So we've probably all been to a wedding that had a candy bar, and we all know how much fun and how great they look. Especially when the bride and groom create a theme, whether it be their wedding colors or types of candy (such as old school candy - Poppey Smokes or gold mine gum anyone?)So here are some new food station ideas to WOW your guests!

Hot Chocolate Bar - think biscotti, chocolate drizzled marshmellows, whipped cream, colored sprinkles....

Coffee Bar - from espresso to flavored lattes, you can even use some of the ideas from the chocolate bar above - biscotti and coffee..mmmm

Popcorn Bar - Use sweet and savory flavors to appeal to all pallets

Cookie Bar - include some shoots of milk to wash down delicious homemade cookies

Ice Cream Bar - sprinkles, choclate and caramel sauce, whipped cream, bananas, cherries... keep your guest cool while their on the dance floor

Carnival Food Bar - Popcorn, corn dogs, mini burgers, candy floss, and of course mini donuts!

One of my favorite parts about going to weddings is seeing all the unique ways Brides and Grooms thank their guests for sharing their special day with them. Yes, that's right - the favors. We've moved away from little rounds of tulle filled with candy coated almonds to just about anything you can think of. Candy, popcorn, candles, CDs, home-made chocolates, salt and pepper shakers, and the list goes on and on. But half the fun of it can be the packaging it comes in!!

One of my favorite stores in the city is Creative Packaging, which I've blogged about before. But today I accidentally landed on The Container Store. Usually when I find these fun sites, they never seem to ship to Canada, so when I saw the little Canadian flag that said "now shipping to Canada" - you can only imagine how happy that made me!

One of my favorites is the Birch Veneer Wine Bottle Cylinder. What a unique way to present a host/hostess or a wedding guest with a bottle of wine. You could jazz it up with a monogram stamp or some colorful ribbon.

The Clear Handled Cases would be perfect to fill up with fun shades of OPI nail polish to present to all the ladies standing by your side as you plan your big day. Just think of how much fun it would be to be presented with a case full of fun colored nail polishes just in time for Spring and Summer!Then there are all the different shapes, sizes and colors that the Amac boxes come in. You can find the perfect shape and color to package that special gift for your guests!

I've posted just a few of my favorites, but check it out for yourself.

I'm a HUGE fan of Candy bars at weddings, birthday parties, holiday events, and any other kind of event you can think of. But now more and more brides and event planners are trying to think outside the box. So I got to thinking about my favorite food, POPCORN, and how much fun it could be at a wedding or other type of event. Kernels has so many amazing flavors and it is such an affordable option. Just fill glass containers with your favorite kinds, from Chocolate to Jalapeno Jack and you're set. Over at Wedding Star you can even purchase these cute Popcorn containers with cute stickers on them that would be perfect for your wedding! Don't like the containers? Visit Michael's or Creative Packaging and find some glassin bags or plastic bags, decorate with your choice of sticker and VOILA! A fun, interactive bar for your guest to munch on through the night or to take home to eat the next day!

You can also have fun with this idea with cookies too!

I just LOVE these VIP passes from Finestationary.com! What a great idea to get people excited about your night out with the girls and/or guys!

While these can be ordered through the US at finestationary.com, there are so many talented invitation specialists here that could replicate this look for you and save you on the shipping costs!

If you're having guests travel from outside Calgary to partake in your wedding festivities, here are so simple tips to make their trip more enjoyable:

1. Room Blocks - Call hotels at least 6 months in advance and book a room block for your guests. This guarantees a special rate for your guest until 4-6 weeks before the wedding. You will not be required to put any money down to do this. Guests can be forwarded this information on your wedding website, via email or even in an insert in your save-the-dates or wedding invitations. The hotel will release the rooms into regular inventory 4-6 weeks before your date, so ensure guests know to book by a certain date.

2. Out-of-town guest bags - These do not need to be expensive. Things like a map of the downtown area, coupons to the Calgary Zoo or Calgary tower and a few yummy treats are a nice way to say thank you to your guests for traveling from far away. Pick up a case of bottled water, some chips and a few other snacks from places such as Costco or Superstore, and put them in a simple gift bag. Deliver them to the hotel and ask them to put them in their room before they arrive. Everyone loves getting special treats! (Did you know Cornerstone Events will shop and put these together for you in their full service wedding planning package?)

3. Visit Calgary Tourism - Calgary Tourism will give you FREE guides to the city of Calgary and surrounding area. In these guides there is visitor travel tips, maps, attractions, dining, shopping guides and so much more! It even includes a great "If you've got just one day" article which gives guests a great list of things to do in just one day to take in some of the great attractions our city has to offer.

4. Welcome Reception - If time and money permit, consider having a little cocktail party for your out of town guests. This can be just as simple as a backyard get together, or a party at the hotel they are staying in. Just another little way to say thanks to them.

With NYE just around the corner our thoughts turn to sipping bubbly and celebrating with friends and family as we ring in a new year. Not too different then when we think about upcoming weddings! Looking for ways to throw a fabulous wedding without breaking the bank? How about a cocktail wedding reception?

Cocktail wedding receptions are formal events and, typically, call for formal attire for women and black tie or business for men. Since wedding guests stand for most of the party, these parties encourage mingling. You can add cocktail tables and stools and even funky couches for guests, especially grandma and grandpa, to rest. Why not throw in some late night dancing if your venue has the space.

Cocktail receptions are perfect for newlyweds looking to have an elegant affair, without spending a fistful of dollars. How about holding it at an art gallery, on outdoor terraces underneath the stars or in garden surrounded with patio lanterns.

To keep the bar tab low many couples choose to limit the number of types of drinks serviced, choosing only champagne, wine and beer and maybe a few other specialty or signature drinks.

Some d'oeuvres may also be served by waitstaff or on buffet tables at a cocktail reception. The wedding cake is cut after the wedding ceremony. This way guests can enjoy a piece of the wedding cake along with their drinks.

Need some help finding that funky reception venue for your upcoming cocktail reception in Calgary? Call Cornerstone Events today!

Here are some great champagne recipes for your next party!

Champagne Cocktail - Courtesy of Food Network

Cosmopolitan Champagne Cocktail - Courtesy of Lifestyle Yahoo!

Jelled Champagne Dessert - Courtesy of Taste of Home

We had a Christmas party a few weeks ago and I went searching for table clothes to cover my kitchen table and coffee table. I couldn't seem to find anything that matched the color scheme I was going for. So while in Superstore I found some really cool gift wrap and that's when the idea hit me. I wrapped my tables, including my kitchen counter with wrapping paper! I even decorated it with ribbons and bows! 

Now I know what everyone is thinking, that's not a very environmentally friendly way to decorate. But I'm making the paper do double duty - I've torn it off carefully and am now using it to wrap presents. 

Enjoy the pics!

We were reviewing photos from our wedding in August to get pictures of the candy buffet we did, and found this one. This would be the “After” shot. This candy buffet did not last long. This was all that was left when we arrived. We figured we had too much candy when we purchased it all, and we learned one important thing about candy – there is no such thing as TOO much candy!

Candy buffets are a great way to get guests involved at your wedding or any other party for that matter. Just find cute containers, and tell guests to fill up on their favorite treats. You can color coordinate the candy to match you colors, or do a very colorful candy buffet with all kinds of sugary treats. The color scheme for this wedding was pink and black, so we did pink M&Ms, Jelly Belly’s, and licorice all sorts, as well as black licorice, and these great black and white penguins that tasted like peaches! (We found those at Superstore in their bulk bins!)

Here is a list of some great Candy places to shop for your candy buffet.
Sweet Surprise Eau Claire Market, 200 Barclay Parade S.W.; 403-777-1881
Candy Bouquet945 General Ave. N.E.; 403-265-8687; http://www.candybouquet.com/
Jolly Goods Candy Shop24 High St. S.E.; 403-225-4007; http://www.jollygoodscandy.ca/
Yummy Company235 26 Ave. S.E.; 403-279-9866; http://www.yummyco.com/
The Candy Tree1-800-668-7677; http://www.thecandytree.ca/
Welch’s- The Banff Candy Store
Banff Avenue http://www.banffcandy.com/

Want to see more pictures of a great Candy buffet? Check out Hostess with the Mostess for their posting!

We're always looking for a favor that does double duty at a wedding or event, so these cool napkin rings caught our eye. They're from Ikea and cost only $7.99 for a set of 6, that works out to $1.33 each! Tag on a cute eye catching place card and it will add to your decor too! We love items like this for weddings as it's a way to save big bucks! Your guests will love taking them home and using them for their next dinner party too!

Photo courtesy of ikea.com