It's wedding planning season and my interview series continues with one of the sweetest (pun intended) vendors around, Linda Valdivia Walker of How Sweet It Is Events. Linda and I have worked at many weddings together. So much so that I couldn't decide which ones to showcase here. I decided on a gold themed wedding shoot from The Restaurant At Fair Oaks Farms and a green themed candy buffet at The Patrician. No matter what your color or flavor may be, I know that Linda can be of help.

How long has How Sweet It Is Events been in business? How did you get your start?

We established our business in 2005 as How Sweet It Is Chocolate Fountains. Chocolate Fountains were fairly new at that time and I was interested in getting into the wedding industry. We were so excited to see how many requests we were receiving from bridal couples to corporate events. Soon after, every weekend we had the honor of serving guests warm flowing Belgian chocolate with our 34” Chocolate Fountain! We quickly became partners with The Avalon Manor and serviced all of their chocolate fountain requests. Really now…..who doesn’t like chocolate?

After being in the wedding industry, it was very clear there were so many new opportunities. We changed our name to How Sweet It Is Events, and ventured out of our comfort zone and began offering Favors, Candy Buffets & Reception Design Packages. We have currently added DIY Rentals & Specialty Linens to our Menu. My mother once told me, if you’re going to do something, do it right….so we added an Etsy Shop ☺ with a lot of fun wedding accessories! After ten years of chocolate fun, we have decided to retire our chocolate fountain and focus on our new opportunities, but I do miss it!

Let’s start with wedding favors. What kind of goodies can one get and what type of packaging is there?

Favors are a fun way to say “Thank You” to your guests and can be given in many different forms. However, we find a candy favor is one that your guests will enjoy and take with them at the end of the evening. We are a vendor with Albanese Confectionery and South Bend Chocolate and have an unlimited amount of candy choices for you to choose from. My most popular favor box at this time is our Chocolate Bar Box in gold, or silver foil with a personalized label. Mini mason jars filled with colored sixlets, mini take out boxes with tags and boxed truffles are just a few of the items we can custom make for you.

Tell us about candy buffets. Once again, what flavors and types of candy can we expect and how do guests get served?

Candy Buffets are an upscale interactive way to say “Thank You” to your guests. Our Candy Buffets are designed to complement the décor and color palette of your event. We love to add fabrics, plateaus to layer your jars and candlelight to your table! For us it’s all about helping our clients choose candy they love and a design with their vision in mind. Then we run with it and add all the fun details that will make their Candy Buffet become a centerpiece for their room! Some of the most popular candy choices include: white pretzels, malt balls, Sixlets, Jelly Belly’s, turtles, mint meltaways, rock candy, lollipops, licorice and of course gummi bears. We also offer a Nostalgic Candy Buffet package with all of the old time favorite candies.

Gold wedding palette from How Sweet It Is Events at The Farmhouse At Fair Oaks Farms.

Let’s get into Reception Design. What is involved in that?

We created a Reception Design package for our clients who would like the details done for them at their venue the day of the wedding. As the bride and groom and their families prepare for the big day, our team is busy setting their venue making sure every detail is done and their room is perfect before their guests arrive. We offer many table-scape designs including candelabras and crystal globes in gold and silver to mention a few. Specialty linens such as sequin and rosette, an upscale chair cover with a colored band and rhinestone brooch, crystal cake stands and crystal card boxes. Our team sets your room, lights your candles and returns at the end of the evening to take everything down. You have fun and let us do the work!

Do you do a venue walkthrough?

Yes, we love doing a venue walk through with our bridal couples! This gives us a chance to view every area within the venue for proper placement of their tables and to work on a design that is perfect for them. That’s when the vision becomes real!

Do you have rentals?

Not every bride has a huge budget to work with, or has chosen other areas they would like to use their funds, so we have created a DIY Rental Program that allows bridal couples to have beautiful centerpieces at a much lower cost. This package is perfect for the bride & groom that have family members available to set their venue and take it down at the end of the night. Rental items can be picked up two days before the event and returned the following Monday. We also offer rentals for bridal showers and other small events.

What are your top tips to couples for reception design?

Some of my top tips for my bridal couples is have fun with your design!! Your venue has many areas, use them all! If your venue has a loft, personalize it by adding things that mean something to both of you! If there is a large foyer with furniture, add some fun elements like pillows and candlelight. This is your big day, make sure you do what you both like, not what others suggest. My biggest tip for MY bridal couple, is enjoy your day!!! We have planned together, designed together and finalized together!! We’ve got this!!! ;)