10 Sweet Ideas for a Fabulous Candy Buffet

Candy buffets are popping up at baby showers, sophisticated soirees for a Girls’ Night In, holiday parties, weddings and even big milestone birthdays. So why not have one at your next party? Our candy buffet idea gallery will inspire you to create your own delicious display. For the very best selection of candies including M&Ms in designer colors, visit your nearest Party City store.

Decorations like banners, table covers and lanterns can really set off your candy buffet. For this Fisher Price baby shower that works for a girl or boy, we started with a colorful brown and pastel accented table cover, super-cute personalized banner, themed garland and lanterns. Then we added color-coordinated candy and cuddly touches with adorable plush animals and toys.

It's fun to let your favorite character guide your candy choices. Any Hello Kitty fan will adore this rainbow-colored candy buffet that mixes Hello Kitty-themed sweets with bright gumballs, balloon lollipops and Ring Pops. Party City offers candy that coordinates with popular birthday party themes like SpongeBob, Toy Story and Disney Princess.

Think creatively when it comes to selecting candy containers for your candy buffet. Use transparent containers of different sizes and heights, like these oversized glasses. Mix and match a selection of see-through colored glass vases, punch bowls, candle holders or transparent serving bowls to create a tempting display.

Candy buffets aren't just for baby showers and weddings; a fruit-themed candy bar can add a whimsical note to a tropical luau or tiki party. We started with shaped candy fruit, jelly slices and fruit pops then added gumballs and other confections in bright coordinating colors. Complete the display with a tropical garland and favor containers in citrus brights.

Personalize your buffet by attaching labels to ID each candy with the Candy Buffet Decoration Kit, or make your own signs and time them on with colorful ribbon. Bright swirl lollipops with a thank you message are a thoughtful touch for guests, especially when they're picked up as friends leave your party.

A candy buffet isn't just a sweet extra – you can use it to create a dramatic visual display that captures your guests' attention. Choose a key candy color, then pair it with a contrasting shade. We chose robin's egg blue sweets and paired them with black candy sticks, lollipops, foil chocolate hearts and gumballs plus a few white accents. Silver trays and larger-than-life glassware decorated with coordinating pale blue and black-dotted ribbon make for an upscale look.

For a baby shower or a wedding, indulge everyone's sweet tooth by adding a candy buffet to your dessert table. Set out cookies, cakes or a themed cupcake stand, then add coordinating candy like these gumballs, candy sticks and lollipops in shades of pink for a girl's baby shower. If you place the buffet near the door, guests can fill up favor containers for a sweet ride home.

Cake pops – small pieces of frosted cake served on a stick – are a dessert trend your guests will love just as much as cupcakes. You can make your own original cake pops like these blue ones for a boy's baby shower and stand them up in a floral foam "garden" display decorated with matching crinkle shred and gumballs. Party City offers a variety of cake pop kits in the Duff Goldman collection.

Your candy can do double duty when you use a favorite piece from the candy buffet as a table centerpiece. For this baby shower, pink stork pens were added to the gumball jar to give the centerpiece a little extra fluff. Keep your candy buffet together until it's time to eat, then move containers of candy to the center of your tables. Guests will love the sweet touch they add.

If you're throwing a holiday party, try creating a candy buffet that focuses on the festive colors of that day. In this candy buffet, a red and pink color combination set the scene for Valentine's Day. Incorporate your chosen colors not only in your candy, but in your serving pieces and decorations, too.