Last week I finally shared with you the Gatsby inspired backyard bridal shower I helped style and plan for my future cousin. Today I decided to share with you a few pointers on how you can craft a simple candy buffet at your next birthday, shower or get-together, that is nothing short of lovely! 
Choosing Your Containers. For a lush and full dessert or candy bar, I recommend at least 6 to 7 containers. Choose at least three small containers and three larger ones. This will not only accommodate different sized sweets, but will give your candy buffet dimension.
As far as the style of jar, that is your personal preference, but aesthetically choose jars that are differently shaped. Whether they have a unique base, curve slightly different or are stem-less cylinders, having varied containers allows your candy buffet to be visually appealing and gives your guests something different to look at. Apothecary jars have been quite easy to buy, from Amazon to home decor stores. I purchased this set of smaller jars here, and the larger at Michaels. These are both great resources when crafting a candy buffet.
First things first, clean your containers, especially if you plan on filling them with unwrapped goodies. I washed mine with a clean sponge and dish soap, and allowed them to dry completely. Then, I lightly sprayed the outside with a window cleaner, to give the jars an ultra clean shine.
Thoughtful Grouping. A few days before the shower, I played around with the grouping of the jars. That way on the day of the shower, I knew exactly where each jar would be placed. This of course saves valuable time when setting up a party. Play around with a few placements that you like, and take photos of each layout. I find that it’s better to go back and look at photograph, when trying to finalize placement of decor. When you find the final layout that you’re happy with, I recommend deleting the other photos, as to not become confused the day of the event, especially if you’re having someone else setup the candy buffet. {I kept my jars atop the dining room table setup a few days before the shower, so when it came time to placing them on the buffet, I simply put them in the location I had just took them from, and save even more time by filling the jars with the candy a few days before your event too!} 
Stick to a color scheme. Choose three to four colors in the same color family. As you can see our colors were gold, white, black, and a soft olive green. I like to group jarred sweets in the same tones together. You can choose to create an ombre look, but grouping same colors, creates a look that’s a bit more cohesive.
Choose sweets to please a crowd. Now you’re ready to fill the jars with your sweets. Of course you may not know everyone’s preference for candy, but stick to items that are sure to satisfy everyone, and stick to popular choices. Stick to these main categories; chocolates, suckers, mints, and gummy/soft candies. Depending how large of a candy buffet you are setting up, you can choose to have a different sweet for each jar, or place the most popular candies in multiple jars. We offered Ferrero Rocher chocolates, M&M’s we custom ordered here in the bridal shower’s color palette, lollipop suckers, mints, and sour apple gummies.
With different options for guests to choose from, labels are a must! And keep note, although I don’t necessarily recommend using candies with nuts, if there are ANY nuts in the sweets you choose, remember to make that visibly known for your guests. Finish each jar with scoops and tongs so guests can serve themselves, and of course fun goodie bags. These gold polka dot ones were bought here.
Adding Final Touches. Where you are setting up your candy or dessert buffet will affect the final look, so carefully choose something that is in good condition, and if possible, fits the theme. From vintage desks, to vanity tables, and bar carts the possibilities are endless. Since the theme for the shower was a simple Gatsby inspired affair, we used a gold entryway table the mother of the groom happened to have in her home. So, do some research and ask friends and family, they may have something in their home that is lovely and will save you money from buying or renting a buffet table.
A perfectly crafted candy or dessert buffet isn’t complete without the final touches. Of course I love flowers, and bud vases with a single flower and a few springs of greens are my favorite to add onto a buffet. Place them in between jars or even create a garland of loose flowers by simply grouping them together onto the table.
And if your buffet table has a bottom to it, but you don’t have enough candy or decor to fill it, considering placing your favors there. Make sure to place a sign, so that guests know to take one when they grab their sweet goodie bag to go.
Location, Location. Candy and dessert buffets are often the focal point to many parties, so choose a location with plenty of room for guests to mingle around the buffet without getting in the way of others filling up on goodies. We placed our candy buffet along the side on the home on the deck, and displayed large gold LOVE balloons behind, as a simple backdrop. Use a pretty fabric simply draped behind like this one, or create an installation or paper flowers. {If you see in the photo above, we actually moved the buffet to the opposite side of the deck when the sun began beading down right onto it.}
Whether it’s a bridal shower, wedding, birthday or a small get-together with your favorite girls, crafting the perfect candy or dessert buffet is simple and makes a great and fun statement!
Do you have any other tips and tricks on creating a sweet buffet? Would love to hear your thoughts!
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