Wedding Favours – where to begin?

The tradition of favours dates back for centuries and it is believed that the first wedding favour was known as a bonbenniere, a small trinket box made from glass, porcelain or precious stone and filled with delicate sugary confections.

During the 13th century almonds covered in sugar were presented and soon transformed to the candy coated almonds that are still popular today. Traditionally five candy coated almonds are packaged in beautiful favour boxes. The five almonds represent happiness, health, wealth, fertility and longevity.

Nancy Flint from Creatus Design gives us a few ‘Thank you’ gift ideas; for the Pro-Green Bride and the Cooking Expert.

Since those early days the act of giving a small gift to your guests in appreciation for attending your wedding day has become an important and integral part of the wedding planning. There are no limits ... apart from budget, when it comes to choosing wedding favours. The key is to thank your guests with a gift that reflects your sense of style, personality and appreciation.

Eco-Friendly
Being committed to sustainable living need not mean you have to skimp on wedding favours.

• Give a gift that keeps on giving... combine individually potted herb seedlings or water-wise
succulents with your table centre piece.
• Ask your local nursery for indigenous tree samplings in eco pots. These pots are 100%
biodegradable.
• Search the web for locally produced recycled items such as fridge magnets, pens, pencils,
notebooks or art.
• Package flower bulbs in biodegradable packaging and add a tag with planting instructions
and a thank-you note to your guests.
• Support a local grassroots organisation by making a monetary donation. Create a tag or
bookmark from recycled paper and print information about the organisation for each guest.


Photographs by Creatus Design

Flavoursome favours
Do both your families share a passion for food and cooking? Here are some great ideas to
incorporate these as wedding favours:

• Create a combined family favourite recipe book with a personalised cover that matches
your stationery and theme of your wedding.
• Ask a family member to make their speciality jam, homemade mustard or condiment. Tie
ribbon to match your colour scheme around the jar and add a printed label that includes a
description of the contents and a thank-you note for your guests.
• Spice things up by presenting each guest with a set of clear top aluminium tins filled with
exotic aromatic spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric or star anise.

Handmade gifts add a personal touch and need not be a laborious task that keeps you up until the early hours of the morning, ask family and friends to get involved. Ensure that you have plenty of work space and that there are enough snacks and drinks. Make an event out of it, but most importantly...have fun!

Wedding Favours – where to begin? | Wedding Articles