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Traditionally offered as a loving symbol of gratitude and
appreciation to those in attendance, the wedding favor is
an important but potentially expensive part of a modern
wedding. A couple in the midst of planning their wedding
can save a great deal by approaching their wedding favors
with thoughtful and frugal imagination. The creative couple
on a budget can make homemade and personalized favors that
will be just as memorable and successful as much more expensive
favors.
Begin by considering items that guests will appreciate
and then try to imagine how these items might be packaged
or presented in a way that will be appropriate and meaningful
on a special day. One simple but effective way of thanking
your guests is with a small bag of almonds or other nuts.
Simply enclose the nuts in small pouches made from elegant
fabric and tied shut with lengths of ribbon. Similarly,
packets of flower seeds can be placed in transparent bags
and closed with ribbon. Thread the ribbon through a small
hole-punched thank you card to create an attractive and
inexpensive favor.
Another delightful favor consists of a few decorative candles
tied together, again, with ribbon. Homemade bookmarks ,designed
by the couple and including a personal message, can be very
effective. The place card, as well, if elegantly designed
and put in a customized place card holder, changes something
ordinarily mundane into a meaningful memento. The crafty
couple might also consider making decorated photograph frames
from low-cost materials.
Cards and tags, when they include sincere messages of thanks
to the guests for their participation, can become lovely
favors. The fresh flowers used to decorate guests’
tables can be divided up into attractive bouquets to be
sent home with those in attendance. A couple that considers
their shared and individual interests will likely come up
with additional fun and inexpensive objects related to those
interests that can be offered to guests as favors.
Small boxes or tins of fine candies or mints can be altered
with custom labels to create perfect favors. Even an item
as simple as a box of playing cards can be altered with
labels in an appropriate way. Also consider using labels
to customize bags of coffee beans or boxes of tea for use
as favors. Similarly, chocolates can be monogrammed and
wrapped in attractive colored foil. A decorative item like
a small to mid-sized seashell can be bagged appealingly
with candies. Heart-shaped soaps are also perfect as favors,
as are petite handbags.
The wedding favor has been a part of wedding tradition
for centuries, but thanking one’s guests does not
also have to mean a more expensive wedding. A carefully
conceived or customized wedding favor, no matter the price,
can mean as much, if not more to guests than something vastly
more expensive. What ultimately matters is that guests know
that their participation was valued, something that a thoughtful,
creative couple can convey with a thoughtful, creative wedding
favor at any price. |
