by Jennifer J. Raymond

Created on: July 24, 2008

Wedding favors are little gifts given to guests by a newly wed couple as a token of thanks for sharing their wedding day. Traditionally, wedding favors consisted of five almonds, which represented health, wealth, happiness, fertility and long life. Nowadays, there is a vast amount of choice available, catering for a range of budgets but sugar-coated almonds are still a popular choice.

Wedding favors are usually placed on each of the guest's place setting at the wedding reception, so can form a vital part of the table decoration. This may help narrow down the choice if you are working to a particular theme or color. They can also act as an "ice-breaker" as they are one of the first things guests receive when they sit down at the reception and can be an important starting point of conversation for guests who do not know each other.

Popular wedding favors
1. Organza bags filled with sweets/chocolates. These are very versatile as the bags come in a variety of colors to suit the theme, as can the choice of sweet.
2. The organza bag can be replaced by a small tin or handcrafted box in different designs to hold the sweets, which can add a different look to the favor.
3. Wedding bubbles, usually come in the shape of champagne bottle.
4. Candles, which can be personalised with the bride and groom's name along with wedding date.
5. Miniature alcoholic spirits are always a popular choice for the male guests.

Other ideas
1. A sixpence, this could be held in a small envelope or cloth pouch.
2. Baking your own gingerbread men or cookies in a particular shape (e.g. heart). This could be quite time consuming as the big day approaches so if you like this idea it is probably a good idea to delegate this job.
3. Bath fizzes/pearls in the shape of hearts placed inside an organza bag or box.
4. Lottery tickets or game scratch cards, these often prove cost effective.
5. Packets of seeds, which are taken away and planted by guests to provide longer lasting memories of the day.
6. A single flower in a small vase/glass holder.

As wedding favors do not need to be chosen as far in advance as a lot of the wedding planning, you have time to be creative. Although each gift may be inexpensive, when you multiply this by the number of guests attending your wedding, the cost can often mount up, so it is advisable to research where to purchase your items from. Crafting items yourself can be rewarding as well as a release from the stress of planning a wedding and your guests will appreciate the effort you have made.

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