Creating A Wedding Candy Buffet: A Sweet Guide

A wedding candy buffet is a sweet and whimsical addition to any wedding reception. It can serve as a fun, interactive experience for your guests, allowing them to indulge their sweet tooth and even take some treats home as wedding favours. Planning is essential to ensure you have enough candy and the right supplies to create a coordinated and aesthetically pleasing display. This includes deciding on the style and size of your display, choosing the right containers, scoops, and take-home bags or boxes, as well as selecting a variety of candies that fit your theme and colour scheme.

Choosing a theme and colour scheme

Start by considering your wedding's overall colour scheme and theme. You can use the candy buffet table to complement and enhance the existing décor and atmosphere. Choose two or three coordinating colours for your candy selection, creating a fun and cohesive look. If you want to incorporate more colours, stick to the same general type, such as pastels. You can also buy candies that come in different colours but share the same packaging, allowing for a consistent look.

If you're feeling creative, you can opt for a specific theme for your candy buffet table. This could be something fun and whimsical or elegant and sophisticated. For example, a vintage or rustic theme can be achieved with a barrel-shaped table, while a mid-century modern vibe can be created with a rectangular table and glamorous decorations.

Don't be afraid to add personal touches to your candy buffet table. Include your favourite candies, add photos, or use a vintage piece of furniture to display the treats. You can also incorporate your wedding colours and floral arrangements to tie the candy buffet table seamlessly into the rest of the reception décor.

Remember, the candy buffet table should reflect your personality and taste, so feel free to get creative and have fun with it!

Selecting the right containers

Variety of Sizes and Shapes

Choose an assortment of containers in different sizes and shapes to add visual interest to your display. Smaller containers are ideal for holding smaller candies, while larger ones can accommodate bigger treats or a larger quantity of candy. This variety also ensures that your table doesn't look monotonous and allows guests to easily access the candy.

Wide Openings

Look for containers with wide openings to make it convenient for guests to scoop out the candy. While a narrow neck might look interesting, it will make it difficult for guests to retrieve the treats. Containers with wide openings also make it easier to display colourful candy, adding to the decorative look of the table.

Clear Glass or Transparent Containers

Clear glass or transparent containers are ideal as they showcase the colourful candies inside, creating a decorative and appealing display. This allows the candy to become part of the décor, enhancing the overall aesthetic of the table.

Practicality and Safety

In addition to the visual appeal, consider practicality and safety when choosing containers. For example, lidded containers can protect the candy and keep it fresh, but they can also be cumbersome to open and close. Provide assorted scoops, spoons, and tongs of appropriate sizes for different types of candy to ensure a safe and hygienic experience for your guests.

Take-Home Containers

Provide cellophane bags or small decorative boxes as take-home containers for guests to fill with their favourite candies. Keep these containers small to preserve your candy supply, and add a personal touch with a thank-you note attached to each one.

Cost-Effective Options

If you're working with a budget, consider purchasing containers from discount retailers, thrift stores, or even digging through your own cupboards for suitable glass containers. Stores like TJ Maxx, Home Goods, and Marshalls offer affordable options, and mismatched containers can create an eclectic and unique look for your candy buffet table.

Buying the right amount of candy

Number of Guests

Do a rough guest count to estimate how many people will be partaking in the candy buffet. As a general rule, provide around a quarter to half a pound of candy per guest. This equates to approximately 25-50 pounds for 100 guests, 40-75 pounds for 150 guests, and 50-100 pounds for 200 guests.

Other Desserts

If you plan on having other desserts in addition to the candy buffet, you may want to adjust the amount of candy. If there are multiple dessert options, guests may be less inclined to fill up on candy, so you can lean towards the lower end of the range mentioned above.

Duration of Candy Buffet

Consider how long the candy buffet will be accessible. If it's available throughout the entire reception, you may need more candy as guests will likely return for multiple visits. If the candy buffet is only open for a portion of the evening, you can get away with a smaller quantity.

Container Sizes

The size of your take-home containers and serving containers will impact the amount of candy needed. If you provide large take-home containers, guests will likely fill them to the top, so plan accordingly. Similarly, if you have large serving containers, you'll need a greater quantity of candy to make them look full and aesthetically pleasing. Smaller containers that can be refilled throughout the night may be a better option for the display.

Type of Candy

Select a variety of candy with different flavours, textures, and sizes to cater to diverse preferences. Aim for 7-10 different types, including options such as chewy sour candies, chocolates, truffles, and nostalgic picks. Don't forget to consider any dietary restrictions or allergies and provide a range of options such as gluten-free, peanut-free, sugar-free, and vegan choices.

Leftovers

Don't stress too much about having some leftovers. In the worst-case scenario, you and your new spouse can indulge in any extra candy after the wedding. You can also provide take-home bags or boxes at the candy buffet, encouraging guests to take treats with them, reducing the chance of significant leftovers.

Adding decorations and personal touches

Decorations and personal touches are key to making your wedding candy buffet table stand out and feel special. Here are some ideas to elevate your display:

Backdrop and Table Decor

Create a backdrop for your table by hanging large pieces of fabric, tulle, or burlap on the wall behind it. You can also incorporate banners, string lights, flowers, greenery, or photos of the couple. If you have a theme, you can tie it all together with coloured ribbons on containers and floral arrangements.

Personal Touches

Add small, unique items with significance, such as seashells or figurines. You could also include vintage pieces, like a piece of furniture from a relative's home. Another idea is to add photos to the table or display them in the backdrop.

Signage

Include signs with fun, sweet messages like "Love is sweet". You can also create your own signage with labels or purchase templates from Etsy. This is especially helpful for indicating ingredients for guests with allergies.

Height and Dimension

The more dimensions you can add to the table, the more luxurious it will feel. Play with height by using boxes, books, or other items to elevate some containers. You can also add pops of blooms and candles to create varying heights and dimensions.

Colour and Variety

Choose two or three coordinating colours for your candy selection, or stick with the same general type of colour, like an assortment of pastels. You can also tie in your wedding colours with ribbons or floral arrangements.

Favours and Take-Home Containers

Provide cellophane bags or small decorative boxes as take-home containers. Add a personal touch with a thank-you note attached to each container.

Setting up the table

Firstly, you'll need to decide on the style and size of your display. If you're going for a rustic theme, you might want to use a barrel as your table, whereas a vintage wedding might call for a piece of furniture from your grandmother's home. The shape of the table is another consideration—a round table works well if you want guests to access the display from all sides, while a rectangular table is a good option if you want to push the table against a wall.

Next, you'll need to choose your containers. Clear glass containers allow the colourful candies to add a decorative look to the display. Opt for an assortment of sizes and shapes with wide openings so that guests can easily access the candy. You can save money by using any glass containers you already have, such as bowls, clean vases, mason jars, or large drinking glasses.

Once you've got your containers, it's time to fill them with candy. Choose colourful candy that coordinates with your overall wedding design and offers a variety of flavours and textures. Aim for 7-10 different types of candy, including chewy sour candies, rich chocolates, sucking candies, and luxe truffles. Provide about 1/4 to 1/2 pound of candy for each person.

To keep things hygienic, supply assorted scoops, spoons, and tongs. Choose serving utensils that are small enough to fit into the containers yet large enough to retrieve the candy easily.

Finally, add some decorations to the table to make it look extra special. Use a tablecloth as a backdrop for the candy display and add garlands, confetti, or other tabletop decorations. You could also add a backdrop by hanging large pieces of fabric, gathered tulle, or burlap on the wall behind the table.

Frequently asked questions