CANDY BUFFET
Info, Pricing, and how to DIY. . . Easy-Peasy!
Our candy buffet was a decent size- we had about 15 different candies.
We decided to do popular candies that everyone liked. We included the typical candy that you see at, say, Halloween- something for everyone, all different types.
Here is info on our candy buffet, why we went with certain items, how we set things up, where we got items, and how it all went. I hope this info is helpful to you- I had trouble finding much info on candy buffets in one location, so I am putting it all together for other brides to use!
*Please note: Since the wedding was held in Delaware, the pricing and locations are pertinent to Delaware and surrounding areas at the time of the wedding (October 2010). This info is for guideline purposes only.
We decided to do popular candies that everyone liked. We included the typical candy that you see at, say, Halloween- something for everyone, all different types.
Here is info on our candy buffet, why we went with certain items, how we set things up, where we got items, and how it all went. I hope this info is helpful to you- I had trouble finding much info on candy buffets in one location, so I am putting it all together for other brides to use!
*Please note: Since the wedding was held in Delaware, the pricing and locations are pertinent to Delaware and surrounding areas at the time of the wedding (October 2010). This info is for guideline purposes only.
Why NOT to do a color-coordinated Candy Buffet
Some brides do a "color coordinated" candy buffet, with only candy that matches their wedding colors. We nixed this idea for several reasons:
1. Limited amount of choices. Once you settle on a color, say green, that eliminates all the "popular" candies that aren't green, like Reese's Minis, Swedish Fish...on and on.
2. Flavors. Often, when you limit to a certain color, you limit to a certain flavor as well. Let's take green again- you have now pretty much limited yourself to Apple and Watermelon flavors. Many people may not like these flavors, and if you have a candy buffet as your favor, they now can't participate in your favor.
3. Pricing. To order special colors of candies, you are going to pay quite a bit more. Take MMs, for example. You can get Green MMs, but they cost quite a bit, versus doing regular MMs and getting them in bulk for cheap at a warehouse store.
4. Impression. Since you are limited to the amount of candy available to you by doing a certain color, you limit the size of your candy buffet. If you have 200 guests, but have only 6 different candies available, it just doesn't mesh, and looks "weird" the day of.
5. Purchasing options. Often, when purchasing specific colored candy, you will have to order online or go to an expensive candy store. This creates other issues, like will the green foil wrapped chocolate eggs melt during shipping?
6. Time. When you decide to do specific colors, you have to now find those colors. Whether it's time spent surfing the web for legit sites to buy from, or driving an hour to a specialty candy store, you now are wasting other resources.
Reasons to use regular candy
1. Pricing. Many brides do a DIY candy buffet to keep costs down. When you buy regular candy, you are able to buy in bulk from warehouse stores like Costco, and you are able to keep costs down, which allows you have a bigger and better candy buffet.
2. Something for everyone. When you use popular candy, you are able to have something for everyone. Someone with a lactose allergy (milk) can't have chocolate, but if you include Sour Patch Kids and Starbursts, they can join in as well. Also, going this route allows you to have sugar free candy for those who medically aren't allowed normal candy.
3. Availability. Most popular candies are available either at a warehouse store, a grocery store, a specialty candy store, or online- you have options when it comes deciding which candies to get, whether or not to have other items besides just candy, or in case of an emergency and you need to get extra candy the day before the wedding stat. With online stores and unique candies only available at that one store online in the midwest, if something goes wrong- they send the wrong color, the wrong flavor, the chocolate melts, you can't have anything peanut anywhere because of a guest's severe life-threatening peanut allergy and you have to replace it fast with something else because you did a color coordinated candy buffet and don't have that many candy options to begin with...well, you can see how this would get frustrating, and fast. You need your hair for the next day, not in your lap or on the bathroom floor because you pulled it out in a moment of irritation and frustration!
Some brides do a "color coordinated" candy buffet, with only candy that matches their wedding colors. We nixed this idea for several reasons:
1. Limited amount of choices. Once you settle on a color, say green, that eliminates all the "popular" candies that aren't green, like Reese's Minis, Swedish Fish...on and on.
2. Flavors. Often, when you limit to a certain color, you limit to a certain flavor as well. Let's take green again- you have now pretty much limited yourself to Apple and Watermelon flavors. Many people may not like these flavors, and if you have a candy buffet as your favor, they now can't participate in your favor.
3. Pricing. To order special colors of candies, you are going to pay quite a bit more. Take MMs, for example. You can get Green MMs, but they cost quite a bit, versus doing regular MMs and getting them in bulk for cheap at a warehouse store.
4. Impression. Since you are limited to the amount of candy available to you by doing a certain color, you limit the size of your candy buffet. If you have 200 guests, but have only 6 different candies available, it just doesn't mesh, and looks "weird" the day of.
5. Purchasing options. Often, when purchasing specific colored candy, you will have to order online or go to an expensive candy store. This creates other issues, like will the green foil wrapped chocolate eggs melt during shipping?
6. Time. When you decide to do specific colors, you have to now find those colors. Whether it's time spent surfing the web for legit sites to buy from, or driving an hour to a specialty candy store, you now are wasting other resources.
Reasons to use regular candy
1. Pricing. Many brides do a DIY candy buffet to keep costs down. When you buy regular candy, you are able to buy in bulk from warehouse stores like Costco, and you are able to keep costs down, which allows you have a bigger and better candy buffet.
2. Something for everyone. When you use popular candy, you are able to have something for everyone. Someone with a lactose allergy (milk) can't have chocolate, but if you include Sour Patch Kids and Starbursts, they can join in as well. Also, going this route allows you to have sugar free candy for those who medically aren't allowed normal candy.
3. Availability. Most popular candies are available either at a warehouse store, a grocery store, a specialty candy store, or online- you have options when it comes deciding which candies to get, whether or not to have other items besides just candy, or in case of an emergency and you need to get extra candy the day before the wedding stat. With online stores and unique candies only available at that one store online in the midwest, if something goes wrong- they send the wrong color, the wrong flavor, the chocolate melts, you can't have anything peanut anywhere because of a guest's severe life-threatening peanut allergy and you have to replace it fast with something else because you did a color coordinated candy buffet and don't have that many candy options to begin with...well, you can see how this would get frustrating, and fast. You need your hair for the next day, not in your lap or on the bathroom floor because you pulled it out in a moment of irritation and frustration!
