Classic Events By Kris

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Build a Better Candy Bar

Candy Bars and Buffets aren't a new concept for events these days, but clients that I work with still ask the same questions when putting one together for their upcoming event or wedding.

How much candy should I purchase?

This usually depends on how many guests you are expecting, but a general rule to use is 5 lbs of 6-7 different types of candy. If you are expecting 200+ guests, I would increase the amount to 5-7 lbs of 7-8 types. If you are expecting less than 100 guests, 5 lbs of 5-6 types should be plenty!

What type of candy should I purchase?

I advise my clients to purchase candy that they like to eat and are their favorites, not to base it on their event colors. Sometimes when you purchase candy based on colors, you are limited with the kinds you can buy and there tends to be tons left over that no one likes. You should also consider the time of year for your event. If you are having a summer event, you probably want to avoid a lot of chocolate or other coated candies that could melt easily in the hot weather. Lastly, if you have a limited budget, name brand candies are usually more expensive so go with a generic version if you can.

Where should I purchase the candy?

I recommend buying from a bulk candy vendor. I order from CandyWarehouse, but there are lots of other sites and local stores to choose from. CandyWarehouse usually has coupon codes for discounts or shipping offers. You can also search by color, type of event or type of candy which makes choosing your candy a lot easier.

How many jars do I need to purchase?

For an average candy bar, you'll be ordering 5 lbs of 5-6 different types of candy so you will need 7-8 different jars. Apothecary jars, vases and bowls can all be used as candy jars and it's good to use a good mix of high, low and medium to create levels. For apothecary jars, try to use ones that don't have too small an opening because guests will have trouble getting the candy out of them. Also, take into account the age of your guests. If it is a kids' party, you'll want to have jars that are lower and can't easily be knocked over. My favorite site for jars is SaveOnCrafts. They have a variety of vases, bowls & jars to choose from at great prices. Make sure to order your scoops too!

How do I decide which candy goes in which jars?

I always wait until the candy comes to plan out the buffet, so I can see the actual size of the candy and which will fit best in which jars/vases. Put your jars out and try different candies in each to see what looks best. Your larger candy may be better in tall vases to fill the whole container. You can also decide if one type of candy is going to go in multiple vases, jars or bowls on the table. Post-it notes and taking photos can help plan out the candy bar for easy set-up the day of the event.

What bags or containers should I buy for my guests to take the candy in?

Small bags are the easiest option. You can purchase custom bags on Etsy and other websites which can be displayed on the candy bar table or the guest place settings. Boxes can be good too, but only if you have a place to display them.

Do I need to decorate my candy table?

You don't need to do much and can always re-purpose decor items. For weddings, use a floral arrangement from your place card table for the candy table since the place card table is normally re-purposed for favors. A simple sign thanking your guests for coming or adding to the theme of your event is also a good idea to decorate the table. Another way to decorate is adding some ribbon to the jars or vases.

Make sure you get some photos of your candy bar before your guests dig in!

Still have questions about your candy bar? Email me at Classiceventsbykris@gmail.com and I'll help you!

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Stay Within Your Decor Budget

Almost all the couples' or families' I work with are trying to stay within a certain budget for their wedding or event. Here are a few of my tips for staying within budget for decor:

Stay In Season

One way to stay within your budget for flowers is to choose ones that are in season for the month of your event or wedding. David Tutera put together a great resource on Bridal Guide for flowers in season for each month. If you don't like the flowers in season for that month then talk with your florist and explain your budget. In most cases, they will work with you to take items out or revise to stay within budget (as long as it's reasonable).

Fake It When You Can

I am not a big fan of fake flowers, but in some situations they can look very real and save you a lot of money! For instance, you can make a fake orchid look very real by submerging it in water in a simple cylinder vase and adding a floating candle.

Another tip for making fake flowers look real is to cover up the stems. The green plastic stems are a dead giveaway, so covering them up with ribbon or in a vase that is not clear will make them look much more real.

Use Your Grocery Store or Local Produce Store

If you've already hit your floral budget, but want to add some flowers for the cocktail hour or other areas, consider having your planner or family friend pick some up at the grocery store or local produce store to fill small vases. One bride that I worked with had bud vases to put a single flower in for the cocktail hour, so I gladly offered to stop at the grocery store on the way to pick up some. The flowers were only $10.00 and a quick trip on my way to the wedding. Plus they looked beautiful! You can sometimes find bud vases at the dollar store or consignment/vintage store for very cheap.

Consider Candles

If flowers are way over budget, then consider candles for decor. Floating candles are beautiful for evening receptions as are pillar candles and can create a romantic feel to your event. Sometimes it can be just as expensive as flowers to rent these items though, so you work on purchasing throughout your wedding planning process at your local craft store with coupons or online (watch for shipping costs!). You can incorporate a combination of both to fit your decor budget and create the event atmosphere you envisioned.

Think Outside the Box

Having a fall or winter wedding? Consider branches in vases instead of flowers or another type of item that fits your time of year. One bride that I worked with last fall had wheat stalks as her centerpiece in mason jars and it was beautiful! It fit their fall theme and saved money for other items in the wedding budget.

There are plenty of ways to stick to your decor budget. You just need to be flexible and creative with the funds you have to spend. Need help with planning and sticking to your budget? Contact me today!

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Get Over Those Winter Blues

If you are like me, you are sick of cold, dark days and ready for spring. It's almost here!

Here are some projects to get you through the last of winter:

Get Organized!

As soon as the warmer temps arrive, I want to be outside enjoying the sunshine. Now's the time to get your house organized, maybe start some spring cleaning early and finish up your indoor projects. Apartment Therapy is a great site with organization solutions for space spaces. They provide great tips and checklists for getting your closets, rooms and drawers cleaned out and organized.

Apartment Therapy's Organizing Section on their website

Start Planting

I don't plant my own seeds, but some of my friends do. Plan a trip to your local gardening or hardware store to pick up some seeds or order some online. Some seeds are supposed to be started as early as March or April. There are plenty of resources on Pinterest for ways to get started and tips on starting your seeds indoors.

If you want something more simple and can be used for spring decor, plant some wheat grass. My mom plants it every year for her Easter decor and it always looked so fresh and beautiful!

Finish Indoor Projects

Do you have a room you've been meaning to redecorate? Or a piece of furniture that you want to repaint? Finish it now! Start a list of indoor projects that you've been meaning to get done and map out a plan to finish them by the start of spring. We're working on getting some house renovations done on our family room then painting to give it a fresh look. I'm also going to work on turning our current office into a playroom and getting all my craft items organized (stay tuned for before/after pics!).

I recently went to an Annie Sloan chalk paint workshop at Color and Style Home in Newtown Square. Now I want to paint every piece of furniture we own! I ended up making a coat rack to organize all our coats and jackets for an entryway area (a project I've been meaning to get done that is finally complete!). Below is a photo of some items that my mom, friend Melissa and her mom painted at the workshop, but there are TONS of ideas on Pinterest for refinishing furniture and giving it a new look with this type of paint.

There are 24 days until spring...

Happy organizing, planting and painting everyone!

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Weddings, Events & a new Baby!

This past year flew by and here we are in February of 2015 already! As you can see from my break in blog posts, I've been very busy both with business and personal events. But I'm hoping to get back to regular blog posts this year.

In 2014, I had the pleasure of working with several families, couples & vendors on their weddings/events:

Kelly & Ken's Wedding at Please Touch Museum:

Photos by Jennifer Childress Photography

Katie & John's Wedding at Overbrook Country Club:

Photos by Nina Perini Photography

Emily & RJ's Wedding at Normandy Farms:

Photos by Tyler Boye Photography

Melissa & Matt's Wedding at the Sheraton Valley Forge Hotel:

Photos by Duca Studio

Kathy & Nick's Wedding at the Reading Public Museum:

Photos by Kean Photo

Phil's Graduation Party:

Photos by Classic Events By Kris

Annual Summer Pig Roast Party:

Photos by Classic Events By Kris

Leslie & Mike's Wedding at Greenville Country Club:

Photos by 217 Photography

Autumn & Andrew's Wedding at The Old Mill:

Photos by Michael's Photography

Marissa & Gabe's Wedding at White Manor Country Club:

Photos by Firefly Photography

Stephanie & Joe's Wedding at The Crystal Tea Room:

Photos by ME Photo & Design

In addition to weddings & events, my husband and I welcomed our first child in September. Jack was born on September 22nd, 2014 and we are loving every minute with him!

Last but not least, I was honored to win a "Couples' Choice Award" for 2015 through Wedding Wire!

As you can see, it's been a VERY exciting year & I'm looking forward to all my events/weddings for 2015. Please stay tuned for more regular blog posts and as always, thank you for visiting my page.

Cheers to the New Year!

Monday, October 7, 2013

Real Weddings: Lauren & Travis

This past May, I had the pleasure of working with Lauren & Travis on their fun, beach-themed wedding at Rehoboth Beach Country Club in Rehoboth, DE. Here are some pictures compliments of Carolyn Watson Photography of their big day: