My daughter and I did our best to find simple ideas to create a fun and beautiful wedding for her on a very tight budget.
One of our favorite things was the candy bar! We set it up right in the hub of the reception so it served both as a decoration and a focal point destination for sweets. We bought the candy from local beach candy shops and mixed into the decor the “love is sweet” frame as well as starfish (for the beach theme) and framed photos of the bride and groom. Of course, we coordinated the candy colors with the wedding colors.
Sticky tack is your friend if you want starfish to stick up and not slide down.
We used muffin papers for people to put their jelly beans in as they walked around.
Not shown in these photos was a big basket of cute bagged candy that served as party favors for guests.
This sweet idea would be fun for any party, graduation or event!
Did you see the behind the scenes of the wedding cupcakes? Click HERE.
Are you new here and want to read who this wedding was for? Welcome! Click here!
Want to see what this beach house looked like just weeks before the wedding? Click here!
That is gorgeous, what a brilliant idea. I just love the jars, what super shapes :-)
Oh Melissa, what a wonderful idea! It looks amazing! Can’t wait to see more!
I love this!
How beautiful! And what a beautiful couple in the picture:>) You must be so happy looking back on a beautiful day!
Very cute idea :)
What a wonderful Mom who did wonderful things for her daughter–I am enjoying reading about them!
That’s such a great idea. I can’t believe how creative you are. I’m mentally filing all these ideas away for the day (someday) that my kids get married.
– Suzanne, the Farmer’s Wife
So sweet! Yes, the memories are the most important!
I have spent quite some time looking over this wonderful site I just found this morning. I love it, and all the ideas! I will come back when I can spend all day, or however long it takes to look at it all, and I have definately added you to my daily reads. Thank you so much!
Michelle
Beautiful and SWEET! hee hee
It looks great!
I love the idea of a candy bar! And you made it all look so pretty. How fun! -Julia
Wow, this is so pretty! I love the idea. So glad everything turned out wonderful.
So beautiful and so sparkling clean too. Those candies just pop in those beautiful glass containers. Lovely. And the cupcakes were so yummy looking. How fun in that kitchen.
Yummy saltwater taffy… I haven’t seen that in such a long time. What a beautiful presentation… starfish, silver, candles, cloches …stunning. I am happy for you that the wedding is over and you can now relax, although I know the end of something you have long looked forward to can be bittersweet. I am filing the candy bar idea and loved the muffin paper touch. Very nice!
Love,
Christi
I had a candy bar at my daughter’s wedding last summer. We placed candy and photos of the bride and groom on the table. Guests loved it. Yours looks beautiful.
http://www.jhsphotos.com/emilykyle01.html
What I loved was seeing the behind the scenes glimpse of the bride and groom…beautiful couple!
I had not heard about candy bars until visiting Kathy at Shocking Pink Thread, but it sure looks beautiful and who doesn’t like candy?! I bet it was a hit with your little boy!
What a precious idea!!!
Miss Mari-Nanci
Smilnsigh
Photos-City-Mine
makes me want to get married again, or just throw a cool party!
Oh Melissa, I am one reader that will look at every single photo and read every word on the wedding! I know exactly how much work it all was (I had 175 people at my house under a white tent on August 9) Your candy bar is adorable! People just love sweets! Even in our insanity, my bride and I did not consider making 200 cupcakes! You are amazing. More importantly, you created some special memories. Let’s see: 200 cupcakes from a bakery at three bucks a piece or making them yourselves–priceless!
Love the candy bar idea! Especially at the coast…all kinds of yummy candy there! Beautiful :)
So very sweet! May their lives and yours be filled with love and joy!
That looks SO pretty. The first time i ever saw this candy idea was at my sister in laws graduation party for her daughter…the theme color was purple, so they had beautiful orchids set up and huge snifters with different candies and scoops with little bags and cups…it looked SO COOL!
This is such a great idea – I’m passing it on to a bride-to-be!!
I love the pictures of the candy bar! So cute and colorful. Really beautiful with your beachy theme!
What an inspiring idea. I’ve attended so many weddings where I’ve wanted a little something to eat after dancing, candy is the perfect after dancing snack. And if you provide a little pouch or bag for holding the candy it makes a wonderful DIY favor for wedding guests.
I have never heard of a candy bar… so it sounds original to moi! That is GREAT! And WOW… that is a lot of cupcakes to make… they are so pretty too!
Good to hear that everything was wonderful! Enjoy your weekend! Fifi
What a fantastic idea! And the execution was beautiful! I love it! I’d like to link to this post on Saturday if that’s OK with you.
OH, I LOVE IT!
We all must have a SWEET TOOTH Today! What a Genius idea and your photos are just as DELICIOUS!
xo
Sandra Evertson
I want my blog page to look like that candy bar, brillant !
Thanks ya’all for taking time to leave comments on these wedding posts. I do appreciate it!
BIG PLANS coming up on The Inspired Room! CAN YOU SAY GIVEAWAY? Details soon.
M~
checking in! glad you showed some wedding excitement!
whew the things we do for a wedding! so worth it though!
it feels like getting ready for a wedding around here……Country Living Fair 2008 20,000 people………ahhhh the details for a 10×20 tent. yes, we are crazy.
sigh.
hope all is well and you’ve been putting your feet up lately!
kara
THat is amazing! I have never, ever heard of a candy bar! My youngest would have been in her glory there! It looks so neat. Can’t wait to read the rest of the posts.
Ah, it looks like a wonderfully happy day was had by all! Wedding candy, an inspired idea!
I do enjoy your blog and have added you to my list of “Splendid Locales”!
Happy weekend to you!
So fun! :) What is the candy between the Jaffas and Jelly Beans? I’ve never seen anything like them in Aus!
OK that is a super cute idea! Love the practicality of the muffin liners too- that works great!
~Amber
sweetness…literally! The whole thing looks amazing!
Gorgeous!! Congratulations to all of you!!
This is the sweetest thing I have ever heard of! And your cupcake post…..makes me wish I had been to the wedding just to sample these yummy treats!
Hugs,
Penny
Hey, thanks everyone.
Alert! I’ve changed my blog address! And if you would be so kind as to change or add my new address to your links, I would be forever grateful. I’ll be working on a new blogroll too so we can still be friends! :-) You’re the best!
MUAH!
I am enthralled, dear friend, simply enthralled! Please share more and more and more! I want to soak it all in. I feel so happy for you and your daughter…So much joy, Melissa.
Love you,
Debbie
I love seeing everything you did for your wedding. I can’t wait to see the dress and everything else.
Great ideas!
Elizabeth
What a fabulous idea! It looks so lovely and fresh. That would be fun for any kind of party.
How nice for your daughter to have a mom with such good ideas and without fear of crazy hard work!! :)
Candy Bar and Cupcakes!! if this is what a wedding is like, sign me up!! hee hee… PLus gifts? And a boy to love? That is like Wondervilllle wonderfulnesss! I should have been there, I should have. I could have been in charge of the jaw breaking contest… You know, those hard little candies, hee hee…
Those cupcakes below, oh bliss. Give me one, please? xoxo
that is super adorable! love love love it!
I did this for my son’s 9th birthday party! Definately not as fancy as yours (considering our crowd) but it was certainly a hit. We made our super colorful with different beachy sand pails and dollar store containers. Here’s some pictures:
http://debtsmack.blogspot.com/2008/07/on-cheap-splash-bash-birthday-party.html
Hey there… looks like I have missed a lot…..sorry long story… small write up on my blog…
It looks like you had a wonderful time …. made special memories …and let me tell you …those cupcakes look better than any I have seen in a bakery… what a fabulous job you all did
CONGRATULATIONS… on everything and a job well done
HUGS
JO
That is really the sweetest idea!!
How darling, Melissa. And the couple is beyond darling! Hope you’re getting rested now. Blessings… POlly
i so love the candy! i can only imagine how lovely this all was…and get the 3 counting book….it’s great to use with grandkids….:-)
The candy idea is so cool because it just makes you think summers at the beach. The colors and the set-up are gorgeous. It’s such a homey touch.
What a great idea! It looks so beautiful! I love the sign in the frame it really ties it all together!
I can’t believe you made 200 cupcakes in that heat!!! At least the memories made it all worth it! It all looks so beautiful!
Love your blog, I found you on Penny’s, Lavender Hill Studios! My son’s wedding is in two weeks, thanks for the lovely wedding post about your daughter, it was really inspiring!
XO,
Donna Lynn
Wow, now that’s a lot of cupcakes. . . but what a wonderful idea. And I LOVE the CANDY LOVE table. Too cute.
Blessings,
Sher
Wow, I love your photos, the Candy bar idea is just fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing this lovely experience with us!
Thank you for your lovely blog, I love to visit it daily!
Bonne soirée,
Mademoiselle M.
I love it, it was a wonderful ideas, all those little surprises that might be kind of off the wall are the best. I will have to remember this.
I have loved reading about your daughter’s wedding — and at such a beautiful (perfect) place!
Congratulations to the happy couple!
LaTeaDah
I’m so happy to have discovered your blog! The wedding decorations were just beautiful!
Hey BFF,
I fixed your link, so you’re all updated on my site! So exciting that you are moving up in the world to your own Domain! There is a good reason that people come from ALL over the WORLD to visit your blog…It’s because you are absolutely MAH-VO-LOUS!!
I hope that you are having a nice, quiet, restorative weekend, dear heart.
Love,
Debbie
Everything looks wonderful! It all looks so fresh and inviting!
I have seen Candy Stations featured at Weddings on TV and I always loved the idea!! How lovely everything is….and HOLY COW..thats a lotta cupcakes! They are so pretty too..
Hugs,
Robin
Oh Melissa – everything is so pretty – we can’t believe that your daughter’s wedding has come and gone (bet you can’t either!) Everything sounds lovely – especially those lunches…and those cupcakes look to-die-for delicious!
Thanks for sharing everything with us!!
Karla & Karrie
It looks fantastic.
Please stop by I have a little humble award that I would like to give to you. if you like.
Enjoy your Sunday! Suzy
So beautiful, and I love all the sweets!!
I want candy! Makes me think of the Nutcracker and all the sugar plum fairies… and sweet things like innocent and pure love!
Thanks for your kind comments!
Hi, Melissa, I’ve been out of town, but love seeing all the wedding festivities. The sweet bar is a great idea & wow, is it all pretty. Loved the cupcakes too. So glad it all went well.
Have a happy week & get some rest now!
Rhoda
What a wonderful, wonderful wedding…. exquisite detail, so well planned and a lot of love… even I can feel it down here in the southern hemisphere. Congratulations on creating such beautiful memories for your daughter…. mother of the year! A-M xx
Ooooh! Pretty!
I just sent a link to this post to my niece. She’s getting married in January. Thanks for the inspiration!
What a sweet couple!
I love the candy bar idea. You did a beautiful job decorating!
I tried to get our cousin to have a cookie bar at their wedding and they just couldn’t wrap their minds around the concept.
Just came across your blog and could not stop reading – wow! What a wonderful wedding you put on! The creativity and the work effort combined is staggering – absolutely fantastic.
-Susan
I love the candy bar idea – pretty cute. The only problem with the taffy’s is the chewy factor for guests – but cute idea.
Melissa, just leave it up to you to come up with the most incredible and unique candy bar! I would have been a kid in a candy shop – literally! Looks gorgeous!
LOOOOOOVE the photo of your daugher and her fiance! Just precious!!!
xoxo
Becky
huggies to Winston!
You guys are just too clever. What a fun idea
Alison
You did it, Melissa. And, you did it your way in a meaningful and beautiful way that has created another forever memory for you and your family. You are so kind to share the magic with us.
Best wishes to you and your family, and the bride and groom.
Exciting news about your blog and business. I’ll be around to check in on all of your fun.
great idea! i’ve been looking for graduation party ideas for my daughter next summer and i think i’ll copy this using her school colors for the candy , then frame success is sweet! thank you!
oohh….aaah….Melissa, this is just lovely! I’ve been on vacation for what feels like forever (in blog world, at least) and now have MUCH catching up to do in your blog. I’ve been dying of curiousity to know all the wedding details and it seems that I’ll be blessed with more posts about it as i read further back.
It gives new meaning to the words “eye candy”.
I love the photo!
Susan (A Happy Heart at Home)s inspiring blog post..Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, 10/21/08 – Spiced Apple Sundaes
I was going to do a candy bar for our renewal ceremony but I was just too beat!
Your candy bar looks fantastic.
Ronas inspiring blog post..Wordless Wednesday – May 20, 2009