Did you know? : The Cost of Candy!

Candy Buffets can turn out to be quite expensive!  From the large containers to be filled to the types of candy chosen, it can be more costly than many brides would have thought at the beginning of their candy buffet venture.  If you have never purchased a large quantity of candy before, then the prices of them can seem astronomical, especially if you are paying it all at once.  Many brides go to after holiday clearance events for candy as well as some other super sales thinking that they are saving a great amount of money.  Sometimes this is true, but oftentimes it is not the case. 

Did you know? #1

The truth about candy is that the smaller the bag, the more you pay for it.  A small clearance bag of candy will most oftentimes cost just as much as buying in bulk.  So, save yourself the trouble of waking up at the crack of dawn and finding the post-holiday super sale.  Buying online is most likely the cheaper route!

Did you know? #2

The average bride does not realize how much she has spent on her candy buffet after everything is purchased. 
When calculated the average bride spends $100 on vases, $30-50 on decorations, $30-50 on favor bags, $10-15 on scoops and tongs, and upwards of $200 on candy for a wedding for 100 people. 

That can amount to around 400 dollars!  That is a lot of money and is time consuming if you go it alone.  However, candy buffet business owners are available to help design, and produce your candy buffet for not much more than you would do it yourself.

Did you know? #3

A candy buffet should not be an “afterthought” at a wedding.  It is likely to be the most talked about feature of your wedding, and you should invest in it as you would hors d'œuvre’s and other appetizers.  The average amount for an appetizer at a wedding is around 300-400 dollars per appetizer for 100 guests.

Did you know? #4

Candy buffets are not just a decoration.  They are a focal point, a talking point, and a wonderful favor for guests to take home with them.  Bride’s maximize the benefit of having a candy buffet by treating the candy buffet as a favor and a decorative piece!

Did you know? #5

Candy Buffet planners are more than happy to assist you in planning your candy buffet.  The first thing you need to do when planning your candy buffet is come up with a budget.  If you have a budget for it, a candy buffet planner will be able to better assist you in coming up with the correct style and candy types for your needs!  For a guest list of 100 people you can plan on spending anywhere between $350-600 on a candy buffet.  This may seem like a lot of money, but it is well worth it when you get the Wow factor you’ve been wanting at your wedding.

DIY or wedding planners?

It was not until recently that I have started having pity on wedding planners.  As a former bride, well I guess I still am in the “bridal phase” being less than a year married, I often wondered at why anyone would ever choose to have a wedding planner do their wedding.  I figured it must cost a lot, and they probably take a huge mark up!  I couldn’t have been more wrong.  I have been researching wedding trends, most importantly candy buffet trends for the past year now and most of these women (and men) that plan weddings for a living do not make much more off the top than it would cost you to do it yourself.  One wedding planner in the Cincinnati area, who wishes to remain nameless, told me when I spoke with her 2 days ago that “Brides cannot do it cheaper, which is why they come to us”.  A couple years ago I would have scoffed at that statement, and told her I could totally DIM (Do it myself :) ) for way cheaper.  Now I know better.  Let me explain.

1.       Wedding planners get things at “wholesale price”.  Well, really those of us in the wedding industry know that we get items discounted but not as dirt cheap as you would think.  Since we buy in bulk, we are able to save money here and there, however since all weddings are unique it sometimes is difficult to get things at a discount.

2.       Wedding planners search for deals and typically pass them along to their consumers.  These deals take a lot of time and effort to find, and a lot of gas money driving around town negotiating prices for you (the bride).  This expense is usually not calculated into the price they quote you.

3.       The details take time and money!  How many of you have seen fancy little ribbons tied to baggies, or personalized stamp cards attached to each name tag?  If you did it yourself,  you know how many countless hours you can spend making those.  How much is your time worth? 

4.        Wedding planners typically do not charge excessively more than the product would cost you.

Many brides do not realize that sometimes doing it themselves can be more costly, in total time and money spent, than having a wedding planner do it.