Has Anyone Hosted A Candy Buffet At A Wedding?

Decorating By ruthielovescake Updated 15 Nov 2012 , 1:31pm by AnnieCahill

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ruthielovescake Posted 1 Nov 2012 , 10:23pm
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I was approached to host a candy buffet at a wedding but in all honesty had not even heard of one. So I did some research on the web and was intrigued. Apparently, they are gaining in popularity for not only weddings but other parties/gatherings as well. In addition to the candy I was also going to include cupcakes and mini cakes (since cakes is really my forte and not candy arrangements). I was wondering if anyone else in Cake Central land had hosted one before? Any experiences, positive or otherwise that you can share?icon_smile.gif

11 replies
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cakegal1976 Posted 2 Nov 2012 , 9:08pm
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If you "host" it, does that mean you have to totally set it up?  I am attaching a picture of the candy buffet that we had at my daughter's wedding last year.  Maybe that will give you some ideas.:)

 

 

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leah_s Posted 2 Nov 2012 , 10:41pm
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www.LouisvilleCandyBuffet.com

Been doing them since 2006.

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ruthielovescake Posted 3 Nov 2012 , 1:10am
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Thank you Leah! Really clever website as well...I enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek text of the site very much.

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ruthielovescake Posted 3 Nov 2012 , 1:11am
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Thank you Cakegal! Cute fall theme on the jars.

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ebwmom Posted 3 Nov 2012 , 5:12am
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Did some for family weddings and this is what I have learned.  First find out from the bride if she expects you to refill jars. I usually fill the bowls or jars and when it is gone that is it.  Are there going to be a lot of kids there? They can get crazy with the candy.  If you have a Sams Club or Costco close by check of the prices of their candy compared to ordering online. One I did for a niece, I used 6 of the big barrell jars from Walmart and put them around a round table. The center piece was a big picture of the bride and groom with a big sucker. The big jars do take a lot of candy. I found the bags at Hobby Lobby and used a coupon so it was a better deal. They are really easy to do and I have found that different bowls and jars look really cute.  You can always add ribbon or lace to the plain jars to make them a  little fancier

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ruthielovescake Posted 4 Nov 2012 , 8:57pm
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Thank you for the tips! I saw some photos of some buffets where they did use ribbons and labels for the jars and it looked really cute. I will definitely check out the prices at Costco and most likely get the other craft-type supplies at my local Joann's or Michael's. Thanks again for the ideas. I will also be offering cupcakes and mini-cakes as well as the candy and use a cupcake display and my existing cake stands. I'm excited about doing it!

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AnnieCahill Posted 13 Nov 2012 , 2:02pm
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My wedding was two years ago in December and we had a candy buffet.  The venue where we had our reception had never heard of it either when we told them about it, but after we had our wedding, they started recommending buffets to all their brides.  The buffet should be viewed not only as a favor, but also an attractive visual which adds to the decor of the event.  To me, a candy buffet needs to be a visual assault on the eyeballs, which kind of sucks you in and makes you feel like you're 6 years old again.

 

There are two main things that tend to get missed when people attempt these.  I have seen more bad buffets than good ones.

 

1.  Use candy that matches the wedding colors.  I missed this one on mine.  People still loved the buffet, but it didn't look as "neat" as the ones you see in magazines and online.  Part of the reason was that I left the candy buying up to my mom, who basically got whatever (and it was Christmas so you can only imagine the wacky packaging on some of the candy).  It still looked really good but again, it was missing the neat and tidy factor with the matchy-matchy colors.

 

2.  Make sure the table is FULL.  You need a FULL table!  I can't tell you how many pictures I've seen with an 8' table and 8 jars of the same height.  It just looks bad.  Go with a smaller table and pack it full of containers of varying heights.  Obviously linens which coordinate well with the event colors look the best.  I cannot stress enough the importance of having a full buffet.  I borrowed a huge Rubbermaid container of glass containers and dishes from a distant relative who does the buffets for friends and family.  You can purchase them at any flea market, but also TJ Maxx has a ton and so does Michael's (and you can use a coupon!).  Even if the colors don't match, having it packed full of all kinds of stuff will be just as impressive.

 

Don't limit it to just candy.  You can do chocolate covered pretzels, popcorn, meringues, and cookies as well.  Also don't forget about diabetic guests.  It's always good to have at least two varieties of candy for them.

 

Candy buffets are exciting so have fun with them!

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ruthielovescake Posted 14 Nov 2012 , 9:38pm
post #10 of 12

Really, really appreciate feedback from someone who has been there (and included what worked and what didn't). Thank you very much for the insight. Adding a couple of sugar-free options is a really good idea as well.

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ruthielovescake Posted 14 Nov 2012 , 9:49pm
post #11 of 12

WOW, talk about eye-popping! Amy Atlas' candy tables are amazing! I was browsing through her gallery and what BEAUTIFUL tables! Thank you for these links. Many thanks to all who have listed information for me. I feel like the last one out-of-the-loop on these tables/buffets. LOL

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AnnieCahill Posted 15 Nov 2012 , 1:31pm
post #12 of 12

Don't forget to post pictures!  Good luck and have fun!
 

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