FAQ

Why Should I Order from Conversation Pieces?

You want something unique, exciting, and as special as the person you’re celebrating. Conversation Pieces will help you design distinctive party favors, cakes, and candy gifts for any theme or occasion you can imagine! If you know any chocoholics, shopaholics, or sports fans, we have hundreds of gift ideas sure to impress. We have a huge selection of unusual ideas, whether you’re planning a biker wedding, a princess party, or a corporate event. Our specialty is the creation of delicious gifts and favors that personalize your celebration!

Additionally, we make annual donations in services or profits to Big Brothers Big Sisters, Women for Women International, and the St. Louis 100 Neediest Cases program each year. Ordering from Conversation Pieces is a delicious way to support the valuable work of charitable organizations, at home and around the world.

How Do I Place an Order?

Browse our designs online, or call or e-mail for ideas and recommendations. When you contact us with an order request, we will need to know the date & type of event you’re planning, the number of people to serve, the items you’re interested in, as well as flavors, colors, other design preferences, and your contact information. We will quickly respond to let you know if we are available for your event date, and to clarify details about your order. Please see our Customer Service page for more details.

Do you take Credit Cards?

We accept cash and credit card payments via Paypal. Please wait until you have received an invoice before submitting payment through PayPal. Deposits may also be required for cake materials, such as cake stands and accessories. These deposits will be returned to you in full when all equipment is returned to us in good condition no later than 3 days after your scheduled event.

What are the Rush Order, Shipping, and Delivery Charges?

We know your life is busy, and we do accept last minute orders when we are available. Rush order charges will vary, depending on the size of the order and the time the order is placed. We prefer as much notice as possible, with at least one month’s lead time on larger orders, at least two weeks for smaller cakes, and at least one week for 25 or fewer lollipops or candy favors. Notice ensures plenty of creative planning time, as well as on-time arrival of packaging and decorative materials which may not be available locally. Buyers are responsible for rush or overnight shipping costs on orders placed less than two weeks prior to scheduled delivery, in addition to our rush charges and regular costs.

Delivery is free with a $20.00 minimum order to Creve Coeur, Des Peres, Ladue, Maryland Heights, Olivette, and Town & Country. There is a $25.00 charge to deliver to locations in downtown St. Louis. Delivery fees to other locations are determined on a case by case basis.

We ship everywhere in the United States except Alaska and Hawaii. Shipping costs vary, depending on the items and quantity. Generally, one or two gift boxes or 20-30 lollipops or favors costs approximately $7.00 to ship Priority Mail. We prefer not to ship items Thursday through Saturday, to avoid leaving your items sitting over the weekend. You may opt to have packages shipped overnight, or there may be less concern about weekend shipping at temperate times of the year. We are not able to ship cakes.

Do You Offer Volume Discounts?

Since each item is hand-crafted, it takes the same amount of time per item to make two as it takes to make two hundred, so it is not possible to offer volume discounts in most cases. On items where suppliers offer bulk discounts on packaging or decorative accents, we are happy to pass those savings to you when we can. Occasionally, we offer promotional rates on some items when you order 3-4 weeks before a major holiday.

What is the Privacy Policy?

We absolutely do not share any information about you with any outside sources. Your contact information is only used to clarify details related to your order. If you would like to receive email notices about special offers (on average, about 6 emails per year), please contact us and write "please send special offer information to me" in the comments box.

What is the Best Way to Store Cakes & Candy?

With cakes, it will vary, depending on the filling, icing, and cake flavor. Most cakes can be kept covered at room temperature for 2 days. Candy is best kept sealed at room temperature, away from direct sunlight and any liquid. Refrigerating or freezing can cause cracks or discoloration in the candy surface, and over-handling can cause melting and smearing (or breakage), even through plastic wrap. Some candy fillings and products, such as nuts, cookies, or pretzels, have shorter shelf lives. Well-sealed candy without filling can be kept for up to two months, but it is likely to disappear long before that!

What Icings or Frostings are Available for Cakes?

Fondant, widely used in the U.K., Australia, and Canada, is gaining popularity in the U.S. It has great flexibility for decorating, offering colors and 3D options which aren’t possible in buttercream. Some people are surprised when they taste fondant, since the texture is somewhere between a vanilla Tootsie Roll and a marshmallow (it’s chewy). Fondant is usually applied over a layer of buttercream icing, so those not fond of the taste can have the look of a fondant cake and eat the buttercream underneath, if they prefer.

Please see Cake Information Page for more options and combinations, or visit our Cake Design List.

What is Chocolate?

Chocolate contains cocoa butter, and requires tempering to mold. There is technically no such thing as white chocolate, since it doesn’t contain cocoa butter, either. Our products are made from candy wafers, which use palm kernel oil and trace amounts of cocoa butter. Our three basic flavors are Dark, Milk, and Vanilla, which includes white, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink, and purple. Please see our Flavors & Fillings for more delicious candy options!

What are Your Most Popular Items?

Milk remote control with caramel nut filling

Dark chocolate covered cookies

3D Tool Box

Beach Sandal Lollipop

Tuxedo and Gown Heart Boxes

Chocolate cake with buttercream or chocolate buttercream icing & filling