Wedding Favors
Thank You, Merci, Arigatou, Gracias, Xie-Xie?
Gratitude is a universal emotion. People of different cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs can understand no matter what language it is expressed in. This sentiment is experienced at momentous events in our life. A wedding celebration is a special event connecting two people and their families in holy matrimony. Planning a wedding is indeed no task for the feeble minded, so for those that help the Bride and Groom do all the leg work or just simply being present at each event deserves a big Thank You.
How might one ask, do you give thanks and make a lasting impression on your guest? The simple answer is with a Wedding Favor. For those that are not familiar with this word, a wedding favor is a gift, a small token of appreciation for guest to treasure and remember your wedding day. This word is also interchangeably referred to as keepsakes, giveaways, or bomboniere. It is recommended to order wedding favors at least a couple of months before the wedding date to ensure that there is plenty of time left to order more if the guest list grows longer.
Wedding favors have been around for a very long time, we can trace its roots back to the Italians where the infamous sugarcoated candies called Jordan Almonds made its symbolic presence. The almond which naturally has a bittersweet taste, representing life and the sugarcoating on the exterior brings forth anticipation of sweetness that life also has to offer. Jordan Almonds are not just colored hard shelled candies that seem to pop up in weddings but they are symbolic confections of married life and the journey that lies ahead.
In the modern world of high tech innovations and fast track living, Jordan almonds wrapped in tulle or filled in bags or boxes are not the only options for favors today. Professionals in the wedding industry have come up with novel ways of making favors fun, stylish, trendy, and most of all, affordable. Tradition has fused with style to create favors that represent the lifestyle of the couple. No two wedding you attend, will you receive the same wedding favor.
If Jordan almonds wrapped in tulle netting was the favor you received at the last wedding you attended, here is the 411 on the different types of wedding favors out there.
- Edible Munchies - chocolate truffles, liquor filled chocolates, fortune cookies, mints, designer cookies, jellies, and doughnuts
- Candles - fruit shaped, aromatic, votives, candle filled jars, flower shaped
- Soaps - hearts, rose petals, fruit shapes
- Place Card Holders - mini chairs, vases, bells, picture frames, napkin rings
- Silver - mint julep cups, key chains, wine stoppers, compact mirrors, fortune cookie, chopsticks, bells
Be inventive and use theme to create the mood, like a coffee inspired theme with coffee scoop favors, an Asian inspired theme with engraved chopsticks, or Garden inspired theme with mini pear candles that has the tag reading "The Perfect Pear".
When the decision is finally made on the type of wedding favors to get, the next dilemma faced is if each person should get one favor each or should it be given one favor per couple. This depends on the guest list. If a larger percent of the guest list consists of people who are single versus married then opt for one favor per person instead. One good rule to go by is if the favor costs more than $10 a piece, consider giving one favor per couple to cut down on expenses.
Now that you know the Who, What, When, on wedding favors, here is the How part. How is each favor displayed and distributed? The most popular way to give out the favors is by displaying it on each place setting that is if you are giving one favor per person. This allows your guest to use it as a conversational piece with one another, which is a great way to get the guest to start mingling with one another. If placing the favors on each table is too mundane for you, try using it as the focal point of your wedding, similar to your wedding cake. Have a special table decorated just for your wedding favors and place it near the entryway so it will be the first thing guest will see and also the last thing they will remember as they grab one as they leave the reception. This method is good for those that just could not part with giving one favor per couple, because your guest will never know if everyone received a favor since it is self served. Just beware of those that always want a second helping by grabbing more than one favor.
Whether it is known by the alias keepsakes, giveaways, or bombonieres, wedding favors are gifts that will make a lasting impression. Just like Great Food, Great Favors never go out of style. Graciously say Merci, Arigatou, Gracias, Xie-Xie with a wedding favor.
Copyright Tracy Yang, 2005. All rights reserved.
Reprint Rights: You may use this article as long as you include the author's copyright and link to the author's website.
Tracy Yang is the creative director for HansonEllis.com. The place for unique wedding favors and bridal shower gifts for your special event.
Latest News
 Gay Socialites | An ugly attack on Mormons Los Angeles Times, CA - The Mormon zealots yank the couple's wedding rings from their fingers and then tear up their marriage license. As the thugs leave, one says to the other, ... Sam Loomis '10: Common ground Proposition 8: Separating the fiction from fact |
 NEWS.com.au | Melody LaLuz Fabien and Claudaniel Fabien wait until marriage to kiss Chicago Sun-Times, United States - ... marriage -- but went a little further by agreeing not to kiss each other on the lips before their union was official. The couple's wedding was yesterday ... Abstinence Instructors Hold Out Until Marriage for First Kiss Chicago couple wait for first kiss at the altar A Lesson From a 28-Year-Old Virgin Couple abstains from sex and ... |
Florida governor's bride-to-be chooses her gown for Dec. 12 wedding Sun-Sentinel.com, FL - Hung's salon is also altering cream-colored, floor-length dresses purchased elsewhere for Rome's two preteen daughters from a previous marriage, ... Gays to Demonstrate at Fla. Gov. Crist’s Marriage Gay rights group to protest at Crist's wedding Charlie Crist's fiancee to wear silk gown to the nuptials |
 New Zealand Herald | Ivana Divorce! Trump Splits From Hubby After 7-Month Marriage FOXNews - Ivana Trump's sons walked her down the aisle, and her daughter Ivanka was her maid of honor for their April 2008 wedding held, to keep the family even more ... Ivana Trump splits from husband No.4, just seven months after ... Divorce: Ivana Trump 7 month marriage is over Ivana Trump Leaves Husband No. 4 |
Ayesha's marriage postponed after terror attack Oneindia, India - Ayesha Takia's wedding to beau, restaurateur Farhan Azmi, delayed. Wedding to take place mid-2009 In the wake of the 26/11 terrorist attacks, Ayesha Takia's ... Ayesha Takia postpones wedding |
Nicole on marriage as Zara's barn plans spark wedding talk hellomagazine.com, UK - This week blissfully happy Nicole Kidman speaks about marriage and motherhood exclusively to HELLO magazine, which also takes a look at Zara Phillips' ... |
Group Plans To Protest Crist's Wedding CBS 4, FL - ... Impact Florida says the group plans to demonstrate outside Crist's wedding because he supported Amendment 2, which banned same-sex marriage in Florida. ... Gay Rights Group To Protest At Crist's Wedding Gay rights group to protest at Crist's wedding Gay Rights Protest Set For Nuptials |
This Season, Some Tempers Simmer Wall Street Journal - Now a trip to a cousin's Florida wedding in February is in jeopardy because of finances. Missing the wedding and Christmas "could become a source of ... |
Why Ruin Their Wedding Day? ireport - Gay Activists have announced that they will be outside of the church to protest the Governor's support of the amendment banning Gay marriage. ... |
Weddings and business: A marriage of convenience BusinessWorld Online, Philippines - Just as weddings are a beginning of a lifelong marriage, wedding suppliers are hopeful that the current business vigor paves the way for a truly sustainable ... |
Resources
-
Wedding Vows, Marriage Vows
Proven Wedding and Marriage vows.
-
Free Personals with photos - International Marriage site
matrimonials with pictures. Post your matrimonial for free and browse though photo personals to find your mate, bride, groom. Matrimonial service for people looking for love, romance and Marriage.