in the final lap of planning a candy buffet. I am coordinating a wedding and I’m doing a buffet for about 130 people in Sept. I laid out all of the containers tonight with the fabric so I’ll get pics on here soon. We are doing a Brown, Olive Green, and Ivory theme to match the wedding colors. We have 12 large containers and a few small to throw in. The bride purchased the containers in TJ Maxx and Flea Markets/Yard Sales.
I’m sorting out candy now and have a list of approx how many lbs each container will hold. I’d hate to order online and not have enough!!
I love the ideas here and wish you all luck! I’ll be popping in and will show pics from the wedding!
Corrina could you check with the lady who sells the candy apples if she is selling these again? It’s getting closer to my shower and I wanted to see if she can ship these out to me by the last week of August. Let me know. Thanks.
cathy-
You can find large martini glasses at michaels for $9.99!
Jennifer…I got some of my scoops there at scoops-scoops but check out ebay. A lot of sellers on there are selling the same thing for less and have free shipping.
Just a thought.
We are getting married 5/16/09, and I looking for ideas on cheap candy buffet serving pieces. Cheapest I could find large martini glasses was for $19.99 a piece. Any suggestions?
Hi, regarding scoops. I’m thinking of purchasing my scoops from this site.
http://www.scoops-scoops.com/
Has anyone purchased from here?
in my opinion you should have the candies be as close to her colors as possible so that its not too different.
I am having a candy bar (buffet) for my daughter’s sweet sixteen. I have read the posts and everyone has such great ideas. A co-worker had a candy bar at her wedding and I liked the idea so I wanted to make it a part of my daughter’s party. Her theme is heaven on earth and the colors are white, gold with splashes of blue (for me). My question is do the candy have to be in the color theme of the party. I wanted to have assorted candy dating back to my childhood. These children don’t know good candy. Does anyone have any suggestions for candy containers/favor. I was looking at the chinese food boxes. All help and suggestions are needed.
Thanks
Thanks Megan!!