I Want Candy

via Pier 1

I know many of you out there are sick of seeing candy buffets ... well, tough! We're having one! A mini-one! Big Spoon and I decided on our engagement trip that because we both love candy so much, we would do a candy buffet that would double as guest favors.

I love photographs of candy buffets that are color coordinated. I don't love them enough to seek out color coordinated candies for ours, however. It's hard enough deciding on candy types, budget, buying jars and actually purchasing the candy to worry about it matching ... not to mention, it's much more expensive to color coordinate than not. Our colors are black, ivory and rich fall flowers. We're getting married close-ish to Halloween, so we're just going to have a multi-colored, mini-candy buffet. 

I bought 100 ivory organza drawstring bags at 50% off during one of Hobby Lobby's sales and at the Crafts & Cocktails party, my wonderful friends and MOH hand sewed on a "thank you" tag and tiny spoon to each one. Our wedding guests can then fill the bags with candy to take home with them.

With the help of my coordinator Margaret, this Project Wedding post, a nifty little calculator and research, research, research ... I managed to buy the candy we need for the buffet for under budget at Sam's Club. 

Part of the problem with ordering the candy online now is that almost every vendor suggested "chilled shipping" or worse, didn't offer it. Essentially, they were asking me to pay extra for shipping supplies to ensure it wouldn't melt or take the chance of it melting. Thing is, it might melt anyway! Um, no.

Obviously, we incurred a small markup at Sam's Club in order to not pay for or worry about chilled shipping and the extras the online websites tack on. It made more sense to drive to Sam's and pick the candy out myself.

I estimated 0.3 - 0.4 lbs of candy per guest for 100 guests. I purchased 48.25 pounds of candy, six types:

(3) 56 oz bags of classic M&MS
(3) 56 oz bags of classic Hershey's Kisses
(2) 44 oz bags of Reese's Pieces
(2) 54 oz bags of original flavor Skittles
(2) 6 lb bags of gummy bears
(1) 290 ct tub of soft peppermints

If you add in the apothecary jars, favor bags, tiny spoons and candy costs, the total comes out to approximately $160.00 or $1.60 per guest. However, I do plan to sell or use the jars as decoration after the wedding, so do they really count? Wink, wink.