Whew...finally recovered from a great event!

Had a great time doing a Chic Sweets candy buffet for George and his lovely wife, Becki who celebrated her 50th birthday! Everything for our table came out great. I'm excited to share some pictures soon! Special thanks to a few that helped make another great Chic Sweets table!

Photographer, Faith Jordan from http://www.ourtownfla.com
The Cupcake Spot, http://www.thecupcakespotinc.com
And to my food stylist and designer extraordinaire, Natasha Nielsson!

Newest sources of inspiration....

So I'm always on the look out for great jars, vases and cake stands for my candy bars and have come across a gorgeous site called by Clara French. They create custom made cake stands....everything is so beautiful....check them out!

http://www.clarafrench.com/index2.php?v=v1

Okay, so I was definitely inspired by the Julia and Julie movie I dragged my husband off to last night so I will make an attempt to blog more often! I am often taking looks at my favorite blogs: http://hostessblog.com and http://greenweddingshoes.blogspot.com where I came across another fantastic candy/dessert buffet from Amy Atlas Events from New York.

Some other great take-home tips from the Hostess with the Mostess for creating a dessert buffet like this:

1. Start with a great color palette and pattern that can serve as the “inspiration piece” for your buffet. It’s even better if you can find a few different patterns that all coordinate well (such as 3 different designs from a scrapbook or gift wrap collection) – so that you have a few different prints to incorporate into the buffet.

2. When it comes to your large serving trays & dishes, stick with all-white for a clean, modern look. Line serving trays with your patterned paper and embellish cake stands and tiered servers with color-coordinating ribbon.

3. Bring some of your key pattern into the decoration ON the dessert if possible – just like how the cake & mini cupcakes pictured above boast some of the chic Moroccan-inspired pattern detail.

4. Embellish the table with a little non-edible decor – just make sure to stick with the overall colors & theme of the buffet. Floral elements such as the Moroccan mum trees pictured here are a perfect example, but you can also opt for things like framed photos or prints, wrapped gift boxes done up with fun bows, unique vases & home accessories, or even toys! This is actually one of the easiest ways to help play up your theme!

Working on a surprise candy buffet!

Okay, so have to share. I am so excited to be working on a candy buffet that will be a surprise for my client's wife who will be celebrating her 50th Birthday next Saturday at The Groves Clubhouse in Land O Lakes! It's been a unique process since it is a surprise but I have a great vision for the event and we are working with my new favorite color palette: Navy and Yellow. In addition to having some great candies complementing the color scheme, we are working with The Cupcake Spot to provide some "Lemon cupcakes" and Linens by the Sea to provide us with the perfect table linens! Pictures soon to come!

Candy Buffet sayings!

Time and time again I get asked about candy buffet sayings. There are quite a few out there that are used quite frequently:

1. Sweet Dreams
2. Love is Sweet! Enjoy a Treat!
3. Enjoy the Sugar Rush.
4. Love is Sweet!
5. Use the scoop, Use what you like. Leave some for others. Be polite.
6. Step right up to our Candy Buffet. Its a Sweet addition to a wonderful day!
7. Sweet Shoppe. [Insert wedding date]
8. Serving you a little treat, just to say we think you're sweet!

In addition to these sayings, I also recommend that you come up with something personal-it doesn't have to rhyme and it will be unique!

The Cupcake Spot-A Little Piece of Heaven!

http://www.thecupcakespotinc.com

As a fan of cupcakes, I have looked long and hard for a Chic Sweets partner that makes delicious cupcakes and I'm happy to say that I've found that in the Cupcake Spot! All of the cupcakes are hand-made and all of the flavors are lovingly concocted and combined by the Cupcake Spot's staff - often using recipes handed down from generations of family and friends.

One of the unique ways you can make your candy buffet stand out is to add elements such as cupcakes. The Cupcake Spot can personalize the cupcakes to fit the theme of your candy buffet table (check out the photo gallery). It looks amazing!

You can enjoy their cupcakes at two locations in Tampa and in St. Petersburg although please note: if you are crazy about a specific flavor try to get there early since they sell out pretty quickly.

Okay, I have to share because I've been a huge fan for years: Sylvia Weinstock, “Queen of Cakes,” makes a special appearance as the featured presenter for Florida West Coast NACE! Brides, Grooms, and all industry professionals- YOU WILL NOT WANT TO PASS UP THIS OPPORTUNITY!

September 21, 2009 at 12:30pm
The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, 1010 North W.C. MacInnes Place, Tampa

Individual Lunch Presentation tickets are available, OR you can purchase a VIP Ticket to attend a private “living room style” gathering with Sylvia (limited seating). Included with each VIP ticket is Sylvia Weinstock’s book and an autograph signing. Combo Tickets are also available for this event!

NACE Members can register early until July 31st, 2009. Tickets will go on sale to the public starting August 1st, 2009. Buy your tickets early for this exclusive event at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center!

For additional information contact programs@fwnace.com or membership@fwnace.com

Popcorn Buffets and more...

A slice of wedding cake concludes your special day on a deliciously festive note. But if you love candy, why stop there? Indulge your fantasies and have a popcorn buffet!

Whether they are a dazzling part of an elaborate wedding or the centerpiece of a sweets only reception, the your popcorn flavors can range from sweet to savory. Organizing the buffet around a theme, will help narrow the choices of what to include as well as create a unified look.

While many candy buffets include just candy, rounding out the selection with morsels such as lollipops, cupcakes and popcorn makes it even more fun! And of course, you can still serve that stunning wedding cake. In fact, with a Candy Buffet you can even have more than one -- that's the joy of it.

Wow-I have to highlight Ron and Jade

Ron and Jade: did an amazing candy buffet spread for the their wedding. What I the elements that they added were cake pops, cupcakes, etc. That is a great tip and it really adds a different dimention to your table. At Chic Sweets, we work with the Cupcake Spot. They do amazing cupcakes and will also personalize the look to the candy buffet we create!

Chic Sweets Appears on ABC's News Now

Okay, so I had the amazing opportunity of being asked by ABC's Good Morning America's Tory Johnson to appear on a segment she does on workplace issues/concerns. I took the opportunity to discuss the ups and downs of being and entrepreneur. It was a great experience and opportunity for Chic Sweets and I was thrilled to be a part of it. Check out my tv debut on our website: www.chicsweets.net

I'm hoping to come back again and give them an update on how we are doing and progress I've made-I'll keep all of you posted.

Gourmet Candy Buffets--what is the big deal?

For one, buffets are monstrously popular. The Knot recently voted candy buffets as one of the top trends for 2009. They are fun, interactive and engage guests more than just having the favor sitting on the table.

And two, while some are a feast for the eyes, others seem to fall short of the heights their planners must have hoped for.

So what's the secret?

Here's number one: buying enough candy. Sounds simplistic, but it's key to having a great buffet. The first thing I tell brides — you really can't do candy as a hard commodity. It's more a decorative element. They'll say, 'I'm having 100 guests, and I want to give each guest 1/2 pound, so I guess I need so many pounds of candy. Sounds great, and it might be enough to actually satisfy your guests, but visually it won't be enough to make a presence.

I tell my clients, instead of looking at candy by the numbers, take an aesthetic approach. You choose the flowers because they're beautiful. The candy buffet should be too.