Candy buffets have been a long standing trend in weddings and special events. They're a fun, decorative way to offer sweet treats to your guests. There are so many clever ways to add a personal touch to your wedding candy buffet and TheWeddingOutlet.com has some including customized candies, personalized goodie bags or colorful favor boxes with a custom thank you tag. Shop the Candy Buffet to find all our New Arrivals for 2014 that will add color and personalization to your candy bar.

Shop Wedding Goodie Bags | Featured: Chevron Treat Bags

Shop Candies | Featured: Life Saver Favors

While shopping for your candy bar be sure to pick up a few Ceramic Letter Dishes to fill with candy and show off a custom message, your monogram or other statement!

For this week only - when you shop at TheWeddingOutlet.com you will SAVE 10% off your order (NO Minimum) when you use coupon code "banner10". Happy Shopping!

When you place your cupcakes in these designer wrappers, you will be creating a beautifully unique presentation for your guests. These cupcake wrappers are made from durable paper and will dress up cupcakes for a wedding, bridal shower or even a candy buffet table. They're available in fun colors and designs to compliment any event. Note: These wrappers are for display purposes only, do not bake cupcakes in these wrappers.

PRESENTATION TIPS:
For best results, follow these steps . . .
1. Assemble wrapper by simply sliding tab into slot.
2. Place baked, unfrosted cupcake inside assembled cupcake wrapper.
3. Frost cupcake, and be careful not to get frosting on your cupcake's new designer outfit

Don't Miss the Current Promo at The Wedding Outlet
10% off - NO Minimum with coupon code: springfun10

Happy Valentine's Day Eve - I'm thrilled to welcome Great Performances {one of NYC’s premier event production companies} to the blog today. They are here to share their tips for turning an ordinary Valentine's Day celebration into an extraordinary one! First up is the menu . . .

Menu Planning

1. Focus on aphrodisiac menu items such as oysters, dark chocolate, truffles, red wine and ginger to set the mood for your romantic evening.

Recipe Suggestions:
Mini Truffle Mushroom Pizzas
Chocolate Decadence Cake
Carrot Ginger Soup

2. Create a menu inspired by the Seven Deadly Sins with rich and creamy items representing gluttony, gold leaf garnishes for greed, a spicy dish for anger or beautiful desserts for vanity.

Recipe Suggestions:
Mae Mae Café Pasta with Kale and Sausage
Spicy Vegetarian Chili
Sylvia’s Table Meringue Kisses

3. As a nod to Cupid, serve a kabob style dish skewered on Cupid’s arrows.

Recipe Suggestions:
Tequila and Lime Chicken Skewers

Decor

1. Create a dramatic and romantic atmosphere by buying inexpensive candles in bulk – with varying heights and widths – so you can fill your space with the warm glow of hundreds of flickering candles. Cover every surface with candles to make a bold and beautiful statement.

2. Stop in to your local bodega or corner market and buy several dozen of their inexpensive rose bouquets. At checkout, have the store bundle all of the bouquets together to create one huge assortment of bright red roses. By skipping the florist and taking this semi-DIY approach, you can make a giant bouquet for a small investment.

3. Rethink the usual reds and pinks and use deep purples and golds to create a more dramatic and sophisticated table. Adding in a touch of black lace ups the ante with a seductive flare.

4. Be playful with your centerpieces – a collection of ostrich feathers on the table are a light and seductive accent for the evening.

Misc.

1. Instead of simply giving a gift, design a special treasure hunt for your special someone. Incorporate each course of the meal by hiding clues under plates or with certain dishes – get creative!

2. If you don’t have time to cook a full meal, you can still make the evening special by setting a beautiful and simple table – don’t forget the candles! – and ordering in from your favorite takeout restaurant. This way you don’t have to worry about dishes and will have more time for a relaxing and romantic evening together.

About the Guest Author: Great Performances is New York City’s premier catering company spearheading the evolving “food as fashion” movement. The company is known for incorporating seasonal ingredients into its delicious, innovative and beautifully designed food presentations. Counting many of the city's most high-profile cultural institutions and landmark properties as clients, such as Sotheby's, The Plaza, Asia Society, BAM, and Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola (at the Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center), Great Performances is the only New York City caterer to own and operate its own 60-acre organic farm, Katchkie Farm, in Kinderhook, NY.

Images Credits for Decor Ideas: Purple and Gold Place Setting via fabyoubliss.com, Ostrich Feathers, Roses from Market via kimberlytaylorimages.com

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A Rustic Wedding Theme is one of the more popular wedding themes among couples today. It's no wonder that 2014 has brought New Arrivals to Daisy Days showcasing burlap and lace on ceremony and reception accessories. These featured rustic accessories are perfect additions to your reception.

Love is sweet and so is the treat your guests will find in these Burlap Favor Bags. Not only will they add a touch of rustic decor to your tables but they can be filled with whatever goodie you decide to give.

This two-sided Vintage Wedding Reception Sign features a vintage style design and "This way to the Reception" printed in black. This sign is waterproof and includes metal stakes for inserting into the ground. A great way to guide guests to your celebration and add some vintage flair to the outdoors.

Enhance the reception tables with this unique Eat, Drink and Be Married Burlap Table Runner. It is perfect for your head table, dessert table or candy buffet.

While I married a little over 11 years ago - I'm almost certain not much has changed when it comes to creating your wedding registry. I can recall not being entirely certain what items would be must-have items, but now after being married and having 2 children, there are definitely items that I use nearly every day. And, now, with Williams-Sonoma's Open Kitchen, it's super easy to find Wedding Registry Gifts under $100. In this particular collection you will find 100+ everyday essentials and they start at just $5. Today I'm sharing my Top 10 Wedding Registry Must-Haves along with details on how super easy it is to create a Williams-Sonoma Wedding Registry {both in store and online} as well as how you can enter the Wedding Registry Sweepstakes and win a $5,000 Williams-Sonoma Gift card plus weekly prizes from KitchenAid, Le Creuset, Wusthof and more.

Top 10 Must-Have Wedding Registry Gifts from Williams-Sonoma

1. non-stick pans - Who wants to spend the night scrubbing away food that is caked onto the pans?
featured: Williams-Sonoma Open Kitchen Hard-Anodized Fry Pan Set, $79

2. glass bowl set - perfect for mixing cake batters, cookie doughs and all the yummy desserts {also great for chopped veggies and even serving salads in}.
featured: 10-Piece Glass Bowl Set, $39.95

3. silicon spoons - another must for use with your non-stick pans {so great for those all in one dinner dishes}
featured: Williams-Sonoma Open Kitchen Nylon Slotted Spoon, $10

4. nonstick muffin pan - Not only for desserts, but you can make great breakfast muffins as well as dinner ones {think cornbread muffins}. I really wanted to show a donut pan too but it appears they are no longer available. PLEASE BRING BACK THE DONUT PANS Williams-Sonoma! Being able to bake and not fry donuts is the best!
featured: Williams-Sonoma Goldtouch® Nonstick Muffin Pan, $29.95

5. silicon spatulas - A must for use with your non-stick pans to flip your grilled cheese, pancakes and move your cookies to the wire rack.
featured: Williams-Sonoma Open Kitchen Stainless-Steel Spatula, $12

6. glass storage containers - Seeing the leftovers makes it easy to be sure they are eaten before going bad.
featured: Bormioli Rocco Glass Storage Container Set, Square, $19.95

7. strainer - for sifting baking ingredients to draining pasta and rinsing berries
featured: Williams-Sonoma Open Kitchen Large Strainer, $18

9. flexible cutting boards - Now it's easy to funnel your chopped ingredients into a prep bowl or pan
featured: Dexas Flexi Square Cutting Boards, Set of 4, $19.95

9. microwave and dishwasher safe dinnerware - You can't go wrong with one set of dishes that can go from the microwave to the table to the dishwasher.
featured: Williams-Sonoma Open Kitchen Dinnerware Collection, sets of 4, between $20-24 per set

10. paring knife - With a good paring knife you are set for many cutting and chopping tasks. This one features a wider blade to make it easy to transfer chopped garlic or herbs from the cutting board.
featured: KAI for Williams-Sonoma Paring Knife, $9.95

Now, that you have a list of the Top 10 items you want to be sure to register for, it's now time to set up your Williams-Sonoma Wedding Registry.

To create yours, simply visit the Williams-Sonoma Wedding Registry page and scroll down to click on "create a registry".

With your registry, you will receive a discount off of their cooking classes and a 10% completion discount for 6 months after your event date. You will also have access to a Williams-Sonoma consultant who is there to help you every step of the way. You can set up private appointments to discuss your needs as a couple, have any questions answered about the products, and for help in creating your dream wish list.

And, don't forget the best part about creating your wedding registry through Williams-Sonoma . . . you could win in the Dream Wedding Registry Sweepstakes.

After you create your registry, simply click on the "Dream Registry Sweepstakes" bar at the top of the page. You will then be entered for a chance to win a $5,000 Williams-Sonoma Gift card plus weekly prizes from KitchenAid, Le Creuset, Wusthof and more! PLUS, you can increase your chances of winning by entering daily through March 16, 2014.

To see even more registry items under $100 from Williams-Sonoma, please visit my pinterest board Wedding Registry Essentials $100 or less from Williams-Sonoma. Do you have any other must-have items a couple should register for? You can either be planning a wedding or already married. I'd love to know what other items you find are must-have's.

I want to thank Williams-Sonoma for sponsoring today's post and inspiring me to share my list of the Top 10 Must-Have items to include in your wedding registry.