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.
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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?
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.
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
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. http://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 http://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!
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!
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
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 in your colors and put several glasses on each one.You could put different paper coasters under each glass. Maybe if you have access to a portable bar you could use that to set everything up on. Somehow I would incorporate shot glasses on there.
As far as making it look like drinks in the glasses, that sounds really hard to me and I’m not sure people would get what drink it was anyway. I would be more concerned about having candy that people like. Not sure if you are going with ivory and sage, your colors, but you could put rootbeer barrels in a beer mug if you’re not. I don’t know if I was any help or not. Maybe some others have more ideas.
Brittany, I don’t know, maybe we can help but personally I need a little more help imagining your setup. :-?
Can you post some pics or links to what you have so far, the bar glasses, that kind of thing? Are your colors still ivory and sage, and is there some kind of theme besides the colors?
I have written on this thing twice now and for some reason everyone else is getting responded to except for me! I am a REALLY frustrated bride and would like some input from someone who knows what they are doing! Why is it that i read this stupid thing everyday and even have all new comments sent to my email so i know some one has posted something new and i cant get anyone to help me out a little bit!?!?!?!?!
I would appreciate some help…Please
Hi again Tiffany
Just some pics to get you thinking, I love these colors together!
Hi Tiffany, welcome!
There is actually quite a bit of silver-foiled or silver-coated candy out there. A lot of it is premium, but you can take the cost down by layering it horizontally in bowls with less expensive candy, like blue jelly beans. For silver, click on “Silver Candy” in “Candy by Color” above.
Some silver candy will be available locally, like Hershey’s kisses (always great for a silver CB!) and York mini peppermint patties. Others might be more specialty items like silver Amorini hearts, silver coins, silver foiled hearts or mint squares, silver-wrapped buttermints. A large or gourmet grocery store should sell some of these - check large box quantities and bulk sections.
Don’t forget you can also use white candy, this won’t dilute your color theme at all and will brighten up the table.
You can also go heavy on blue and white for candy and focus on silver for decor. Check this comment below for adding sparkle to your candy buffet. Ribbons, rhinestone trim, these will go a long way. An embossed silver cake plateau might be available to rent inexpensively and would add major drama and some height to a large container. Maybe just a few white callas in a julep vase would add a lot visually to the table and is ‘DIY.’
You can cover the table with pale blue organza or satin fabric ruched and pooled in a luxurious way (not laid flat), and add silver to the setting with silver candelabras and some silver confetti. HTH!
I am getting Married August 2, 2008 and we would like to have a candy bufft/favor table. Our colors are Blue & Silver but whenever I search for great ideas all I find is Chanukah stuff. I was hoping someone could help. I found Blue M&M’s, Blue Jelly Beans, & Blue Rock Candy but as for the Silver all I have are Silver jordan almonds. What about a table cloth? I went to Walmart to find fabric to make my own table cloth but no success. Please help Pictures are best.
My colors are red, white, and silver but i guess i better go with some green here and there. It would be a whole lot easier to find candy with green in it. Any idea where i can find nice but cheap table colths? I really don’t want to go with the plastic christmas ones they would look cheesy. Thanks for your help. this site really helped me. i even found my dress on favorideas.com.
Hi Hali,
What are your exact colors? White, red & green?
I am using pillow boxes for my buffet table.
They are big enough for all my guest to take enough candy but not too much.
My wedding is on June 21 and we are having a candy bar with a bar theme so we bought a bunch of novelty bar glasses and plan to fill them with candies to make them look like an actual drink, i am afraid this will look tacky and dont really know what to put in them. Please if anyone has any ideas please let me know! I also think it will be hard to keep looking nice but please let me know if you have any ideas for me! thank you!
Hali,
A Christmas candy Buffet will give you so many options! You can definately use candy canes, they have red and green hershey kisses at that time, There are so many candies that are red or green. It really depends what your colors are though, if they are christmas related, or if you just want your candy buffet to be christmas colors. I bet though, you could buy most of your candy in stores around christmas time, and you would have a ton of options! I am sure you could also find candy bags christmas related, the plastic kind. Or Orientaltrading.com has alot of christmas related boxes and bags. Good Luck!
I’m doing a Winter/Christmas wedding. What candies would be good to have on my buffet? And what would be better plasic bags or boxes? Please let me know.
Hello everyone,
I am trying to find edible gems, jewels.
Look a lot like gem confetti, but edible. I can find the silicone molds to make them, but I need to be able buy a very large quantity of them.
Anyone have any ideas where they are?
I’m not sure why it won’t let me show you our bag but I’m trying one more time
Elizabeth,
I actually designed my labels then I was able to fit 12 on an 8 1/2 by 11 paper so I made a pdf file. I bought 8 1/2 x 11 sticker paper or label paper that is one full sheet, and brought it to staples and they copied my pdf file onto the sticker sheets for .59 cents a sheet. Then I had a 2 inch circle cutter I had bought previously at Joann Fabrics that I used to but them out and then just stuck them on. They turned out great, and wont smear or run because of they were printed on the laser printer