Sweet Table

MuddyDog

We're doing a sweets table at our wedding in June. Just wondering if anyone here has done this and if so where did you buy your sweets and jars to put them in on the table? Are there any good sites that offer cheap sweets and/or jars when bulk purchasing etc?

October

We bought ours in Musgraves and bought most of the jars in Ikea.

kandr10

October wrote: »

We bought ours in Musgraves and bought most of the jars in Ikea.

Same! My research was all a few years back though so there might now be somewhere online with better value. Musgraves was the best at the time and great choice too. You can also buy Kilner jars and brown paper bags there too. If you wanted nicer candy striped bags have a look on amazon. We also got a few baskets in random home wares store for some larger things in wrappers.

whiskeyman

Have you ever seen it done before?

Reason being... I have, and I didn't really see the point.
I think the novelty of a sweet cart etc... has long gone by now.
The times I've seen it, only a handful of kids went to it, and there were loads left over at the end of the night. Perhaps just do little sweet bags for any kids that are coming?
When at a wedding, I'd rather have good food and / or drink.
If I'm hungry after just getting to the reception and see a huge sweet cart and barely any sandwiches / canapes, that'd be a pretty poor show.
It'd be better you spend the money back into the menu.


However, if you definitely want to go ahead, Aldi can be good for sweets too.

kandr10

whiskeyman wrote: »

Have you ever seen it done before?

Reason being... I have, and I didn't really see the point.
I think the novelty of a sweet cart etc... has long gone by now.
The times I've seen it, only a handful of kids went to it, and there were loads left over at the end of the night. Perhaps just do little sweet bags for any kids that are coming?
When at a wedding, I'd rather have good food and / or drink.
If I'm hungry after just getting to the reception and see a huge sweet card and barely any sandwiches / canapes, that'd be a pretty poor show.
It'd be better you spend the money back into the menu.


However, if you definitely want to go ahead, Aldi can be good for sweets too.

It only costs about €100 though if you DIY it. Really not that big a deal. I've seen it at 2 other weddings apart from my own and it went down well. There was a few left overs so we just put them up for the kids. If you were to spend more on it I'd agree with you though.

October

We only went for sweets that were popular when we were kids so the adults enjoyed the table more than the kids I think!

Pistachios & cream

There's a groupin deal for Haribo at the moment http://www.groupon.ie/deals/special/gg-premiumbrands4less-ie-10/55475373 they seem to have these periodically do if you have time you can do more research and keep an eye out for another deal

I'm planning on going to musgraves this weekend to do some price checking and I'll report back on prices.

Dolbert

Go to alpack.ie for jars, probaby the cheapest you'll get.

bizebee

ahayes84 wrote: »

I'm planning on going to musgraves this weekend to do some price checking and I'll report back on prices.

Is Musgraves only to trade customers or can anyone go in?

Pistachios & cream

bizebee wrote: »

Is Musgraves only to trade customers or can anyone go in?

It's for trade but anyone with a vat number can setup an account. A friend of mine has an account so we can use that and just pay cash on the day.

The last time i was there was over 10 years ago and than the account holder had a card identifying that they were a trade customer and we borrowed that and paid cash at the checkout.

Arbiter of Good Taste

Aldi are good for sweets. You can also be lucky in TK Maxx

ikea are great for the jars.

We went DIY with ours. We filled the jars and the hotel set up the table. It looked fabulous

nearzero

Dolbert wrote: »

Go to alpack.ie for jars, probaby the cheapest you'll get.

Found Alpack great - very cheap & great quality jars

I used the jars with some jelly beans in them as the seating place names & then just had a few other bowls of sweets at the reception table- looked nice & it was enough for my small wedding, only 60 people!

I was sceptical but everything bar the cola cubes were finished at our wedding. So eh get everything but them!

layviae

We got our jars from ikea, our bags from sweets and treats galore, and our scoops and bags from the favourshop.ie all for under 100, wedding is in 2 weeks so I'll let you know how it goes

Greenmachine

ahayes84 wrote: »

There's a groupin deal for Haribo at the moment http://www.groupon.ie/deals/special/gg-premiumbrands4less-ie-10/55475373 they seem to have these periodically do if you have time you can do more research and keep an eye out for another deal

I'm planning on going to musgraves this weekend to do some price checking and I'll report back on prices.

Not great prices there to be honest. Prices on amazon.co.uk about 30% less per tub.

Electric Sheep

whiskeyman wrote: »

Have you ever seen it done before?

Reason being... I have, and I didn't really see the point.
I think the novelty of a sweet cart etc... has long gone by now.
The times I've seen it, only a handful of kids went to it, and there were loads left over at the end of the night. Perhaps just do little sweet bags for any kids that are coming?
When at a wedding, I'd rather have good food and / or drink.
If I'm hungry after just getting to the reception and see a huge sweet cart and barely any sandwiches / canapes, that'd be a pretty poor show.
It'd be better you spend the money back into the menu.


However, if you definitely want to go ahead, Aldi can be good for sweets too.

I agree. Even if you DIY, it is a very low value add for the effort. Also, it's been overdone recently.

pooch90

Dónal wrote: »

I was sceptical but everything bar the cola cubes were finished at our wedding. So eh get everything but them!

I would happily munch away on cola cubes!
Have only been at one wedding where they did it. Only the kids touched it.
The adults wanted the real food.
They left it out for the whole reception and it was still very full at the end.

twillerbee

Very interested in this too. Let us know what the prices are like in Musgraves for different things!

Pistachios & cream

Ok went to musgraves yesterday and got a good bit.

One thing to be aware of is that the prices displayed do not include vat but instead have a vat code beside them. Vat A is 0%, B 10%, C 23%. This will be added at the till. All alcohol , sweets etc are 23% vat.

I found Haribo to be good value with a tub costing about €5.50 including vat. They also had an offer of buy 4 get a 5th for free.

Barratts milk teeth were about €9 including vat

Rhubarb and custard sweets wre about €14 for a huge tub that looked like one of those old fashioned sweet jars

Tub of toffee nice for €12

MuddyDog

ahayes84 wrote: »

Ok went to musgraves yesterday and got a good bit.

One thing to be aware of is that the prices displayed do not include vat but instead have a vat code beside them. Vat A is 0%, B 10%, C 23%. This will be added at the till. All alcohol , sweets etc are 23% vat.

I found Haribo to be good value with a tub costing about €5.50 including vat. They also had an offer of buy 4 get a 5th for free.

Barratts milk teeth were about €9 including vat

Rhubarb and custard sweets wre about €14 for a huge tub that looked like one of those old fashioned sweet jars

Tub of toffee nice for €12

How big are the haribo tubs?

Pistachios & cream

I don't have the weights as I left them in my parents house ( too much temptation) but they are the standard penny sweet size tub. Here's a pic of all I got.

clint_silver

http://www.planetcandy.ie/

clint_silver

Dolbert wrote: »

Go to alpack.ie for jars, probaby the cheapest you'll get.

fantastic site!!!! saved.

greenfrogs

I was at 2 weddings last year and there were sweet tables at both. They went down really well. I think it's good to get all the sweets from your childhood. It brings back memories and usually people don't buy them for themselves anymore. I think one went to Musgraves and got the containers from Ikea.

Pistachios & cream

greenfrogs wrote: »

I was at 2 weddings last year and there were sweet tables at both. They went down really well. I think it's good to get all the sweets from your childhood. It brings back memories and usually people don't buy them for themselves anymore. I think one went to Musgraves and got the containers from Ikea.

I'm the same I absolutely love seeing them. don't care if people think it's overdone I much prefer it to 2 chocolates as favours.

However I plan on having ours available for the drinks reception as I do find it odd Seeing it for the first time at dinner time. I'm also having loads of proper food at the drinks reception.not just the hotels recommended amount of canapés.

kandr10

ahayes84 wrote: »

I'm the same I absolutely love seeing them. don't care if people think it's overdone I much prefer it to 2 chocolates as favours.

However I plan on having ours available for the drinks reception as I do find it odd Seeing it for the first time at dinner time. I'm also having loads of proper food at the drinks reception.not just the hotels recommended amount of canapés.

That's a good idea. We had it there for the whole day too. Maybe that's why we weren't left with much at the end. I can see how people might not notice it or be bothered with it by the time dinner has been eaten. Good luck with the wedding and the rest if the preparations

MuddyDog

ahayes84 wrote: »

I don't have the weights as I left them in my parents house ( too much temptation) but they are the standard penny sweet size tub. Here's a pic of all I got.

What sell by date is on them btw?

Pistachios & cream

I don't know the exact dates off hand but they were all around either the end of 2015 or into 2016

twillerbee

oooohhh how much were the ufos, ice cups and refreshers? nom nom

Milly33

sell by dates on things like that are normally a good year away.. Was looking there in Tiger and they have these loverly heart shaped ginger (I think) biscuits there look very nice for €3 a box of them big box the sell by date was Dec 2015 on them..

I cant say I am a fan of the sweets tables but mmmm UFO's, ohh and sherbet sticks I would be bouncing off the walls..

ABajaninCork

ahayes84 wrote: »

I'm the same I absolutely love seeing them. don't care if people think it's overdone I much prefer it to 2 chocolates as favours.

However I plan on having ours available for the drinks reception as I do find it odd Seeing it for the first time at dinner time. I'm also having loads of proper food at the drinks reception.not just the hotels recommended amount of canapés.

If you're having kids at the wedding, I really wouldn't be putting the sweet table at the pre-dinner reception. Not only will be little darlings be bouncing off the walls, but they won't eat the dinner! Neither would I have loads of nibbles either, for the same reason.

In any case, I'd put the cart in the dining room. People can pick away after dinner.

Pistachios & cream

ABajaninCork wrote: »

If you're having kids at the wedding, I really wouldn't be putting the sweet table at the pre-dinner reception. Not only will be little darlings be bouncing off the walls, but they won't eat the dinner! Neither would I have loads of nibbles either, for the same reason.

In any case, I'd put the cart in the dining room. People can pick away after dinner.

The children at the wedding are my own nieces and nephews and their parents are well able to police their sweet intake. Il also speak to them about it so they are aware it will be there and can act accordingly. We have plenty of large family gatherings where sweets are readily available so the parents are used to limiting their own kids sweet intake.

I have to disagree with you about the other food though. Hungry children and other guests are often just as disruptive. Weddings are very long days and usual meal times are hard to stick to so I'd prefer that there be plenty of proper food at the drinks reception than to have hungry kids. Also with alcohol available from an Early hour I want to be sure to provide plenty of soakage.

Ive also noticed that when the sweet table is in the dining room everyone kids and adults alike make a beeline for it straightaway. I have been guilty of doing this myself .

Pistachios & cream

twillerbee wrote: »

oooohhh how much were the ufos, ice cups and refreshers? nom nom

Refreshers were about 7:50 and ice cups around €8. I don't have the exact prices as my invoice doesn't show the vat so I have to add 23% in my head!

ABajaninCork

ahayes84 wrote: »

The children at the wedding are my own nieces and nephews and their parents are well able to police their sweet intake. Il also speak to them about it so they are aware it will be there and can act accordingly. We have plenty of large family gatherings where sweets are readily available so the parents are used to limiting their own kids sweet intake.

I have to disagree with you about the other food though. Hungry children and other guests are often just as disruptive. Weddings are very long days and usual meal times are hard to stick to so I'd prefer that there be plenty of proper food at the drinks reception than to have hungry kids. Also with alcohol available from an Early hour I want to be sure to provide plenty of soakage.

Ive also noticed that when the sweet table is in the dining room everyone kids and adults alike make a beeline for it straightaway. I have been guilty of doing this myself .

It was an opinion - Not an edict!

jlm29

I was at a couple of weddings the year I was pregnant, and was just delighted with the sweet table at the drinks reception... Definitely kept me a bit happier while everyone else was getting tipsy!
I usually end up going home (or somewhere) for a quick sandwich, between the church and the meal,and I know a lot of people who do the same, so I'd let people know there'll be more than the usual canapés!

Milly33

sure tis a party you suppose to let your hair down and enjoy haha and kids are so much fun when they are wired

greenfrogs

Yah I agree the sweet table is great for those who aren't big drinkers. At a wedding I attended the sweet table was just outside the dining room so everyone got their sweets as they went in for the meal. Some people commented that they ate the sweets instead of the dinner. So I would bear this in mind on where the table is placed and when the guests have access to it.

Jude13

I hadn't been to a wedding in Ireland for years and was back for one last year, the whole wedding was great and I loved the jellies from the sweet table after a few pints.

xzanti

We're getting a candy cart as part of a package (LED Dancefloor, uplighters, Oversized LED 'love' sign, chair covers and sashes, and the cart) all for €1,100!!!

PM me if you want the supplier!

We get the cart, jars and scoops but we have to fill the jars ourselves.

I'm thinking of going to the Pick n Mix in our Tesco, they do paper cups about the size of a large cinema soft drink for €3.99.

I reckon that's the best bet. You'd fit a good load of sweets into those.

I also found some bags of novelty sweets with "just married" stamped into them in the party aisle in Tesco, so I got a few bags of those.

I'm actually really enjoying getting bits and pieces for the candy cart, very exciting :P