BY TRESA ERICKSON
You’re a crafty person, and because you have such a tight budget for your
wedding, you have decided to make as much as possible for the event,
including your wedding favors. Lucky for you, there are hundreds of ideas
for do-it-yourself favors that won’t break the bank.
Wedding favors have been around for some time. During the 16th century in
France, nobility and royalty often gave porcelain as wedding favors. Few
brides today can afford such extravagant favors, but you can give a little
something that will serve as both a memento of your wedding and a token of
your appreciation to guests for attending your wedding. When making wedding
favors, you have two options: you can either go the traditional route with
birdseed, almonds or sachets, or you can break out of the mode and come up
with your own unique favors.
Traditional wedding favors once consisted of small bags of rice that
guests could throw at the bride and groom. When experts discovered that rice
harmed birds, birdseed was used instead. If you’re having a traditional
wedding, you may want to go with birdseed favors. To make them, simply wrap
a couple of tablespoons of wild birdseed into some tulle and tie with
ribbon.
Another traditional wedding favor is almonds. During the 17th century,
couples gave guests three sugarcoated almonds wrapped in tulle. One almond
stood for the groom, one for the bride and one for the baby they would have,
thus making the favors a symbol of fertility. Chocolate-covered almonds were
also popular, and with the salty taste of the nuts and the sugary taste of
the chocolate, represented the bittersweetness of marriage. To make almond
favors, all you need to do is wrap some almonds in tulle and tie with
ribbon.
If birdseed or almonds do not suit you, you could try making some
sachets. During Victorian times, couples gave guests sachets filled with
rosemary, which symbolized that they would not forget their friends and
family even though they were starting a life together. To make these favors,
cut some silk fabric into small squares, insert a sprig of rosemary into
each square and tie with ribbon.
Along with traditional favors, there are many other not-so-traditional
favors you can give. Ideas include:
• Bubbles
• Candles
• Coffee mugs with coffee beans or hot cocoa mixes
• CDs
• Magnets
• Miniature champagne or wine bottles
• Ornaments • Pens • Personalized sodas • Recipes • Seed packets • Shot
glasses • Soaps • Tea or coffee tins • Wine stoppers
You can find most of these items in bulk at various stores. Then all you
have to do is decorate and personalize them any way you want and prepare to
give them away as wedding favors. Enjoy!
