Hi Party People!
Just wanted to share a super fabtastic inteview with you guys! A big fat juicy Kosher Beef Hot Dog Thank you to our most fabulous friends at The Wedding Yentas- (www.theweddingyentas.com) A Guide for the Jewish Bride! We were honored to have been a special featured guests on this fabulous site and being that I myself am A Cashew or Catholic-Jew- If you're thinking -Huh? My dads a gorgeous Jewish Argentinian Stunner & My Hot Mama is a Catholic Spicy Mexicana Latina Hence- Cashews, You Dig? I invented this when I was like 7 and thought I was brilliant for it! Anyhow, I have found so many proud Cashews out there and I wish all of you a very happy Christmasukkah! Now that the Menorah lights have dimmed, we've got a giant Christmas tree to decorate & light!
XoXo- Candy Girl
THE INTERVIEW
The Wedding Yentas recently had a chit-chat with Jackie Sorkin of
Custom Candy Buffets and Dessert Bars and just like the treats she provides, this top-notch wedding pro was sweet and fun, and we’re excited to share our exchange here! Jackie has sweetened up some of the biggest wedding events in history and also provides buffets for corporate functions and celebrities! We’ve all seen the candy buffet trend explode all over the wedding circuit that keeps guests excited to party hard at your reception. Sugar will do that to you! So keep on reading to learn just how to make sure your confections at your soiree are as sweet as your kisses under the chuppah!
The Wedding Yentas: Welcome to The Wedding Yentas, Jackie! Tell us about how you got your start in the business.
Custom Candy Buffets: I love things that are pretty and candy certainly is that! I began creating custom candy creations for clients’ events and they were received so well that I thought, “There is something to this candy thing.” Then I began doing more and more event shows and expos and, since I am so competitive, I wanted all the attendees at my booth chatting with me and giving me the opportunity to earn their businesses! So, I created some really great Custom Candy Buffet Bars and just like that, I won! My booths were always swamped with guests and people flipped for my candy.
TWY: So, candy buffets started to pop up around wedding receptions about three years ago. Is this trend still going strong?
CCB: We certainly think this trend will stick around for a long time coming! People have actually been enjoying candy stations for quite sometime now. I remember when I attended Bat & Bar Mitzvahs many moons ago the candy station was always a huge hit with the kids, but even more so with the adults! Now you see them at all types of events from weddings to corporate events and they are great for marketing promotions, too.
TWY: There’s enough food and sweets at a typical wedding reception. Between the hors d’oeuvres, entrees, wedding cake, and of course that open bar, why should a bride and groom choose to also have a candy bar at their wedding?
CCB: Weddings are a fantastic place for a candy buffet especially when the bride and groom would like guests to give something to take away with them. Candy buffets also are a super fun DIY favor, a great conversation piece, and can enhance the events’ decor, often adding a fun, whimsical touch.
TWY: So what’s the best way to set up a candy buffet? Do you start with your color palette? And obviously, the whole set up has to look great. Almost as great as the bride, right?
CCB: The bride always outshines every person, place, and thing on her wedding day! We like to start with design consultations, or as we call them, candy consults. We create inspiration boards and discuss theme and color schemes as well.
TWY: Is there such thing as too much? What’s the perfect amount of candy for a guest list of, say, 200 people?
CCB: This is such a popular question and we simply say, Go Big! More is always merrier when it comes to candy! For 200 guests, a nice variety is encouraged and of course the type of candy you will have will always depend on the color scheme you select.
TWY: What else besides candy do you need for a successful candy buffet?
CCB: Great Decor!
TWY: Brides normally do a DIY candy bar. How should they shop for the candy selections?
CCB: To each her own. As they say, “there are no rules in Candy Land.” Every budget is different, too, so determining how much you’d like to spend on your candy buffet will also determine the types of candy you purchase.
TWY: Is there a must-have candy that belongs in every wedding candy buffet?
CCB: Gummy candy, sours or chocolate.
TWY: You get around to some of the coolest weddings and events! Tell us about one of your favorite set ups.
CCB: We’ve created some fabulous events for Oprah and her staff at her new network OWN. We created a colorful tropical candy buffet, a vintage circus, and have created some super cute custom candy baskets too! I mean it’s OPRAH and everything she and her staff does is fabulous!
TWY: Speaking of set ups, do couples have to provide their own canisters or do you rent them for the event?
CCB: Our services are all inclusive. Our clients do not have to bother with anything at their event. We make everyone’s life easy! We design, create, set up, maintain the candy buffet, clean up, and pick up once it’s all over.
TWY: I’m sure there are now couples that are craving some sugar at their weddings after reading this! Do you travel? Where do you go? Are you rackin’ up the frequent flyer miles?
CCB: We are nationwide and YES, we fly and ship and do it all!
TWY: What are the hottest and trendiest candies to feature at a candy buffet?
CCB: I find that people flip for sour candy like sour belts, Sour Patch Kids, sour apple rings, etc.
TWY: What are your favorite color schemes or styles?
CCB: I LOVE a fabulous colorful candy buffet — think rainbow colors. It looks fantastic every time!
TWY: What are some candy buffet no-nos?
CCB: Think about the weather. If it’s too hot you should limit the types of candy that will melt, like chocolates and caramels and even some gummy candy will melt with extreme heat. Be careful when selecting containers. Some may look fantastic, but the are not functional so guests will have a hard time trying to reach the candy in the containers. Always keep it clean and sanitary. Our Candy Girls (Attendants) assist guests with selections and keep everything looking fantastic throughout your event.
TWY: Is it good to feature a variety? Is it okay to have some chocolate, some sour, some sugary, some salty? Or, is it better to stick with one kind of taste palette?
CCB: This depends on your candy vision. A variety is always good but some colors are more challenging to source candy for.
TWY: I’m a chocolate girl. I also dig a good gummy animal — worm, bear — I don’t discriminate. What’s your favorite candy?
CCB: Ummm, kind of hard to answer but I’ll say … jelly beans (the old school kind).
TWY: You take out ALL the calories in all your candy bar set ups, right?? RIGHT?????
CCB: OH YES! We tell our clients, “Our candy makes you skinny, pretty, and popular so eat up!”
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