Another DIY Project ... Quick & Easy

When I saw these featured over at Thrifty Decor Chic, I had to have make them! They are gorgeous knock-offs of the uber-expensive William Sonoma hurricane candle holders. See the comparison:

I traced the original tutorial back to Get Your Martha On, but all you need for one is a "crystal" candle stick holder, a tall vase and epoxy. I purchased all of my glassware at the Dollar Tree in Hermitage for $1 each and I have the epoxy on hand. They also have hurricane vases that swoop out at the edges like the WS versions if you like that.

These are inexpensively gorgeous and multi-purpose: my sister wants to fill them with fruit at my bridal shower and they're a super cheap alternative to apothecary jars for a candy buffet, candles, etc for a wedding.

WIth Big Spoon's (and the kitten's) help, here's what we made over the weekend:

Happy DIYing!

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.

Let Them Eat ... Candy!

I suppose this post is out of order and I should still be writing about our engagement trip and the like, but this story is just too good to not write about now. It is the first of many things I hope will "fall into place" as we plan our wedding day together.

While sitting in a Baskin Robbins in New York City (our first night there), sharing a dessert, the topic of wedding cakes came up. Says I, "Big Spoon, do we even like cake that much?" Says he, "well, not really." The idea of cake tastings and cake haggling doesn't really thrill either of us. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty positive there isn't a bakery out there that can make a cake as good as my Granny.

We like candy. A lot. We don't have to have cake, but we like the cake cutting tradition. However, we don't like wedding cake prices (yes, I know they are labor-intensive works of art. I still don't like the prices).

The compromise: the increasingly popular candy bar. I'm hoping to borrow glass and crystal jars, buy a few or (register for them) and buy "little spoons" to dip out the candy! I am also going to talk to my Granny about making one of her delicious from-scratch cakes a few days before the wedding. We'll chill them and still have a cake cutting.

We both agree that this is something that speaks to both of our personalities and asking for family participation makes the cake cutting tradition that much sweeter.

I found some good Candy Buffet advice via {this blog}. Which tells me I won't like candy prices either. Well, I'd rather spend $500 on candy than cake, but that's just me.