Since about the 13th century, small gifts have been given out to wedding guests by the bride and groom as a thank you for coming. These wedding favours were very fashionable amongst the aristocratic families and were usually little trinket boxes or Bonbonnieres made from porcelain which contained petite confections or cubes of sugar. In those days sugar was rare and very expensive so only the wealthy could afford it. However, as sugar became cheaper and more accessible, these wedding favours became commonplace at more modest weddings. The Italians came up with sugared almonds and these replaced the Bonbonnieres as wedding favours. There were 5 sugared almonds in each gift packet which represented health, wealth, happiness, fertility and longevity for the happy couple.
Preparing for a wedding takes a great deal of time and effort so that everything goes like clockwork on the day. Choosing every aspect of the day is very much personal choice and it is important that some thought is given to the favours. They should not be a last minute rush purchase and should suit the rest of the wedding theme. Favours can be personalised with the name of the bride and groom, the date and location of the wedding. There is so much choice these days and some couples will give out quite personal things like CDs with a selection of their favourite music or a small silver photo frame with their names engraved. Other popular favours include scented candles, gourmet coffee, a scroll with a much-loved poem and scented soap. However, confectionary is still very much the gift of choice for many and there is now a magnificent choice available from the traditional sugared almonds to gourmet chocolates.
Spend a little time contemplating what sort of favours you would like to give out and then find out how much they are likely to cost. It is always a good idea to set a budget for the favours so that you are not spending too much and are giving your guests something that you like so that they can remember your special day. As well as locally, you can buy your favours online, this can be a really good way of doing it, particularly if you have a very modest budget, as you can then create your own favours by buying all the components and putting them together yourself. By sourcing all the components yourself, you can really make something unique and that can be colour co-ordinated with the bridesmaids so that you have a continual theme. Don't be afraid to experiment with colour and texture, try and obtain samples so that you can mix and match. Of course the DIY option will not be open to every bride and for those who do not have the time to spend making their own favours, there are some fantastic companies who will provide what you want.
If you decide to have confectionary, make sure that you pick the right sort of favour for your wedding day, there's lots to choose from, but you must get it right!
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