You could do a gradual progression type thing, with the chocolate fountain (sweet) at one end and the popcorn (salty) at the other. You could put fruit and cheeses and the like in the middle.
The way to avoid it being cheesy or childish is to select mature and elegant options from your theme. Candy is not inherently childish, but you can’t use bowls of Hershey’s Minatures as your table centerpieces and think it won’t look tacky.
The breakfast theme and the slurpee/popcorn options don’t seem to have any relationship to the candy theme. It’s just a mishmosh of different things you like, which is nice for you, but not as nice for your guests.
If you’re going with a theme, just go with one, and pick choices that work within the theme. Also, don’t lose sight of the fact that while it is “your day” it’s really just a big party, the comfort of your guests should be way up on the list. Many of them will feel obligated to come, it’s not fair to force an bizarre theme on them when they don’t have a choice to avoid it.
I agree with what most of the others have said – all candy would be a bit overkill, I think. What you could do is expand it into a dessert reception, so you could have fun, cheap candy along with petit fours, truffles, cookies, etc. I would also have some fruit/veggie trays, and maybe some cheese and crackers. And, I’d put “dessert reception to follow” on the invitations, so your guests know that you’re serving dessert and not a full meal.
I know an issue of Martha Stewart Weddings had a candy-themed reception – it was from a few years ago. Here’s a link to some of the cakes from that issue. You should be able to get a copy either from them directly or from the library – no matter what you think of her, the ideas in her magazines are almost always classy and beautiful!
I think it would be fun! I wanted to have a dessert reception, but it didn’t work out for us. You should go for it!
I think some people have missed the point in this thread. You aren’t talking about serving candy for supper, right? Just for dessert, and as decorations, with maybe a breakfast style supper.
I think this would be great fun and quite charming. A reception is a party, first and foremost, and people who “expect” to get something specific at a reception (or expect you do things exactly their way) are the people who are childish and tacky.
I am totally just at the throwing around ideas part and no candy will not be the main focus. Just a neat edible decor. I have seen the candy centerpieces and they kind of gave me the idea. The candy bar idea came from a friend of a friend’s wedding and I am not quite sure about that one. I thought that with the candy centerpieces I could tie in the decorations with the cake by adding some to that as well.
I like the chocolate fountain, and I am known around my family and friends for making homemade chocolate and my fiancée is a bit of a baker himself, so the sweets bit fits us to a tee.
There will be plenty of “real” food and the slurpee and popcorn machines just popped into my head when I was writing the OP so again I am not too attached to those.
But I like the idea of alcoholic slurpee’s in the summer heat.
I think breakfast for dinner would be novel and great, but I don’t know about following it with candy. Somehow eating a bowl of ice cream after chowing down on biscuits and gravy feels wrong. Now, if you have centerpieces of mini-donut holes or mini-muffins that would tie in, but not lollipops. Make sure you have a variety of coffee and breakfast-themed drinks, like Bloody Marys or mimosas.
You could tie the breakfast theme into your marriage…“The Start of a New Day and a New Life” or some such thing.
Isn’t linguica Portuguese and chorizo Spanish? Nava’s the latter.
Been done before.
Lolly pop and candy cane center pieces.
Jelly bean party favors.
Wedding cake with rainbow taffy fondant.
etc.
Been done before by whom? Was it your wedding? A wedding you attended? Got pics?
This reminds me of the way I get when I go grocery shopping without having eaten first. “Ooh, we should get this! And this! And this! C’mon, carmel apples are a great snack because they’ve got a serving of fruit!” drool I’m not saying your idea is a bad one, but it may not be the most conducive to the guests, if that’s what you’re going for. I’d hate to feel greasy or sticky at someone’s wedding unless that was the point of it. Oh, and if it’s not just a totally casual affair, the guests might feel more special seeing something special in terms of favors and centerpieces, so If I stayed with the candy theme I’d proabably veer away from the sour patch kids and such other things they can run down to the corner store for - not everything has to be expensive, of course, but at least someting like a big marshmallow roast (so much for not sticky) that doesn’t happen everyday. I also agree that an unbalanced lot of junk food at a wedding would make me feel nervous, overindulgent and eventually like puking.
No wedding idea is lame if it’s what you and your spouse and guests will like. But make sure to consider it on a full stomach. 
If this is a lame idea then the idea of having pinatas at my wedding is also lame, and that I will *never * agree with!
Depending on the number of people you’re inviting there may be some who are on diets or can’t eat the food provided. What about something that’s casual/fun but more nutritionally diverse like a picnic themed wedding? You could have proper food for people who would prefer a regular meal, and lollies for those who want to go crazy for a day. Hire an ice cream van!
Oh, thanks, now I’m salivating uncontrollably.
/drool
Are you wearing traditional white? Because I think that would pretty much be a BAD idea with a Slushee machine.
On TV show, “Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?”
All weddings are cheesy.
Only some weddings know that they’re cheesy.
I’m really surprised that people don’t love the candy buffet idea. It is very popular as a favor idea, and has been featured in most major bridal magazines. I was actually under the impression that guests enjoyed picking out something they would actually enjoy, instead of something that goes in the trash the minute they get home. Do other people find it cheesy?
My suggestion to you as a newly married woman: focus. You have lots of great ideas, but it seems like you want to do all of them.
If I were you, I’d do a morning wedding with a mimosa brunch reception (save on alcohol, save on venues since they can then do another wedding in the afternoon, etc.). Then, what seems to be all the rage are “after parties” at another location (bar, club, someone’s house, etc.) and maybe that could be carnival themed or the like. Sounds really fun, and will give you lots of time to bond with your guests, plus, they can choose the events that they want to attend. And, you’d get to use all your ideas without it seeming too mish-moshy.