Look for Less: Budget Chic Summer Soiree Dessert Table

Hey party peeps!
Dessert tables can be downright pricey! Today’s post is Part 2 of my Look For Less Summer Soiree Dessert Table. If you missed the Designer Table, CLICK HERE to see that table so you can see how today’s Budget Chic version compares to the Designer inspiration table.

THE LOOK FOR LESS

Here I designed two different sweets tables at two different price points: high end and “budget chic”. For the high end designer table, I included treats by some of the most sought-after sweets designers.

For my “Budget Chic” table, I challenged myself to see if I could design a high-end looking, color-coordinated sweets table for less by purchasing all of the items from my favorite store: Target… affectionately known as “Targét!”
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GOING BUDGET CHIC

Let’s get real! Not all of us can afford the custom gourmet dessert options out there. If you are on a tight budget and can’t afford to custom order sweets, don’t worry! You don’t have to give up style and quality. In fact, Target has an array of candy and sweets – especially Super Target, which also has an awesome bakery with many sweets options. For example:

I created the ENTIRE Budget Chic table design using items found in Target including all the decor, linen and sweets all for less than the cost of ONLY the desserts on the high-end table! Here’s how you can do it to:

BUDGET-CHIC GIRLFRIEND TIPS:

1. Look for candy that is wrapped or packaged in your colors like I did here with the blue-wrapped Hershey Kisses and Bliss Chocolates and the orange-wrapped Lindor Truffles.

2. Add in candy or sweets that are your colors like the orange sour rings, mandarin oranges, and blue frosted cookies.

3. Finally, get creative with store-bought items! Combine them or use them in creative ways for an additional wow factor and high-end custom look.

GETTING CREATIVE WITH JET-PUFFED MARSHMALLOWS!

Marshmallows are all the rage right now. They are being transformed into real works of sugar art! You can see examples of how The Marshmallow Studio created fabulous marshmallow flowers in Part 1 of this post (the designer table). But for those who don’t have the budget for these gourmet marshmallow desserts…I have good news! You can still get in on the trend for less by getting creative with how you use regular bags of marshmallows. My favorite brand is Jet-Puffed Marshmallows and I use them ALL THE TIME in my sweets tables especially when there are budget constraints. They are inexpensive and due to their size, can fill up a standard candy jar with just 1-2 bags which is only around $2! Kids and adults love them so it is a win-win! I got creative with them and created marshmallow kabobs by putting them on skewers with orange sour rings in between for a pop of color! I also used them to create custom jello parfaits. These are HITS! They are always the first things gone off of the dessert table when I serve these.

CREATIVE DETAILS!

Add decorations, like I did here with gumpaste toppers, from The Kupcake Spot for an affordable way to add a custom look to store-bought cupcakes. To get the cake pops for less, I put powdered donut holes on sticks and used blue sprinkles to match the color scheme.

STORE BOUGHT CANDY WRAPPED IN COLORS THAT MATCH YOUR COLOR PALETTE!

One of my favorite Look for Less tricks is to purchase store-bought candy that matches my color palette. This is a super easy way to add a pop of color in a small quantity without having to spend a fortune on candy that is the actual color which sometimes you have to buy in large quantities. I also display them in bowls and lay them out on trays for a more upscale look. I also lucked out and at the time I designed this table Target had an awesome candy collection in stores that featured gourmet style candy at affordable prices like these swirl lollipops and taffy.

USE DINNERWARE SET AS DESSERT CONTAINERS

Another key to a fabulous high-end looking sweets table is how you style it, all starting with the containers and platters. Using bright white containers in the very modern square design adds a touch of modern elegance to your table.

For the Budget Chic table, all the platters and candy holders came from one 16-piece dinnerware set from Target. You’ll have enough to completely display an entire sweets table and the fact that it’s white means you can reuse it all the time! I even found a way to use the coffee mugs in the box by turning the handles to the back so that they now look like little ceramic vases!

When looking for ideas to style your sweets table, don’t be afraid to look outside of the typical party and dining departments! To create this decor on the “Budget Chic” table I went to the bedding department and found the perfect furry throw blanket and fabulous white felt flower pillow that matched my theme perfectly and added a nice texture to the table and a wow-factor!

THE COST COMPARISON

Here is the Look for Less cost comparison of the designer table sweets vs. the budget chic sweets. CLICK HERE to see the full Designer Table post.

HIGH END DESIGNER Sweets Table: $231 TOTAL
Fondant 3D flower toppers $30/dozen
Fondant flat flower toppers $30/dozen
Marshmallow pops $48 ($4 each)
Cake pops $24/dozen
Spoon cakes $24/dozen
Chocolate covered oreos $24/dozen
2-tier cake $18
Flower shaped iced cookies $33/dozen plus $25 custom cutter fee

BUDGET CHIC Sweets Table: $66 TOTAL
Donut holes $2.04 (1 bag)
Frosted cookies $5.58 (2 containers @ $2.79 each)
Jet-Puffed mini marshmallows $1 (1 bag)
Jet-Puffed marshmallows $1 (1 bag)
Cupcakes $7.99 (1 dozen)
Cupcake gumpaste toppers $8/dozen
Jello $2.24 (2 boxes @ $1.12 each)
Gummy rings $2 (2 bags)
Lindor Truffles $7.60 (2 bags @ $3.79 each)
Hershey Kisses $6.60 (2 bags @ $3.29 each)
Bliss chocolates $6.60 (2 bags @ $3.29 each)
Mandarin oranges $4.40 (2 cans @ $2.19 each)
Swirl lollipops $3.49 (2 pops @ $3.49 each)
Taffy $4.99 (1 container)
Sprinkles $2.44

A cost savings of $165!

With that savings, you could purchase the ENTIRE table of all the decor elements purchased at Target on the Budget Chic table including:

• 16-piece dinnerware set $59.99
• Tablecloth $12.99
• 3-tier pedestal serving plates $34.99 (only 2 shown on the table)
• Clear ramekins $4.00
• White flower pillow $19.99
• Furry throw blanket $19.99

AND….still have $17 leftover! Go have lunch with your girlfriends with your leftover cash and toast to your fabulousness!

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VENDOR CREDITS:

– Table styling & design: Soireé Event Design
– Photography: Stay Classic Photography
– Flower mini gumpaste toppers: The Kupcake Spot
– All sweets, linen and decor on Budget Chic table: Target