Cotton candy may bring back memories of fairs and childhood summers, but Grayson Collins is giving the nostalgic treat a wedding-worthy upgrade.
Through Graceful Twists Cotton Candy Cart, Grayson serves freshly spun gourmet cotton candy at weddings and events throughout Springfield, Southwest Missouri and Northwest Arkansas. From Vanilla Milkshake and Glazed Donut to Pink Lemonade and Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake, this isn’t your average carnival cotton candy.
And for Grayson, the experience is about much more than simply showing up with something sweet.
A Cotton Candy Business Built on Taking a Chance
Graceful Twists started with a simple goal: Grayson wanted to challenge herself.
She was looking for something that would help build her confidence, get her out into the community and give her an opportunity to meet new people. Then she came across the idea of a cotton candy business.
“I knew how much I loved cotton candy, so I put two and two together and took the risk,” Grayson said.
That risk turned into Graceful Twists.
Grayson started the business in July 2024, spending the first several months getting everything ready before beginning events that December. She also saw an opportunity to bring something to Springfield that she felt the area was missing.
“I wanted to bring something fun, colorful, picture-perfect, and Instagram-worthy to all kinds of celebrations,” Grayson shared.
And like many small businesses, Graceful Twists quickly became a family project.
Her dad built her original cotton candy cart after coming up with a design of his own.
“When this man gets an idea, I can get a little sketched out,” Grayson joked. “But I thought, let me just trust him on this.”
Then he sent her a picture.
“It looked pretty good!” she said.
The handmade cart served Graceful Twists well for about a year. More recently, Grayson’s mom built the cart she uses today, creating a setup that is polished, practical and easier to transport from one celebration to the next.
Graceful Twists Original Cotton Candy Cart
Graceful Twists Current Cotton Candy Cart
The Wedding That Won Her Over
When it came time for Graceful Twists' first event, Grayson started somewhere familiar: a wedding for someone she knew through work.
At the time, weddings weren’t exactly at the top of her list.
“I really don’t want to look at love right now,” she remembered thinking.
Then she worked the wedding.
“After that event, I was like, ‘I absolutely love weddings,’” Grayson said. “It changed my whole perspective on this.”
Photo by: New View Photography (Provided by Graceful Twists Cotton Candy Cart)
What began as a comfortable first event unexpectedly opened the door to a part of the business she now loves.
Weddings give Grayson a chance to bring something she genuinely loves into someone else’s celebration, creating a fun experience for guests with plenty of picture-perfect moments along the way.
Cotton Candy Is Her Art
For Grayson, cotton candy isn't limited to choosing pink or blue and spinning a cone. It gives her a chance to get creative.
Graceful Twists offers dozens of flavors, including unexpected options like Vanilla Milkshake, Glazed Donut, Matcha, Peach Ring Candy and Snickerdoodle. But Grayson can take that creativity even further by mixing flavors together to create combinations of her own.
In a way, cotton candy has become her art. Different flavors, colors and combinations give her a chance to create something unique for the people standing on the other side of the cart.
“I really like to make sure everything lines up with their theme and make it customizable,” Grayson said. “For something like a summer-themed wedding, I can mix flavors to make Blueberry Lemonade or Bomb Pop flavored cotton candy.”
For a fall wedding, Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake and Caramel Apple bring the flavors of the season into the celebration, giving couples another way to make even the dessert fit their day.
A Wedding Dessert Guests Get to Experience
That customization makes Graceful Twists more than an alternative wedding dessert. It becomes part of the reception experience.
Grayson brings the cart to the event, sets up and spins the cotton candy fresh for guests throughout the service time. Couples can choose from different packages with varying numbers of flavors, making it possible to tailor the experience to the size and style of the celebration.
And while weddings have become a favorite for Grayson, Graceful Twists isn't limited to them.
The cotton candy cart can be customized for birthday parties, bridal and baby showers, graduation parties, corporate gatherings, nonprofit events and other celebrations. Grayson has even used themed cotton candy picks to coordinate with a cat-themed birthday party.
Whatever the occasion, she looks for the little details that can make the cotton candy feel like part of the event rather than something that was simply brought into it.
Creating the Sweet Moments Guests Remember
There is plenty about Graceful Twists that photographs well. A cart filled with colorful, freshly spun cotton candy is practically made for wedding photos and social media.
But that's not what Grayson loves most about it.
“It’s all about spinning fresh cotton candy and enjoying the moments it helps create,” Grayson said. “Those smiles, laughs, and little memories that make every celebration feel a little more special.”
It’s a fitting description for a business that began because Grayson wanted to get out into her community and do something she genuinely enjoyed.
Now, one twist at a time, she gets to be part of some of the milestone moments other people will remember, too.
Graceful Twists Cotton Candy Cart
Graceful Twists Cotton Candy Cart serves weddings and events throughout Springfield, Southwest Missouri and Northwest Arkansas, bringing fresh-spun cotton candy, gourmet flavors and a customizable experience directly to the celebration.