If you thought you knew everything about your favorite chocolates, think again. The world of chocolate candy has undergone a huge transformation in the past century or so, and that includes the wrappers too! Early chocolate wrappers had none of the colorful graphics and prints that we associate with modern chocolates and were instead made of basic tinfoil with limited colors and prints. Find out how chocolate manufacturers have changed wrappers to keep up with the growing customer and market demands over the years. Read the full story here:
Candy buffets at an event is always a huge hit. But what if you don't want candy? Other types of buffets are gaining ground. Popcorn buffets are becoming quite popular. They are not only fun and tasty, they are now colorful and they won't melt outside.
There are SO many flavors to choose from. Plain popcorn can be the main stay, with shakers of flavors at the ready. Or maybe a little rolling popcorn cart? Cute take home bags that look like ice cream cones or mini paint pails. Oh, Dorothy, the possibilities are endless.
Popcorn balls, colorful popcorn, drizzled with chocolate, kettle corn, butter flavored Jelly Beans, flavored popcorn, caramel corn, zingy-Ranch, take home bags / containers, mini tins, sweet popcorn. Should we go on? We counted 83 styles/flavors using popcorn here.
Label each flavor.
Provide larger scoops for popcorn, or smaller ones for sampling.
The Unity Sand Ceremony is known all over the world for its beauty and sanctity. Couples add this ceremony to their weddings as an alternative to the unity candle ceremony because it so elegantly captures the meaning of their two lives becoming one. And it creates a lasting keepsake of that special day.
Using different colored sands, the bride and groom each take turns filling a Unity Vase as they recite their chosen vows. The sand colors can be coordinated with your home décor, chosen based on colors you love personally or for any other special reason that is meaningful to you. At the end of the ceremony, the vase is taken home and sits atop a shelf, a table or a mantle, beautifully symbolizing the start of your new life together.
If the bride and groom have children, then they would also be included in this ceremony with each having their own color of sand. Family members can also recite special vows as part of the ceremony.
So you are trying to figure out how much candy you will need?
We get this question A LOT. We wish there was a hard fast rule to this question. Some say 1/4 LB per guest, others say 1/2 LB per guest (1/4 cup per 100 people.) But it's all about the way your candy looks. Plan by how you want the display to look, not how many guests are coming. Having enough candy is crucial in making your candy buffet look good.
Small candy scoops = quantity control. Rule of thumb: Give someone a large scoop, and they will take a large scoop.
Wrapped candies: do not need a scoop. Sticky Candy: (gummy) use a tong. Tall containers: use a ladle.
Be creative! A candy buffet does not have to be all candy. Salty goes with Sweet. Fresh fruit for guests who can't have candy. Popcorn! Visit our FAQ page.
Here is a tip a bride told us: "Take your candy buffet bags/containers that the guests will be taking home with them to your local grocery store and fill them the types of candy you will have for your event. Then weigh them. Multiply by how many guests, then you will get an idea of the pounds."
There are 25 Jelly Belly beans in an ounce, 400 Jelly Belly beans in one pound and 880 Jelly Belly beans in a 2.2 lb, or kilo, bag. All counts are approximate, of course.
Friends or family want to help you during your day, assign the job to Aunt Betty, or Cousin Joe. Have them refill when needed, and keep an eye on things. They will have a blast.
Having children at your wedding can be fun but they can also create havoc at the reception. If you are using younger children as flower girls and ring bearers, you (and their parents) must understand that if a youngster refuses to walk during the processional or cries or throws a hissie fit, don't try to force them. It just is not worth the stress to you, the child, the parents or your guests.
Some ideas for children at the reception:
1. Ask your venue to place a table in the corner. You can supply various activities such as games, puzzles, markers, paper, crayons and small toys to entertain the children. Consider hiring a teenager to engage the children.
2. Offer baby sitting services to the parents. This plan is most effective if you are using a hotel for your reception. Reserve a room and supply movies, games, pizza and enough qualified sitters to care for the children. Parents can enjoy the reception and check on the children as often as they wish.
3. If only a few children will be in attendance, prepare a goodie bag for each one. Make the items age-appropriate and place the bag at each child's seat. They will be delighted to find their surprises and their parents will appreciate your gesture.
4. Some brides put "adult reception" on the invitations and that clearly indicates children should not attend.
Are you looking to save a few greenbacks? If you are, then think of having your wedding on a "off peak" day of the week. Saturdays are at a premium and cost the most. If you change your wedding day to say, a Thursday, you will save money just by uttering the word.
Most wedding vendors will offer discounts for "off peak" days. ALL you need to do is ask. Hotels, Caterers, DJ's, Photographers, Limos and others will make hearts skip a beat when you say "I'm getting married on Wednesday". Mornings can be less expensive then evenings. The month of December is MOST expensive, due to holiday parties and corporate events.
If you're planning your wedding for December, book the date EARLY in the year, January or February are best to beat the rush for those prized weekends. TIP: Verify with your reception venue on how many events are planned for your reception date. Some will book events back to back. For all wedding vendors, get a signed contract and pay with a credit card!
You know what's lame about candy buffets? Others people's fingers in your candy. Some big, burly guy with mechanic hands. You know the kind. Stuff under their nails. Where have they been? What kind of fun is that? We'll answer that: NO FUN AT ALL. You know what is fun? Colorful candy, yummy candy, candy that takes you back, way back, like 10 years old back. AND a scoop in the bowl.
You've spent your time and your money putting together a fun, colorful candy buffet. Your guests have arrived and you notice something. WOW, something way out of whack. They are using their hands! Touching and groping all the candy. Cold chills run down your back.
Who likes other people's hands and fingers all over YOUR food? I know I don't. If candy is wrapped, ok, go ahead and touch it. When it's not? Good lordy.
Did you know that scoops, tongs or ladles are the most forgotten items on a candy buffet? Yes! A few things you should know.
IF.......
candy is wrapped, no need for a scoop.
small candy, small scoop. (portion control)
larger candies, (kisses) a larger scoop
sticky candy, cheeses or gummy = tongs
tall containers with long necks = ladle
spoons for tiny toppings
2 ounce = 1/4 cup = 48 to 50 regular M&M's in one scoop
You will find all kinds of candy scoops for your candy buffet, and they're not just metal anymore. Add colored scoops, ribbons and bows. Your candy buffet will be fun and yummy, AND your guests will want to take some home.
Here are a few helpful items to consider. Time of year. Hard candy VS chocolate. When ordering your candy online, please, PLEASE go to the websites shipping information page! It will save you time and disappointment.
First, let talk about what season it is. If you place your candy order during the colder months, you should be OK. But keep in mind when it is warm, not hot, but warm out, you will need to Express ship or make SURE the company ships with ice/cold packs. Hard candy ships well, but it too can melt. If hard candy is wrapped, and sits in the heat, it becomes a hard candy gooie mess. It might not melt, but it sure will be hard to get out of the wrapper.
Chocolate on the other hand (taffy, gummy, and wax candies) can end up at your door, and we mean at your door for a long time. Even if it's in the 70's, you will have a melted or soft mess on your hands. This is where an ice/cold pack comes in. Now, some websites have special boxes that will retain cold packs when shipped during the warm seasons. Most will have you choose Express Shipping as your method of delivery.
Remember, UPS, FedEx and the USPS, will not give a HOOT to leave your package at your front door. Say you are at work, it could sit for hours. Their trucks are not air conditioned!
We just had a candy company send us samples. Yep, chocolate. It arrived via UPS, and we are a business so we were here when it arrived. It was in the upper 70's this day. We opened the box, which was sent UPS Ground. The bags looked oily, and some of the chocolate was squished. When we opened the bag, the candy, which had a hard shell, (like an M&M) looked ok, but the minute you touched it, splat.
Save peace of mind, ask/read HOW WILL MY ORDER BE SHIPPED, first. During the planning of your event, the LAST thing you need is a molten mess of candy on your hands.
"WARM WEATHER/SUMMER SHIPPING (NO REFUNDS FOR MELTED PRODUCTS)"
So you want to add take home boxes or bags? That IS the question.
Providing take home boxes or bags on your candy buffet table is a fantastic idea. Plus, your guests will want to take some home.
Well, here's the deal-E-O. There are two types: boxes or bags.
Boxes: #1 Gable boxes. They come in packs of 12, per pack. They are shipped to you flat and you have to fold them to make boxes. Great, fine and they are cute. BUT, put a scoop of Jelly Belly Jelly Beans in then and WHAM, what do you hear all over the floor? Yep, the bottom comes out, falls apart. IF you use this type of box, assemble and tape the bottoms. Save you and your guest from becoming red faced.
Boxes: #2 Square boxes. They also come in packs of 10, 12, 24 per pack. BUT, they are a box. Some come with tops, some do not. Read the description. They come in different sizes, but stick to small, as you do not want to run out of candy.
Bags #1 Paper bags. For a candy buffet, you will want a small take home bag, not a bag the size of a brown lunch bag! Good gravy!!! Small take home candy bags will be in the range of 4.25"L x 2.25"W x 8"H. Don't worry about the height of the bags, you can always take a fancy scissors and cut the height. Plus, are you ready for the best part? You can personalize, monogram them or put stickers on them, stencil, or what ever you want on the bags. Hole punch then put a color ribbon thru them. Cute.
Bags #2 Organza bags. These little cuties come in so many sizes, styles, and colors your head is gonna spin off. Most will have draw strings to keep them closed and they are see-thru. They are sold in sets as well and small, medium or large. Again, keep to the small size, as to not run out of the sweet stuff.
No matter which one you choose for your candy buffet take home container, keeping them small will save on candy. You don't have to stick to just one, you can mix and match. Sky IS the limit.
For you candy lovers out there having an event! Setting up a candy buffet table is fun and creative. Picture this if you will........ Wonderful colors, yummy candy, hand printed take home bags..... HELLO? Huston are you there? A candy buffet is great, but it is a fixture at an event. It should also be EYE CANDY.
Starting from the table up. Is it a wedding? Do you have a theme? Is it rustic? Inside tables for a wedding start with skirting and tablecloths. Themes could use skirting, maybe black or a color that goes with your theme. Rustic? Will you be using a picnic table or bales of hay? The possibilities are endless, and there are no wrong choices. It just needs to be sturdy and not fall over.
Lighting: If your candy buffet table is skirted, you could add rope lighting our white xmas lights under it to give it a glow. You can string lights on or around the candy dishes.
Candles: Use battery operated candles ON you candy buffet table. With guests/children leaning over to reach candy, could be a very, VERY bad mix. Long hair, dresses or ties do not mix with fire.
Levels: Use sturdy items such as books, risers, shelves to make different heights for candy containers. Cover with table cloth to hide. Different heights gives your candy buffet table a 3D look.
Jars/Containers: They do not need to be all glass. Or all the same. Mix it up. We had one customer who loved basketball, cut a basketball in half and line with fabric as their bowls. They can be what ever you want, AND if you ask family members, you just might not need to purchase.
Table Looks Empty: You can add pictures in frames, flowers, take home boxes or bags to add different eye catchers to your candy buffet table.
Signage: A sign on your candy buffet with a cute saying, "Love Is Sweet" will invite your guests to partake. (lots to pick from, do a search for candy buffet signs)
When to Open Candy Buffet: If you are serving dinner and do not want your guests to use candy buffet until after dinner. Place tulleing or tablecloth over the top of candy buffet and when it is open, take off.
Candy: Going for an all white candy buffet?, OK, but boring! Mix it up! And don't use other "holiday" candy, guest can tell. Mix up the candy. Colors, Bold, and most of all, YUMMY!
Scoops, Tongs or Ladles: Scoops will scoop candy, tongs for gummy, and ladles for tall containers where a scoop will not reach. Keep in mind that a scoop and hand will need to fit into jar openings. Plus, this is a BIG one. NOBODY wants other peoples hands in their candy.
Don't Forget: Some guests might not be able to eat candy/sugar. Fresh fruit, cheese or sugar free candy will make them happy. Oh, and salty goes with sweet, put out a bowl of chips or pretzels.
A fast way to receive honeymoon miles/activities from friends and family towards your honeymoon trip. The bride and groom register just like any wedding registry, but the honeymoon gifts help pay for the honeymoon. Friends and family can purchase airline miles that are deposited into the bridal couples honeymoon registry account. Forgo gifts at your wedding and let guests know in your invitations that you are registered at a Honeymoon Registry
Before You Leave Home:
Leave important non-travel papers, such as your social security and credit cards at home. Suspend your newspaper and mail delivery; or have a neighbor collect them for you. Before you head out the door, turn off or unplug any appliance that doesn't need to stay on. Set your lights on timers, in various rooms. Make sure your house looks lived in.
While On Your Honeymoon:
Keep a travel journal. Memories fade over time.
Sun screen or bug spray.
Take lots of photographs.
Relax, have fun, and laugh allot!
If something goes wrong, write it down. Write down the dates and locations, as well as the extra expenses you incur, as well as the names and titles of the people you speak with trying to resolve the problem. Upon your return home, contact the customer service department and ask to be compensated. Read the whole story here:
Back in the day there was a scoop and only one scoop. It was a 5 ounce aluminum scoop. You remember them, they were in all the candy bins, grain bins, bulk bins at the grocery store. Well, Dorothy, it's 2016 and things have changed!
Today, there are all types of candy scoops, metal, wood, plastic, acrylic, white, colors, mini, short handles, long handles, they are all here. Clear is nice, but add some spice! or colors!! Add a ribbon on the handle to match your theme or event colors.
Scoops will do just that, scoop. But keep in mind, gummy candy, cheese or sticky candies, scoops can not scoop. Using a tong for these types of candies will work wonderfully.
Tongs are for sticky items. Gummy, cheese, pretzels, meats etc.
Ladles are for tall candy jars / containers where there is a small / skinny opening.
Measure Guide: Click here to see what size candy scoop will work great for your containers. Also quantity control. (wouldn't want to run out of candy)
TIP:Candy buffets are not only for candy! Salty items go GREAT with candy buffets. Also keep in mind your guests. Some might not want candy or can not have alot of sweets. Fresh fruit balls, pretzels, nuts, chips, chex mix, cheeses will make your candy buffet sing.
Your first dance as husband and wife. Will you dance like you did in high school? Or will you WOW your guests with a few moves? During your first dance at your wedding reception you will have everyone's eyes and attention. What will get your guest hootin', hollering and clapping will be a very simple thing.......
What will that take? Not much, just a few moves. It can be a grand finish with a big "dip", or a few box steps. A couple of dance lessons will do wonders: for one, your footwork, second, your confidence if your not a dancer, three, your guests will LOVE it.
On YouTube, you can watch a few choreographed first dance video's which are tons of fun, but you don't have to go to that extreme.
