Yellow is such a summery colour that evokes feelings of warmth and sunshine, and these images just make me so happy and sunny inside! I think this is great inspiration for a sophisticated summery girlfriend brunch, or outdoor baby shower. I especially love the chair covers from Wildflower Linen.  

A yellow and grey candy buffet like this one would be a gorgeous addition, and I love the idea of filling pretty paper cones with candy. There are a few Etsy shops where you can buy pre-made cones, but they are also really easy to make, and you’ll have fun choosing the perfect papers to create your cones.  Here’s a quick tutorial.

Images: {chaircovers, flowers, outdoor table setting, girl with flowers, candy buffet}

This picture struck me, when I was searching for this week’s cake of the week, not only because I think the pastel cakes are beautiful, but because I absolutely love this idea of using an armoire to display desserts. Isn’t it gorgeous?  

{Via Sweet Nest}.

Have you ever seen those pretty macaron towers on a dessert table, and thought, “I wonder how they do that”? Well I have! So I was thrilled when I found this tutorial by  Macaron de Paris, Merci New York, and Oh Darling Photography, via Project Wedding. So now, no more wondering, and you and I can create our very own!

First, it’s important to find a good cone.  A heavy Styrofoam cone is the best to use since it will remain stable against the weight of the macarons. It’s recommend that the diameter of the cone should be at least 1/2 of the height (not too narrow at the base).

If you want to build a cone just for decorative purposes, the material and the size are not so important because you will only use the macaron shells.

Secondly, you will need to calculate how many macarons you need.  The macarons used for this tutorial were about 2 inches in diameter, but sizes vary a lot from one bakery to another. Always order some extra macarons in each color in case some are damaged during handling or transportation.

Optional: If the macarons will be eaten, you might want to line the Styrofoam cone with decorative paper.  This way, the macarons do not interact with the Styrofoam, and when they are removed, the guests see your pretty patterned paper instead of Styrofoam!

Before you start to place the macarons, you need to decide where the front of the cone will be.  This step is important because each row will not finish perfectly, so you will want every row to finish in the same place, at the back of the cone.

Gather a handful of toothpicks to adhere the macarons to the cone. Start with the bottom row of the cone, and begin in the front.  Insert the toothpick with an angle of 45 degrees into the cone, and place the macarons one by one.

When you start the second row, space the macaron between those in the first row.

When you have made your way to the top of the cone, make sure you have kept a macaron to add to the tip of the cone.

You will want to think about a nice base for the macaron tower.  There are many possibilities depending on the them of the event.  Here, Merci New York was developing a natural-themed wedding, so the tower was presented on a faux wood base.

Credits: {Tutorial via Merci New York; Macrons via Macaron de Paris; Photography via Oh Daling Photography}

Don’t you love this simple, but oh so pretty dessert table by Scissors. Paper. Cake. Love the signature Hello Naomi cake with a cherry on top, and what a great idea to serve pink lemonade in cute bottles instead of glasses!

I never fail to be wowed by Clau’s dessert tables, and she has done it again! Here are pictures of the lovely pastel dessert table she styled for a recent baby shower, featuring cupcakes, macaroons, chocolates and gourmet marshmallows.

I’m sure many of you have seen Kate’s gorgeous fairy garden party via The Tom Kat Studio, {and if you haven’t, then go check it out!}, but I couldn’t resist showing off the gorgeous dessert table, and treats in this week’s Dessert Table Inspiration Feature. Kim did such an amazing job! Enjoy!!

I’m really loving this gorgeous pink , orange and green candy buffet, and I thought I’d share, {even if for the life of me, I can’t remember where I found it!} I love the fresh, vibrant colours, and that backdrop is just too gorgeous. And did you notice the board to the side of the candy buffet table? They’ve used it to hang cute personalized chinese takeout boxes, that guests can fill with candy to take home. Love, love love!

Via Cocoa & Fig.

I know that lots of you are busy planning some awesome parties, and since the dessert table / candy buffet has been so prominent lately, I decided to invited Natalie Clamp, the owner and creative genius behind Chic Sweets, to share with us some tips on creating a stunning dessert table /candy buffet, to help you create the wow factor at your upcoming parties.

Natalie is a working mother of three who has a talent for creating beautiful dessert and candy buffets. Her talent has turned her into a sought-after dessert table designer in the West Coast Florida area, and she has designed some awesome tables for some amazing events. Her work has also been showcased on Daytime, a daily morning show which airs across the Southeast of the USA.

Here are Natalie’s tips on how to create a great dessert buffet:

1.  Candies and Desserts: The table can be a great focal point in a room/venue and I hate to see jars half full or a lot of empty space on the table. The table is meant to “wow” your guests so after designing the table, then figure out how much dessert or candy you will need depending on the number of guests. Having a lot of candy or desserts also allows guests to take desserts home as favors, and that is the best part.

Also giving your guests a variety to choose from is important as well. I love to mix desserts with hard candy. Think, “small bites.” Guests should feel like they can go back and forth and even, “graze” a bit if they want to.

2. Artistry/Design: Every time I sit down and get ready to sketch, I think about the couple or client and try to incorporate something that inspires me and create my table around it. Is it a monogram? Color palette? Design on an invitation? Let the table and the design tell a story about the event. If I feel stuck or need some inspiration, I will take a break and open a Martha Stewart magazine or check out my favorite blogs (like, Creative Hostess). Dessert tables have become increasingly popular for some time and there are some great parties out there, with dessert tables designed and inspired by moms, party planners, designers, etc.

3. Displaying candies/desserts: This is the part where you should think of yourself as a “food stylist.” I love lining plates and jars with patterned paper or wrapping papers. My go-to site is www.paper-source.com. They have some fantastic papers, ribbons and stamps. It’s so easy and completely transforms the look. I also often use all white platters and vases-it creates a monochromatic look and looks clean.

You can also lay desserts in a bed of M&M’s or other hard candy which makes it fun! Or even covering a foam cone with a coordinating ribbon and sticking lollipops or rock candy in them is always a winner and again, relatively easy to do. 

Also, you do not have to be a graphic artist to create some great labels for your table. Download a unique font from www.urbanfonts.com to make your table more special and personalized. 

4. Keep color schemes to 1-2 colors: I think it’s important to take control of the color scheme and not go too crazy. The most modern, contemporary table we’ve done was an all-white winter table. Also working with unique color palettes is always fun-blue and orange/gray and yellow/black and white. I’m currently in love with any color and gray. It just makes any color pop!

5. Backdrop, backdrop, backdrop:  Think of the backdrop as a continuation of the table. A great wallpaper and lighting can completely change the look of your table. If that is not accessible, I hang paper lanterns or not that long ago we did a table with butterflies and hung them from the ceiling. It looked great and distracted from the plain backdrop.

6. Linens: Linens go hand in hand with a backdrop. A great linen will elevate the look of your table. Go with a lighter fabric in the springtime and heavier, like a silk or taffeta for the fall/winter season. You can even go to a local linen company and many times they will rent out linens for a nominal fee. If you don’t have access to a local linen company, many great stores, like Target, carry some great and most of all, affordable lines.

Thank you Natalie for sharing these great tips with us! I wish you even more success with Chic Sweets.

Photo Credits: {Cancer Awareness Dessert Table: artistiquephotography.com, White Winter Dessert Table: Limelight Photography, Bridal Showcase Dessert Table: Limelight Photography.

Happy Monday, I hope you find inspiration from this sweet turquoise and yellow dessert table by Dooby Design Group.  Don’t you just love the colours? Enjoy!