What Can The Sweetest Thing Do For You? (Part One)

Obviously we pride ourselves on our awesome candy buffets :)  We love the fact that we provide a unique service to the true candy lovers of Cincinnati. The big picture seers that want to offer their guests an added attraction. A sweet parting gift. A more memorable experience that is their special event. We say all this because this is what we do......but it doesn't stop there!

If a client says "I LOVE the idea of a candy buffet but I want to do something more for my guests" we brainstorm. We ask questions. And we dream up that something more.

This post is about ice cream. Specifically classy, over-the-top ice cream buffets! Hand packed premium ice cream flavors. A seemingly endless array of toppings. And the special touches that make The Sweetest Thing ice cream buffets what they are.

If you know us you know that we don't do "utilitarian" anything. Beautiful packaging is what sets us a part.

Guests pick their favorite base flavor and add their toppings of choice

Hand lettered ice cream buffet custom menu on a silver tray

Brand Yourself

A candy buffet is the ultimate way to expand your brand. From the candy colors (ribbon and linens too!) to the customized vessel labels. The Sweetest Thing takes the personalization of our buffets to a whole new level.

For example: We were hired to provide a small candy buffet for fashion show event last spring. The edict was pastel colors and simple elegance. We chose pastel kisses, strawberry gummi rings, two flavors of salt water taffy, marshmallow twists, bulls eyes, our cotton candy lollis and candy kabobs. We customized the vessel labels to tie-in with the fashion theme, our customized goody bag labels carried the clients business name and event date and the buffet sign was all about this one and only event.

Cotton Candy Photo Shoot

There's cotton candy on a Sweetest Thing candy buffet and then there's cotton candy as photo shoot props. Are these images the sweetest thing or what?!

Cotton Candy Makes Everything Better

I'm not gonna lie.......my favorite business purchase so far has been our industrial cotton candy machine. Magical candy floss goodness at our finger tips!! JOY!!

Make no mistake, we are connoisseurs of the apothecary jar world and we collect spools of ribbon like some people collect loose change.....all in the name of sweet sweet business of course :)

The Sweetest Thing offers our cotton candy in a rainbow of colors and flavors and of course we have a blast with display options.

Check out these pink confections....

Candy.....Not Just For Kids

The Sweetest Thing has been fortunate enough to spread our message of "sweet bliss" to a vast array of gathering peoples. From weddings to bat/bar mitzvahs, baby showers, sweet 16 and corporate events. The one notable constant is that adults love candy as much as kids do! I can't say if it's the over-the-top display that catches their eye and pulls them in or if it's some long wished for childhood fed dream of Candyland come to life.  When we provide a candy buffet for an adult only event we are elated by the popularity of the goodies we offer.

31 Flavors of Popcorn You Say?

Actually we narrow down the options to a little less than 31 but that heading sounded clever.

This year we have selected a charming array of flavors to choose from. Some are old favorites, some are popular stand-bys and some are brand new. They are, in no particular order: Root Beer Float, Birthday Cake, Watermelon, Lemonade, Keylime, Orange Slice, Tutti Frutti, Blueberry Bomb, Cherry Cordial, Cotton Candy, Chocolate Mocha Madness, Grape, Pineapple, Vanilla Bean, Strawberry Jam.

Savory options are Dill Pickle, Old Fashion Butter & Sea Salt and introducing Cincinnati Chili!

Made to order, in small batches, by hand, for maximum freshness. Our candied popcorn can be displayed buffet style in various vessels with scoops and tags and ribbon (full The Sweetest Thing regalia) or it can be pre-scooped in customized clear food grade cellophane bags of individual flavors.

We are always experimenting with wild new flavors so stay tuned......

Standard Buffets in a Nutshell

The Sweetest Thing's standard approach to a candy buffet set-up is rather simple. Full length linens with a topper, over-lay or fabric pooling. Clear glass jars and footed cake stands. Clear scoops, spoons and tongs. And then we go kinda crazy ....in a good way of course :)

If it was just about a tablecloth, a few jars from Michael's and some bulk candy purchased at Costco then anyone could print up business cards at home and go into the candy buffet business.

It's about style and presentaion. Just like your wedding or sweet sixteen party. Just like you are. Just like WE are! We like to say "it ain't rocket science" but it does take finesse. An eye for composition and an appreciation for detail. And worth the investment each and every time.

Satin floor length linens, swag and pooling. Symmetrical display.

Floor length linen. Small, sweet, simple, composed.

When candy meets popcorn.....

What started as a client request to incorporate popcorn into a candy buffet (with a caveat that it be sweet but not your dad's Cracker Jack brown) has today become the hottest trend for The Sweetest Thing. We offer our gourmet candied popcorn as a part of our standard candy buffets but also as a stand alone popcorn only buffet option.

Stand alone popcorn buffets start with 3 flavor profiles with additional flavors available in groups of 2. So 3 or 5 or 7 on up. Each flavor has it's own color.

As with The Sweetest Thing candy buffets, popcorn buffets are priced per person utilizing our proprietary calculator  for weights and measures. That sounds fancy but what it really means is that we've been doing this for awhile which has given us an understanding of consumable party amounts. Of course no two crowds are alike but in general special event attendees do not pull glass vessels off of buffet tables and make a meal of the contents! LOL I say that but I know for a fact that our gourmet candied popcorn is impossibly addictive :)

It's Not An Over Night Thing

Deciding to offer your guests a candy buffet is the easy part. (Who doesn't love candy?) Making it a line item in your over-all budget is a different story.

I am forever lamenting to event planners and venue personnel how important it is to educate their clients not only on the awesomeness of our service  :) but also on the time sensitive nature of what we do. All of the sweets The Sweetest Thing offers are ordered to date for maximize freshness. Our various vendors are the best-of-the-best and sometimes that means a turn around time of 2-4 weeks for delivery. And that's just the candy! Designing the display and customizing the various elements takes time. Our intent is to integrate our buffets with the event decor. An even flow. Make no mistake, our intent is also to be the coolest thing in the room. The thing that makes your guests say "W@W".

We have absolutely put together beautiful displays on short notice (less than 2 months out) but our area of expertise lends itself to a longer process of fine tuning those special details that will make the final reveal worth the wait!

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

If you live in and around Cincinnati, Ohio.....If you are planning a special occasion and looking to make that event extra special.....If you've always wanted "to do" a candy buffet but didn't know where to begin.....

     Say hello to The Sweetest Thing 

      ~Cincinnati's premier candy buffet company~

For clarification purposes "candy buffet" is a starting point :) 

Yes, candy is our bread and butter so to speak but we are known for our gourmet candied popcorn and our ice cream buffets as well.

Our displays are all about bringing something extra-special to your special event. 

We start with your theme and color story and where we end up is as unique as you are.

It's more than candy and glass jars. It's custom details and finishing touches from proven professionals.