Traditions and Ideas for Wedding Favors

For centuries, brides and grooms have given their guests wedding favors as a token of their appreciation. Today's modern couple has many options when it comes to these gifts, which range from simple edible items to extravagant and one-of-a-kind pieces. Wedding favors continue to be an important part of the marriage ceremony for both the newlyweds and their attendants.

European tradition holds that guests at upper class weddings were once given small boxes called bonbonniere, made of silver or other precious metals and filled with sugar or sweets. The modern tradition of giving candied almonds to wedding guests may have evolved from the days of the bomboniere, and is now popular in many parts of the world. Jordan almonds, often covered in a sugary, pastel-colored shell, are meant to represent the sweetness of marriage.

Many brides and grooms have started to look beyond tradition and are giving their guests more lasting keepsakes on their wedding day. Candles, soaps, picture frames and keepsake boxes are popular gifts. Unique tokens include luggage tags, wine bottle openers and bookmarks. Some couples are opting for "green" or environmentally friendly gifts such as potted plants or seed packets. Many favors can be personalized with the names of the newly married couple and the date of the wedding, and can be ordered in different hues to match the wedding’s color scheme. Favors can also be created to match a theme wedding or the time of year. A candle studded with seashells, for example, would be an apt memento of a summer wedding on the beach.

When it comes to the cost of wedding favors, prices can vary depending on the number of wedding guests and the couple's budget. Small wedding favors ordered in bulk can cost as little as $1.50 per item. Extravagant gifts can be much more pricey; for example, an engraved silver photo frame can cost up to one hundred dollars.

Some couples are choosing to forgo candies and gifts altogether by making a donation to a charitable organization in their guests' names in place of giving wedding favors. Others are providing their attendants with gifts such as a certificate for a massage at a nearby spa or a ticket to a local attraction.

Brides and grooms are only limited by their imaginations when it comes to wedding favors. Whether they are sweet treats or lasting keepsakes, these gifts are an essential part of any wedding day.