Tips for a Cheaper Candy Buffet for Your Wedding Reception

Learn some savvy tips + secrets to create a cheaper candy buffet!

Candy buffets are very popular at weddings– not only do they create a nice-looking display but they also double as an edible wedding favor for your guests. Kind of awesome, right? When you’re on a budget, you’ll need to watch your spending on this wedding detail, as it can easily add up!

If money was no object, it would be amazing to have a full, lush, and colorful candy buffet similar to the one above. Don’t let your Pinterest obsession take over– you might go overboard on a project like this and bust your budget. In reality, those big, colorful lollipops are upwards of $3 each. And that fishbowl of gummy fish would cost you a pretty penny, too!

Experts suggest having enough for 6-8 ounces of candy per guest. Paying for 50 pounds of candy could easily be $500 if you choose to opt for the good stuff. If you want to make your candy buffet a more affordable venture, you’ll want to check out the following tips. I want to share my tips for a cheaper candy buffet with all you other budget-savvy brides!

3 Ways to Cut Costs for your Candy Buffet

1. Buy Candy in Bulk

M&Ms are dense and take up very little space, so you wouldn’t want to fill a large container with them. But Twizzlers, Gumballs, and Pixie Stix take up a lot more space. Fill your larger containers with larger items so you don’t break the bank. Use the smaller containers for denser or more expensive candies; we’re using our smallest containers for Hershey’s Kisses, Runts, and Skittles.

2. Select Sweets Other than Candy

One thing that I love to snack on is breakfast cereal, and the thing is, some of them look pretty nice when put in clear glass! Another great sweet option is marshmallows — it’s amazing how many different marshmallow choices there are, and marshmallows are puffy and pretty attractive.

We want our candy buffet to be colorful, so we’re having 1 container of Fruit Loops and 1 container of miniature flavored marshmallows. Other potential choices are animal crackers, Oreos, and other cookies.

3. Add Salty Snacks

Consider adding potato chips and pretzels to your candy buffet — everyone loves a little salt with their sweets! There are so many chocolate-covered savory snacks these days. I think folks would appreciate having some of those options in a candy buffet. You can fill 1 jar with potato chips and 1 jar with pretzels– it’ll make your candy buffet look fuller for a little added cost.