The following are some cost savings tips for sweets and treats at weddings:
Tip 1 - Buy Loose Candies in Bulk and Get Discounts
Bulk candy stores have become popular, often many of your bigger malls you can find a bulk candy store. Many couples opt to buy candies to match their color scheme or decide to buy candies according to some type of theme. If you order a lot of candy in bulk, ask if you can get a steeper discount, many times to keep your business, you might get a discount saving you money. Listed below are popular candy websites.
1-www.blaircandy.com
2-www.bulkcandystore.com
3-www.candydirect.com
4-www.candyfavorites.com
5-www.groovycandies.com
6-www.jellybelly.com
7-www.metrocandy.com
8-www.mymms.com
9-www.ohnuts.com
10-www.sees.com
11-www.wrappedhersheys.com
Tip 2 - Create a Candy Buffet Bar Table
Candy buffet bar tables have become very popular at weddings in recent years. Many couples will create beautiful looking tables to display their candies. If you create a candy bar using a rectangled table, the key is to elevate the back of the table using boxes or shelves with a linen covering. Use linens to match to your color scheme. Look for bargains for your containers. Use assorted dishes; candy dishes, clear bowls, vases, bins, cookie jars, over sized wine glasses, fountain glasses, and flour, sugar, and tea canisters.
Some couples create a candy bar using a round table. Use some type of elevation in the middle. Some couples will offer the candies as a take home wedding favor. In some bowls with loose candy, provide scoops and tongs. Also provide at the edge of the table, lunch sized bag so your wedding guests can help themselves to a take home wedding favor. Assign a person, for refilling in the event a candy dish gets low. Decorate the table with fun size bars or with glitter or confetti.
Either color scheme, rainbow effect, or serve old time candies to your candy buffet bars. Some popular candies for old time bars include jawbreakers, now & later, bazooka bubble gum, sugar daddy, wax bottle, atomic fireballs, candy cigarettes, bit-o-honey, root beer barrels, necco candies, pop rocks, rock candy, mary janes, lollipops, gummy bears, candy buttons, candy stix, licorice, pixy stix, candy necklace, m&m's, and salt water taffy.
Tip 3 - Make Homemade Chocolates Using Molds
Create a favor bag with assorted chocolates and truffles. Target making chocolate about a week before the wedding. The key in making chocolate is melting chocolate slowly so the chcolate does not end with a burnt taste. Pour the chocolate into molds and then refrigerate.
The following are reputable companies in which you can purchase chocolate molds.
1-www.anoccasionalchocolate.com
2-www.bakeddecco.com
3-www.candylandcrafts.com
4-www.confectioneryhouse.com
5-www.customchocolateshop.com
6-www.kitchenkrafts.com
7-www.pastrychef.com
8-www.sweetmolds.com
9-www.trufflymade.com
10-www.wilton.com
If you want to color scheme your chocolate start with white chocolate in block form. Melt your white chocolate and then mix with flavor extracts, flavor oils, liquors, or powders. If you want to get the color deeper add some food dye. After all is mixed together pour the mixture into assembled molds and refrigerate.
Tip 4 - Make Assorted Liquor Balls for Treats
Many wedding guests have never had liquor balls before. Many recipes can be found online, the secret ingredient is sugar cookie dough or sugar cookies pounded and add great tasting liquor. Some liquor ball recipes you might look up are rum, bourbon, egg nog, chocolate, cherry cordial, anise, creme de menthe, irish creme, pina colada, flavored brandy, peanut butter, strawberry, or vanilla. Place the liquor balls into color papered egg cartons or place them on top of cake pop sticks.
Tip 5 - Bake Homemade Goodies for a Dessert Table
Find a family or close friend that can bake goodies for a wedding. The secret of baking for a wedding is baking goodies that are not common in everyday living. Also bake goodies that aren't too messy, so as not to get spills on wedding dresses and tuxedos. Good recipes include baking cookies with old family recipes, all sorts of recipes such as baked alaska, mousse, tortinis, torts, conolis, chocolate, eclairs, cream puffs, brownies, fudge, cobblers, flan, and various tasty cakes. An ice cream bar is a great idea too.
Tip 6 - Buy Classy Inexpensive Goodies from a Grocery Store
You have to be a little careful on this one. You don't want to come across as buying cheap goodies, goodies that don't look like they are bought from a store. Buy assorted italian cookies, girl scout cookies, or cookies that look homemade. Also consider gourmet mints, pillow mints, square shaped chocolate treats, nonpereils, mini peanut butter cups, or flavored popcorn. Make sure whatever you serve, the goodies are served not in a store container.
Tip 7 - Consider Offering a Chocolate Fountain
Adding a choclate fountain should liven up your wedding reception. You can either lease or buy a chocolate fountain depending on your budget. Make sure you don't get a small one, you want one that gathers attention. Make sure you learn how to operate the chocolate fountain. Stay away from foods that are crumbly such as crumbly cookies or foods with small or loose nuts.
Foods that should be ladled onto chocolate fountains include; wedding cakes, cakes, pastries, cobblers, pies, fruit or vegetable bread, brownies, bread pudding, cinnamon rolls, cheesecake, banana split, ice cream, parfaits, or sundaes.
Fruits that can be dipped into chocolate fountains include; strawberry, kiwi, pineapple, grapes, apples, bananas, marachino cherries, sliced peaches, sliced pears, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, honey dew melon, melon balls, mandarin oranges, mangos, papaya, star fruit, dragon fruit, kumquats, fresh coconut chunks, dried apricots, and sliced watermelon.
Other treats that can be dipped into chocolate fountains include; pretzels, marshmallows, cheesecake squares, angel food cake, frozen twinkies, zingers, rice crispy treats, graham crackers, mint crackers, frozen mini cream puffs, frozen mini chocolate wafers, bugles, donuts, donut holes, frozen candy bars, brownies, mint sticks, biscotti, peanut brittle, popsicles, cookie dough balls, caramel, and fudge.
Cookies that can be dipped into chocolate fountains include; chocolate chip, sugar wafers, vanilla wafers, oreo cookies, coconut macaroons, fig newtons, fruit newtons, gingersnaps, sugar cookies, oatmeal cookies, chocolate cookies, girl scout cookies, shortbread cookies, snicker doodle cookies, peanut butter cookies, pirouette cookies, milano cookies, and italian cookies. Avoid crumbly or nutty cookies for these types can jam up the chocolate fountain machine.
Tip 8 - Fill a Tulle Bag with Jordan Almonds
Jordan Almonds are a wedding tradition. Buy Jordan Almonds in bulk at a discount. Place 5 jordan almonds in each tulle bag for each of your wedding guests, place on each place setting as a wedding favor. The five jordan almonds represent 1) health, 2) wealth, 3) happiness, 4) fertility, and 5) longevity. Personalize the tulle bags with the couple's name and wedding date.
Tip 9 - Create a Large Candy Bowl with Old Time Candies
You can either leave a large candy bowl filled with bulk candy or old time candies on a dessert table. Or you can leave smaller bowls filled with candies somewhere on each wedding guest table. Leave each bowl with assorted candies so all the guests are likely to find a candy they like.
Tip 10 - Create an Ice Cream Bar
Contact an ice cream place in your area to see if you can rent a machine for an ice cream bar. Make sure you create an area for various toppings, a container with sprinkles, chocolate, butterscotch, bananas, fruit toppings, whipped cream, and marachino cherries. Consider leaving brownies, blondies or cake nearby too. You also may consider offering root bear or cherry coke or vanilla coke. You might also consider adding a soda bar. Create a many flavored soda stream bar with many different flavors.
Don't forget to assign a person to oversee the sweet and treat stations. Whatever sweet station you desire, because you are buying in bulk, it never hurts to ask for a further discount, and shop around to find a vendor that provides with the best service and discount.
See you on the other side!
