• Home
  • Travel
  • About Stephanie
  • Work With Me

How to Survive Life in the Suburbs

How To Create A Candy Buffet!

in Uncategorized on 03/10/15

Trend alert!  Candy bars are not just for weddings, they are hot for every kind of party from Baby Showers to Birthday Bashes to Retirement Parties.   

Last month SassyHubby and I threw a Sweet 16 for my BlueEyed Girl. (Sorry kiddo, but it really was sweet)  We pulled out all the stops.  Hired a DJ with a light show, decorated a hall, organized drinks and food, set up a fab photo booth and of course set up a Candy Bar for the ultimate in sweetness. 

BirthdayGirlIMG_3243

I adore organizing events, fundraisers and parties.  When it came time to pull together a Candy Bar?  I really didn’t know where to start.  Off to the internet, Michaels Craft Store, Walmart, the Bulk Barn, Home Sense, Target.  I was an  unorganized, floundering crazy person.  Then I took a deep breath and made a simple plan.  Involve the Birthday Girl,  and just have fun.  So to save all of you the anxiety and disorganization; here are my tried and true steps to having a successful, fun and fabulous Candy Buffet for your next event.  CandyTable2

1. Pick A Colour Scheme: The colours for our party were violet, silver and white.  Although I was keen to only buy candy in these colours I was quickly reminded by the teens in my house that there aren’t many fans of grape flavoured confections.  We decided instead to just go with favourite treats.  Easy Peasy.

2. Choose Your Vessels:  As this was a “Sweet 16” and we had about 100 guests coming, we decided on 16 containers of various sizes.  Ensuring that each container had a big enough top (opening) for tongs or scoops.  Don’t want to break the bank purchasing all new vases?  Get creative.  Look around your house, borrow from friends, watch for sales at Michaels Craft Stores and utilize those 40% off coupons to pick up some new pretty glassware.  Don’t underestimate what can be found in the Home Sections at Target and Walmart, and of course Home Sense always has lots to choose from.

3. How Much Candy To Purchase: Start with a head count.  Research told me to buy approximately  8 ounces of candy per guest, for individually packaged candy, I purchased one per guest.  We followed this rule to a point, but what we ultimately did was set a budget and set out to fill those 16 containers.

4. Where to Purchase Candy:  The sweet stuff can add up fast.  We found the best prices to be at the Bulk Barn and Costco.  Watching for sales helped!

5. The Details:  Don’t forget tongs, and candy scoops to help serve up the sweets as well as some cute little favour boxes or containers for your guests to gather their treats in.  Those little favour boxes were harder to find than expected.  Eventually we found silver and white stripped boxes that suited our needs at Party City. 

6. Design Your Table:  Lay out your table with your empty vessels at home before you head out to your venue.  You need to figure out spacing and aesthetics.  I chose to add some strong milk crates (duct taped to the table for security) to add some height and dimension to the table.  Once at our venue, I draped the entire table with violet table cloths.  For a little extra flair I added some uplighting.  Once we all agreed it was good to go, it was time to bring on the candy.

*What I would have done differently? Created a centerpiece to anchor the entire candy buffet and fill some space.

The end result?  The Candy Buffet was a huge hit with the kids and the leftovers weren’t bad either.  The key to making this a success?  Relax, have fun, involve the kids and not expect perfection.  The Candy Buffet was a great place for the teens to gather, chat, grab a sweet or a bag to take home and enjoy during the party.  I’m already looking forward to the next “Sweet 16”! 

  • « Where Would You Go? Dare To Dream About Your Next Vacation
    A 90 Pound Puppy? YUP! »

    Comments

    1. Elizabeth Matthiesen says

      June 18, 2016 at 1:49 pm

      Wow, what a great party. No wonder your daughter looks so happy and pleased. 🙂

    2. Debbie White Beattie says

      May 15, 2016 at 1:43 am

      This looks so good, I can’t believe how creative you are because I would’ve never come up with such great ideas

    3. Victoria Ess says

      June 8, 2015 at 12:59 am

      That looks amazing! What a wonderful job you did!

    4. Rosie says

      May 26, 2015 at 1:16 pm

      This is such a great idea! and you don’t need to worry about leftovers going bac! And it makes a wonderful presentation!

    5. Melinda L. says

      April 27, 2015 at 9:50 am

      Wow that candy buffet looks amazing. Wonderfully done Stephanie! I bet it was a huge hit with everyone 🙂

    6. Lana Hood says

      March 13, 2015 at 9:43 am

      Yummy!

    7. Stephanie says

      March 11, 2015 at 4:49 pm

      Believe it or not, almost all the “minty” candies were gobbled up! The one thing we bought too much of? Sour keys! Who knew!

    8. Peady @ Tempered with Kindness says

      March 11, 2015 at 4:41 pm

      Wow!

      This is amazing!

      Just a hunch, but if the pink ones pictured above are “wintergreen” I bet I know what you have for leftovers. 😉

      What kind of candy was the most popular?

      My DD has a halfway-to-sixteen birthday coming up. I’m thinking of doing something similar (though smaller) for her friends instead of a loot bag.

    9. Julie says

      March 11, 2015 at 11:27 am

      I’ve done an ice cream bar but never thought of a candy buffet for a Birthday. What a great idea!

      • Stephanie says

        March 11, 2015 at 4:48 pm

        Thanks Julie. Believe it of not we had an ice cream buffet at our wedding! Can’t go wrong with ice cream or candy. Ever!

    10. Busy Bee Suz says

      March 11, 2015 at 8:48 am

      Holy sugar high!!! This looks like such a lovely party….so nice of you to do this for your sweet girl. I hope she had a lovely time!!

      • Stephanie says

        March 11, 2015 at 4:47 pm

        Thanks Suz!! She had a great time, and now my 13 year old is already plotting her 16th birthday party! LOL

    11. Deborah Pucci says

      March 10, 2015 at 11:56 am

      How wonderful that you had a 16th birthday party for your daughter. She is one lucky girl! Nothing better than a candy bar for everyone to enjoy. Way to go mom……

      • Stephanie says

        March 11, 2015 at 4:46 pm

        Thanks Deb, we had a great time pulling this event together for her 🙂

    Travel addict, sun seeker, coffee drinker, fashion lover, picture taker. This is a peek behind the closed and competitive doors of the suburbs. A place to come to learn about the best places to travel with your kids in Canada, the United States, the Caribbean and beyond! stephanie@sassymodernmom.com
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

    Search This Site

    Guest Blogging For ETCanada & Skinny Cow

    At the GRAMMYs !
    Stephanie Holmes

    sassymodernmom

    Canadian Blogger. Traveler. Influencer. Picture Taker. Family Travel Expert.
    ❤️London ON
    ☀️Always planning my next vacation!

    My forever valentine 💘 My forever valentine 💘
    Drinking margaritas, soaking up the sun and watchi Drinking margaritas, soaking up the sun and watching the whales from our loungers! Paradise found. It’s right here at The Beach Club in @quiviraloscabos 
.
#quiviraloscabos #loscabos #quivira #quivirabeachclub #qlifecabo
    Saying goodbye to 2024 with a grateful heart. Can Saying goodbye to 2024 with a grateful heart. 
Can’t wait for all the adventures coming our way in 2025! Wishing you all a happy healthy New Year 🎉
    One of our best adventures of 2024. This trip to t One of our best adventures of 2024. This trip to the Grand Canyon was truly unforgettable. 
.
.
#roadtrip #arizona #grandcanyon #postcardsfromtheworld #letsgoeverywhere
    Woo hoo - another amazing HomeExchange! This week Woo hoo - another amazing HomeExchange! 
This week we felt all kinds of spoiled in our cozy accommodations in gorgeous Scottsdale. We hiked local trails, snuck in a little golf, drove with the top down, ate all the food, and enjoyed a sweet sunset in our own backyard. All because #Homeexchange provided us with a unique - almost free- way to stay in Arizona and see all the things! 

We had such an amazing time we’re already planning our next adventure! 
Want to plan an escape like this?
Follow the link in my bio to find out how you can plan your first or next Home Exchange.

https://spn.so/49qawpmk

@homeexchangecom #homeexchangepartner 
#homeexchangecom #homeexchange #HomeExchangePartner #LetsGoEverywhere #adventure #budgetfriendly #travel #luxurytravel
    About last night….. . #auroraborealis #londonont About last night…..
.
#auroraborealis #londonontario #ldnont
    It’s true. For the past 3 years we’ve been usi It’s true. For the past 3 years we’ve been using @homeexchangecom to take some epic vacations! 

Lake Como ✅
Cabo ✅
Scottsdale Arizona - on deck! 

If you’re ready for a new adventure sign up now through the affiliate link in my bio and you will automatically receive 250 points!!! ❤️
It’s easy, I promise. 

❤️Umm and if you have a cottage, a condo or second home, why are you not on Home Exchange?? Oh the places you can go! 

💕Drop a comment telling me your dream destination! 

#homeexchangepartner #homeexchange #travelhacks #letsgosomewhere #traveltips #familytravel
    This week my Hubby and I celebrate our 28th weddin This week my Hubby and I celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary. Yup TWENTY EIGHT. How are we celebrating? Between work and family obligations it’s been tricky to make time for us. My solution… book a trip! 

For this adventure we’re once again turning to @homeexchangecom com One or my favourite ways to plan an epic vacation and see the world. 

In the past we’ve stayed in both Lake Como and Los Cabos.  Sigh, they were glorious trips!

Why try a HomeExchange?
HomeExchange offers a whole new experience to stay in real, authentic homes, and live like a local. HomeExchange allows you to stay in areas you never could with a traditional hotel experience. 
 Intrigued? Follow my link and see how easy it is to get started.

https://spn.so/49qawpmk
(Link also in profile)
PS I’m now searching for my next great trip? Which places are on your travel bucket list?

#HomeExchangePartner #MyHomeExchange #familytravel #beautifulplaces #familyadventures #canadiantravel #letsgoeverywhere #travelbucketlist
    Missing those Paris views…. thankful for the mem Missing those Paris views….
thankful for the memories ❤️
.
.
#Paris #tb #girlstrip #ParisFrance #parisfrance🇫🇷 #beautifuldestinations #postcardsfromtheworld
    Out of office …. . . #summervibes #boshkunglake Out of office ….
.
.
#summervibes #boshkunglake #canarvon
    Load More... Follow on Instagram

    Facebook

    Categories

    Blog Archive

    Copyright © 2009-2025 · Life in the Suburbs by KrizzyDesigns

    Copyright © 2025 · Glam Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in