No matter how witty I try to be, how controversial the subject I take on or how informative my posts, the most frequently viewed pages on this blog are posts about candy buffets.
I was incredibly lucky that Kerri Mead Bell, a beloved client and someone who I will forever consider a friend, trusted me with her wedding and design. Kerri was the planner's perfect bride - someone with tons of ideas, lots of enthusiasm and a whimsical imagination.
Forget the hours we spent choosing her linens, the multiple times we went back to the drawing board until we perfected her Autumn spectacular vision...no, it's the candy buffet that everyone wants a piece of.
Kerri's buffet is the one we dubbed the Ultimate Fall Candy Buffet, and although it's only been posted on the blog a couple of times, the pages get hit daily.
We have done other fun candy buffets over the last several years as well, and I decided to put some of them together in a single post.
We are often asked if we can help with new candy buffets, and the secret is that at this time, you have to be a Williamsburg Wedding Design coordination client for us to actually design, set up and strike your buffet. Membership has it's privileges!
Oh, and yes, I do know that in major markets the candy buffet is being replaced by new and exciting reception wonders, but here in Williamsburg (and other slower-paced towns around the country) they remain popular for now. Candy is timeless regardless of the presentation.
The evolution of our affair with candy:
I surprised fabulous bride Tracey with this pink-themed birthday buffet at the end of her reception. It was a quick turnover while dinner was served. We had SO much candy leftover because I failed to shop ahead and had to go through numerous bags to pull out just the pink items! These are obviously my "stunning" amateur photos.
I drove my poor staff CRAZY with the last-minute prep for this buffet. Most of them still remember it (and most of them still work with me all these years later!).
I created this M&M candy buffet for a marketing event for The Knot in 2006 (photos courtesy of Brad Howe Photography):
Over a year later, I was tasked with Kerri's buffet - I think she was more excited about the candy than she was about almost anything (except marrying Chico, of course). Few things have ever been more rewarding than designing this candy buffet and the reaction that the guests had when they devoured it.
All of the Ultimate Fall Candy Buffet photos are courtesy of Brad Howe Photography.
I designed this candy buffet this summer for a bridal show at Colonial Heritage Club at the sales department's request. It was VERY popular, despite the total disaster that happened when I loaded it in and lost my big centerpiece jar. The Dollar General Store thankfully was well stocked with Starburst, although I once again found myself sorting through bags of candy feverishly.
I chose a summery palette to go with the "Romance in the Sun" theme that the show had been given.
Candy buffets are great because people appreciate them no matter what. I had inadvertently ordered the wrong size bags for the buffet (they came in teeny-tiny). We turned them into little logo'd packages of pillow mints and people took handsful home to show friends!
We used the same tiny bags to hold a business card and a quick-tip reference card for creating your own candy buffet and tied them with coordinating ribbon. You'll see those lying around the table in the (once again, amateur) photos.
Everyone thinks chocolate is the most popular candy for these buffets - people devoured these orange slices (which I actually bought because I thought no one would eat them and they'd keep the buffet looking fresh if we were hit hard). I was blown away by how popular they were.
My little "Pillow Mint Promos"!
You can really see the plastic wrap on the sour cherry balls in the next photo - it's one of my secrets to candy buffet success - preload the candy into jars a night or two before to save yourself a ton of labor on the day of the event. Of course, my other advice would be to take the plastic off BEFORE you take photos!
I shared some candy buffet tips that were requested by a client last January - you can find that post HERE.
White Amorini Hearts
All-White Brownie Pops
Personalized Fortune Cookies
White Chocolate Covered Apples 
Monogrammed Petit Fours (Available in White)
Personalized Mini Cheesecakes
