When it comes to your big day, you want to make it as memorable and special for guests as it will be for you. It can be hard to figure out the best wedding favors that everyone will enjoy and that fit your budget, but luckily, wedding candy is a fun and sweet option.
Below we’ll break out the different options you have for picking out candy, from chocolate to soft and hard candy favorites. We’ll also include some tips for assembling your candy favors or for serving them if you choose to create a wedding candy bar for your guests to enjoy!
Questions For Buying Candy Wedding
Before you go and buy any bulk candy for your wedding, make sure you first consider all the factors that will either make it a hit or a flop. The best candy for wedding favors is a gift that accounts for what your guests enjoy, but also fits in with the setting of your day.
Here are some questions you need to ask yourself to get started.
1. How should I store the candy?
There’s nothing like the magic of a bright sunny day and an outdoor wedding — but if you choose chocolate wedding favors, your guests may find an unpleasant surprise.
Even if your guests are seated out of the sun, chocolate wedding favors can still easily melt from the outdoor temperature alone.
If you are determined to have chocolate or a treat that easily melts in the heat, try:
- Storing them in coolers or a refrigerator and delivering them during a cooler period of the occasion or later in the evening
- Freezing them a few days before the event (though you may need to test how long to make them resistant enough without affecting the taste)
- Planning the event during a cooler season/time of the year
If you are planning for a warmer season and want to look for alternatives less likely to cause a mess, there are plenty of other options to choose from. Mints and hard candies will fare much better and can be placed directly at your guests’ table setting so they’re ready to go at the start of the reception.
2. Who am I inviting?
Most people certainly have a sweet tooth and enjoy a treat to have and to hold. But while collecting RSVPs you may notice wedding guests that require specific dietary accommodations.
It’s up to you how far you’d like to extend those accommodations, but know that you can meet them with candy options that are:
3. What is the maximum cost I want to pay per favor?
Today, couples typically spend as little as $2 and at most around $5 per favor. However, at the end of the day, it’s up to you and your partner to decide how much you’re willing to spend.
This dollar amount should ultimately be in line with both your overall budget and the size of your guest list. (It’s easier to splurge on more expensive favors if you have a smaller guest list.)
If staying on budget is crucial, think about personalized candy for your wedding. There are plenty of ways to personalize your candy without spending too much after purchasing what you need. (More on this later!)
Best Candy For Wedding Favors
When it comes to finding the best candy for wedding favors, there’s certainly no one right answer. What works best for you will depend on the logistics of your special day and what fits your budget criteria.
Below we’ll take a look at different categories of candy and some of the top options to choose from. And if you’re new to shopping in large quantities, don’t forget to check out this guide to shopping in bulk for beginners first.
Chocolate Candy Wedding Favors
There’s nothing that beats the rich taste of chocolate. Today, it is predicted that around 7.5 million tons of chocolate have been consumed (around 16 billion pounds of chocolate per year) worldwide.
Our top 5, budget-friendly wedding options include:
- Mini chocolate bars
- Handmade peanut butter cups
- Chocolate caramels & truffles
- Chocolate-covered coffee beans
- Handmade fudge
Wrapped Candy for– Wedding Favors
If you’re wanting candy for the wedding reception that’s ready to pass out as soon as you get it, be on the lookout for wrapped candy for wedding favors.
While you can easily add a small sticker or tag to personalize it, this candy also comes ready to hand out as is — saving you the time and headache of assembling favors.
Some elegant and classic options for wrapped candy include:
- Butterscotch hard candies
- Lemon drops
- Caramel creams
- Dots
- Saltwater taffy
- Wrapped chocolates
Colored Candy for Wedding Favors
Hosting a less traditional wedding and looking for colored candy for wedding favors that stands out? There are plenty of fun colorful candies you can choose from in a variety of flavors that are sure to make your guests smile.
Our favorite colored candy options include:
- Jolly Ranchers
- Fruit-flavored Tootsie Rolls
- Jawbreakers
- Assorted gummy candies
- Rock candy sticks
- Jelly beans
- Fruit Lifesavers®
- Lollipops
- Gumballs
Traditional Wedding Candy
Maybe you’re hosting a more formal affair and wondering if there’s any traditional wedding candy to match your special day. Thankfully, you’ll find plenty of fun and sweet options that can match the elegance of your day.
Some classic types of candy you can use include:
- Chocolate-covered mints
- Party mints
- Sugared almonds (also called Jordan almonds)
- White Lifesavers®
Assembling Wedding Candy Favor Ideas
Once you pick your candy, it’s time to figure out how you’ll be presenting it for guests. Consider doing a trial run by grabbing a few different packaging materials and assembling 2-3 options to decide what you like best.
Depending on how crafty you are, there are plenty of great DIY ideas for creating your wedding favors. Or you can easily buy clever and personalized accessories and just enlist a few friends to help put it all together.
Below are some of our favorite tips for putting it all together.
Pick a Creative Wedding Candy Box or Wedding Candy Bag
Consider the size and capacity of what you pick so that it doesn’t look too empty or too crammed with the amount of candy you’re giving each guest.
You can go with many different varieties and types of containers:
- Creative containers
- Little plastic bottles
- Regular little packaging bags (like for mini gummy bears)
- Mini-tins (like for mints)
- Bigger containers
- Jars
- Boxes
- Smaller/Simpler ones
- Can look like everyday objects (like tea bags or tote bags)
- Regular, easy to transport plastic/cellophane wrap bags
- Foil
- Paper bags
- Thin cardboard
- Drawstring lace/velvet bags
Add a Personal Touch with Extra Decoration
As mentioned above, it’s often a more cost-effective solution to create personalized wedding candy by customizing the packaging afterward, instead of paying a hefty price for custom-printed candy wrapping.
Some of our favorite ways to make favors personable include:
- Extra ribbon, string, or twine
- Customizable wedding stickers
- Customizable wedding tags
- Bows
- Custom wrappers with an image/symbol, phrase, or names of the newlyweds
- Unique bags/containers to gift them
- Custom-printed designs on the wedding candy itself
Tips For Offering a Wedding Candy Bar
If you’re looking to put a twist on tradition and serve up your wedding candy differently, consider setting up a wedding candy bar for the big day.
Your guests can grab a bag and choose the candy they like best, so everyone ends up with a favor they like.
Estimate How Much Candy You’ll Need
To get started, you’ll need to make sure you have enough candy. When it comes to how much to buy, we recommend estimating at least 4 oz. of candy per guest. Not every guest will grab some, but it ensures you won’t accidentally run short.
So take your total guest count and multiply it by 4 to get the total ounces needed. From there, it’s up to you to choose how many different candy options you offer, you’ll just need to make sure that it totals up to the final ounce amount you need.
Also think about including other small desserts and pastries as a wedding candy bar favor to add some variety if you wish to.
Some options may include:
- Cupcakes
- Macaroons
- Cakepops
- Cookies
- Whoopie Pies
- Chocolate-covered pretzels
Setting Up Your Wedding Candy Bar
Next, it’s time to think about the logistics of your wedding candy table. You’ll want to make sure your guests have a seamless experience and that starts with making sure the candy bar is set up in its own devoted, easy-to-access area.
We recommend making sure your candy bar is:
- Stocked with bags and serving utensils (scoops, tongs, etc.)
- Set up with serving jars and containers to hold the candy
- Color-coordinated to match your theme
- Decorated with backdrops and signs (so it stands out)
Think about what will fit the theme of the event best, both aesthetically and tastefully.
You could stick with a color theme, such as going more classic or creative (or both). Or add decorations to the table such as frames with fun messages, signs about what is being offered, and glass covers to help protect/preserve some of the treats being offered.
When Should I Buy Wedding Candy Favors?
Timing is everything when it comes to buying a consumable wedding candy favor. You want to make sure you have it ahead of time, but it’s also important that it still tastes fresh.
It’s to your benefit to not buy wedding favors too early because you likely won’t have a firm idea of how many guests are actually attending. The best rule of thumb is to purchase the candy about one month beforehand.
The biggest perk of working with a local candy provider is that you can place your bulk order ahead of time so you know it’s taken care of, but arrange for pickup closer to the wedding. That way you know you’re getting candy that’s fresh and ready for your guests to enjoy!
This blog was originally published on May 6, 2021, and was updated in August 24, 2023.
