Do it Yourself Wedding Food: How to Create Your Own Candy Buffet

Image by Shuana Younge Dessert Tables

Dessert tables and candy buffets have become extremely popular on the wedding circuit in recent years, and they could make a great centerpiece at your wedding reception.

If you and your other half are thinking of bucking the trend of a traditional dessert course in favour of something sweeter, we have the tips and tricks you need to make your candy buffet dreams a reality.

Plan Ahead

One of the advantages of having a candy buffet at your wedding is that you can plan ahead. Table decorations and most types of candy can be bought and stored well in advance, and if you’re thinking of making your own sweet treats, then aim for delicacies that can be made in advance such as bon bons or sugared almonds.

Crafty Confectionary

If you do want to make your own candy, it’s worth getting a few of your friends to pitch in – baking a batch of brownies for the office is one thing, but creating multiple different types of candy and chocolate treats for 100+ people could easily take a couple of days if you’re on your own. Invite some girlfriends over for a mini bachelorette party and spend the evening cooking – you can gossip at the same time, and your friends may have some great recipes of their own that they want to share.

Bag, Box or Bowl?

Depending on your theme, and how accommodating your venue is, you’ll need to think about how your guests can transport their tasty treats back to their table. Bowls and small plates are fine but the use of additional crockery from your venue or catering company could increase costs.

For a cheap and fun option, consider using paper bags or small boxes. Cardboard cupcake holders can be great for smaller guests, and when bought in bulk, plain paper bags can be picked up for as little as a penny each. Decorate with ink stamps or ribbons to tie them into your theme.

Fly the Flag

To avoid confusion or to let guests know if any of the dishes contains nuts, consider adding little flags to each bowl, platter or jar of candy. This is particularly helpful if lots of your treats are homemade, and therefore not as recognisable as M&Ms or Jelly Beans. You could even make your own flags by gluing colored craft paper to cocktail sticks.

Dress the Table

Regardless of if your venue is providing all the furniture or if you bring your own trestle tables, decorating your candy buffet will be almost as much fun as tasting the contents! If you have a theme running through the rest of the wedding then you may already know what you want your table to look like, but if not then that’s fine too.

If you’re on a budget, find a simple white tablecloth or piece of fabric you’d like to use as the base, and head to your local mall or supermarket to stock up on cheap party supplies, such as streamers and party poppers to give your table a little extra flair. Streamers can also look fantastic when pinned to the front of the table, or behind it if against a wall. You could also try collecting Mason jars ahead of your big day to use as candy containers.

Elise Lévêque is a bubbly freelance writer, foodie lover who enjoys sharing new recipes with her friends. She blogs for Wedding and Party Store and is considering a candy buffet for when she gets finally walks down the aisle.