Having A Bar Of It... - Polka Dot Wedding

Lolly (or candy depending on what you prefer to call it) Buffets have been showing up in abundance at weddings. Brides love creating tables with treats and guests love helping themselves.

I know bars and buffets may be something people think has been “done”. But I still see beautiful designs by amazing stylists (such as the queen Amy Atlas) and brides using the idea with joy and creating their own beautiful displays. I think if you love it, there are so many creative food or drink ‘bars’ you could consider for your reception to still offer your guests something special and different.

So today and Thursday, I have two entries packed full of ideas for you!

Let’s start at the beginning…

– Lolly Bar – colour co-ordinated with your reception colours, or multi coloured, offered in large glass containers with scoops, Chinese food containers, paper bags, set up like an old fashioned corner shop (Check out the L For Lolly Buffet entry for extra help on creating your own)

Dessert Table by Amy Atlas Events

– Coffee Bar – offer different sorts of good coffee made by a qualified barista, or iced coffee, Irish coffee, mocha. Sugar sticks, cream, liqueurs and syrups, along with tasty morsels to nibble

– Chocolate Bar – beautiful chocolates created by a chocolatier, or chocolate sauces flavoured with orange, liqueurs, along with good ice cream, cinnamon hot chocolate drinks, chocolate fondue with fruit for dipping, chocolate desserts such as chocolate fondant, Sacher Torte, brownies

– Meringue Bar – plain, caramel, brown sugar or chocolate flecked meringues, sauces such as chocolate, caramel, toffee, passionfruit, strawberries, berries, kiwi fruit, mangoes, lots of whipped cream and ice cream

– Cupcake Bar – iced beautifully in delicate colours, on old fashioned cake stands or vintage plates, with a selection of teas in pretty pots, creamers and sugar bowls, or serve with a dessert wine such as Madeira

– Donut Bar – pyramids of freshly cooked donuts from small to large, sugared, iced or filled with jam and cream, or donut balls

Ice Cream Bar by Eat, Drink, Chic

– Ice cream or sorbet bar – good quality ice creams and sorbets – offer several different flavours such as in an ice cream shop. Provide a variety of toppings such as smashed confectionery bars, sauces, sprinkles, chocolate curls, berries, in flat containers with a scoop so that guests can have the fun of creating their own sweet treat

– Sweets and desserts from your country of origin e.g Lebanese, Greek, Italian, Asian, Indian – offer a special and personal touch to your reception

– A bar created around particular food e.g. lemons, apples, toffee, seafood – can be colour co-ordinated with your wedding – lemons for a yellow themed wedding – think lemon meringue pie, lemon drops, lemon curd etc

– A cake bar or a biscuit bar – a variety of cakes or biscuits, presented on cake stands, old biscuit tins, glass apothecary jars

– A popcorn bar – freshly popped corn, provide the toppings alongside – caramel, maple syrup, butter, chilli, spices, salt

Soda Bar by Jordan Ferney via Project Wedding

– Old fashioned drinks bar – homemade lemonade, homemade ginger beer, apple cider, milk shakes, ice cream sodas. Offer with curly or patterned straws, old fashioned cups and glasses (such as tall metal containers for the milkshakes), think fancy lemonade stand rather than Aussie milk bar.

– Hot drinks stand – mulled wine, hot toddys, hot buttered rum, glass cups, swizzle sticks, honey, maple syrup

– Create a lolly buffet featuring lollies that resemble stripes, squares or spots. For stripes consider candy canes, jelly snakes, licorice, peppermint sticks. For spots consider ball like sweets, such as jaffas, ball shaped lollipops on sticks – any round lolly that fits in with your colour scheme

– Further ideas – a cocktail bar, a cheese buffet, a seafood buffet, a pancake bar – the sky’s the limit!