Wedding favors are always one of the trickier elements of wedding planning: although they are intended to simply be a small take-home memento, it’s all too easy for them to become overly complicated and for costs to spiral. Everyone wants their wedding to be beautiful and unique, but never forget there are ways to achieve this without going over the top. Here we take a look at some stunning ways to create memorable favors that will delight your guests and your bank account.
Symbolism and Meaning: the Beating Heart of Favors
The practice of giving favors was inspired by Greek mythology, with the Romans pioneering the gift-giving by handing out honey-coated almonds to wedding guests, on account of the almond tree’s symbolism of love and commitment. These days, favors have evolved into a number of creative forms, but they should always fulfill and honor the same function and meaning.
Seeds
Plant and flower seeds are one of the most evocative and beautiful wedding favors you can give. Not only can you encase them in a personalized packet adorned with the married couples’ names and the date of the ceremony, but they are full of meaning – new beginnings, life, and growth, is there anything that a sapling isn’t representative of?! What’s more, even the most lavishly wrapped seed packet is still easy enough for your guests to transport home and will last for a long while before they need planting.
Printed order of ceremony
Printing out the order of the day is a wonderful way to ensure that no one ever forgets all the special moments that formed your wedding day. Depending on your budget, you can opt for a professional service, such as one with print24’s book printing offers, or you can try designing a simple pamphlet yourself. All of the basic design elements apply to make sure that it looks as good as can be: use the same font throughout, don’t cram too much information onto each page, and – generally speaking – less is more.
Tote bag
The simple canvas tote bag has innumerable uses and is an attractive solution to anyone looking for a more environmentally friendly way to do a spot of shopping. As such, they make great wedding favors and can be personalized with an image of your wedding day. There are various companies out there which can add any details that you like, and let you pick from a range of different bag sizes, material, and colors.
Candles
Carved or scented candles make for excellent wedding favors. Keep them in line with your wedding color theme or pick one that has a shape or smell that you like. Tie a name tag around each one and leave them on the tables as guest name cards: this means people can choose to take them home with them or light them at the table to enjoy during the evening.
Tea blends
Taste and smell and two of our strongest senses, and can be used to artfully bring back floods of memories of your special day. Setting out tea bags or spice blends for each of your guests to take home means that they will be able to recall the occasion within seconds. For couples holding their special day in Fall, there are some amazing blends out there to perfectly match the season. For instance, try a black tea with orange or infused with cranberry. Alternatively, a classic pumpkin spice tea will immediately evoke the image of falling leaves and your stunning wedding day.
No matter what wedding favors you choose, the most important thing will always be the time you spend with your guests and memories you keep from the day. Favors are intended to be a little ‘thank you’ to your friends and family for the support they have shown to you and your partner throughout your relationship, and should never be a source of stress. Remember: the most important thing is to have a day that is full of fun, laughter and love.