Wedding Favor Trends

Wedding favors are not a must, but are a simple and elegant way of thanking those who came to your wedding. Traditionally, wedding favors were little trinket boxes with sugar cubes in them, because sugar was once an expensive commodity and denoted class (perhaps today’s favors, by the same token, should hold a cupful of gas!). Over the years, it became customary to give five sugar-coated almonds, packaged in fancy cloth, to guests. The bitterness of the almonds and the sweetness of the sugar coating were meant to signify the nature of marriage—sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter.
Today, wedding favors are not confined to almonds—they are there to make a statement. They are increasingly seen as a mirror of the couple’s interests and philosophies.
Here are some ideas for neat favors for your guests:
Light It Up: Candles are making a huge comeback, not least because they can seamlessly integrate with the décor. Candles are becoming part of breakaway centerpieces, which are centerpieces composed of several parts, which guests can then break away to take home as wedding favors. This allows your money to do double-duty and go twice as far!
A note on centerpiece-favors: Guests are not to assume that centerpieces are for the taking; however, if you want to be doubly sure that they are NOT taken (maybe you have promised them to an organization or want to keep them for yourself), tag each centerpiece with a name (real or fictitious) so that the guests at the table know it is designated for someone already.
Use It: While little trinkets make pretty favors, they are often thrown in the back of the closet or (gasp!) the trash, never to be seen again. Give your guests something useful—like little photo frames, coasters, or tea light holders. And resist the urge to engrave them with your names and wedding date. Even your best friends or closest family will not want to display that for years to come!
Go Green: Many couples are choosing to spread the message of a clean environment by giving away favors with a green conscience—from elegantly packed seed packets to little potted herbs, they are making waves of green in the wedding industry.
Go Rustic: A favorite theme this year relies on rustic touches, especially for fall weddings. Going with the theme, favors can include potted plants, potholders, leaf-shaped placeholders, mini lanterns, mini watering cans, or homemade soaps, jams, and candles.
Monogram It: For all the listed types of favors, consider personalizing the favor by embossing or monogramming the guest’s name or initial(s). Not only will it lend a personal touch, you can ensure that the favor will remain in your guests’ home!
Do Good: Many couples are going the “donation” way, letting guests know that in lieu of the wedding favor, a donation has been made to a worthy cause in their name. However, a note: Ensure that your wedding is not extravagant in other way, if you are going this route—it might give the wrong impression to guests and make them feel that you are only willing to sacrifice their comfort for the sake of saving money!
More Cake: It is fairly common for guests to bring home a slice of the groom’s cake as a favor. There are many cute cake boxes out there to choose from, so be sure to find one that fits your theme and/or your personalities!
Go With the Season: A neat idea for a wedding during the holiday season is to have a tree with favors stacked beneath it or hung from it as ornaments.
Go Traditional: Surprisingly, one of the most common wedding favors is still the traditional one—a neat box with candy/almonds inside. Tie a pretty ribbon around the box, or just add a single rose to it, to add an elegant touch.
Skip It: Wedding favors are not necessities—they are feel-good gifts. If you are on a tight budget or cannot think of something suitable for your large wedding guest list, you can choose to completely skip favors altogether.
Generally, couples leave favors at each reception tables. However, if it will clutter the table or doesn’t match your décor, feel free to leave the favors in a more appropriate (but obvious!) location, such as near the guest book table. Also, while some couples choose to give each guest a favor, some choose to give each couple one. Along the same lines, you can choose to give everyone the same favor or have different favors for different groups (such as men and women).
It doesn’t really matter whether your favors are expensive or not, this is truly one of the aspects of the wedding where it the thought that counts. So, let your favors reflect you as a couple and forget that anything else matters in this arena.