Candy Buffet Bar

Candy buffet bars are very popular at weddings - and why shouldn't they be? They are fun and decorative and get people talking! I had a candy bar at my wedding and my guests loved it! Candy bars serve their purpose too - love is sweet, so is candy. My mom always had a saying, "Eat dessert first" so you know we have sweet tooth's in my family! The most important thing about designing a candy bar is to have enough candy! Here are some guidelines to a candy bar...

• For Large parties or weddings: 8-10 types of candy / 15-20 pounds each
• For smaller parties or occasion showers: 7-10 types of candy / 6-10 pounds each
• Adopt a mentality that more is better! 

Things you will need to make a gorgeous candy bar:

• Several glass containers in a variety of shapes and sizes (bowls, jars, vases, canisters, pedestal servers
• Candy
• Candy Scoops
• Small cellophane bags or mini boxes for guests to fill with candy
• Ribbon, labels, and other embellishments to decorate the jars

So now you need to know where to get all these things right? No worries! I have some great resources! Let's start with the Glass Containers. We can keep costs down by getting cheap containers. You want to use Glass Apothecary Jars, a Large Martini Glass is fun, even large round bowls. You need to make sure the jars have an opening large enough for people to "scoop". A great source for cheap glass jars, in a variety of sizes is, Ikea! Also, I found a website that offers a lot of Glass Apothecary Jars - and their prices were pretty good. Check out: http://www.save-on-crafts.com  (plan to spend some time on this site! They have a lot of fun things for weddings!!).

Candy: Oh boy! There are a lot of great sites to find candy in bulk online. I am going to list a few of my favorites. Please keep in mind that your local Costco or Sam's Club might have certain candy you can use too. If you can find it local it might be better - because shipping costs can be high with candy! Also, if you are shipping candy in the summer months you will most likely need special packaging to keep it from melting! Also, as a final thought about the candy...don't forget sites like Amazon - if the item is fulfilled by them you can usually get free shipping!

• http://www.candywarehouse.com/candycolors.html
• http://www.candyfavorites.com/
• http://candy-crate.stores.yahoo.net/
• http://www.bulkfoods.com/

Candy scoops can be found various places however I found a terrific site that has all kinds - and best of all? Their prices of course! Check out: http://www.scoops-scoops.com/ They also have some great articles and FAQ's.

The containers you use can be as simple as cellophane bags, boxes or Chinese Take Out boxes. I opted for the Chinese take out boxes at my wedding. You just need to remember size is important! You are going to have lot's of goodies for guests to take! If you are a DIY bride you can buy labels to print out yourself to put on the bags or boxes or check my favorite site, Etsy! There are a lot of people who make adorable hang tags - and after you factor label cost, printing and time...you might find ordering these items easier.

My final thoughts on candy buffet bars is to save on costs add fillers to your table: Flowers, Cookies, Framed Pictures, or labels identifying the candy are all space fillers. These items could save you a lot of money! I used handmade cookies in the shapes of wedding cakes. I found an awesome lady on Ebay who homemade them. She matched my wedding colors in the 4 different shapes and each cookie was wrapped individually. It was a great item to take up space on the table! Also, check with your wedding venue! They may have jars or containers you could work into your table...

Photo Credits: www.elizabethannedesigns.com, www.flickr.com/photos/domeafavor/2155249535/