Bridal Club Magazine

Wedding Favours For Everyone!

Your Wedding Reception Favors are a token of appreciation you offer your guests. when choosing your Wedding Favors keep in mind not only your Wedding Theme, but what kind of gifts your guest will really love.

Wedding favours are a personalised way to give your guests a little keepsake of your special day. Wedding favours don't need to be expensive; they can be homemade or come from a discount outlet but normally favours are personalised and have a special meaning.

We asked our discussion forum members for their ideas on wedding favours.

How about personalised helium balloons? - Balloons are available in party packs that can be filled by the company, or you can hire a tank and fill your own if you have the time. You can cut costs by filling 2 or 3 balloons in the bunch only with helium and the rest with air. Thanks to Rach, Tasha and Cara for your suggestions.

Having an outdoor reception? Sparklers that come in a variety of different colours and shapes are just perfect. You could bundle a few together and tie with a ribbon and personalised note to your guests. We suggest these for outdoors, as your guests may be a bit eager to light them! Thanks to Sarah, Deanne and Michelle for this suggestion.

Personalised chocolates, these can double for place settings at the reception. It also means that every guest gets a favour! There are some companies who do personalised covers for chocolate bars as well - or maybe you could make your own. Maybe simply chocolates that say the name of you and your spouse-to-be and your wedding date - I can't see these sitting around in the china cabinet - YUM! Thanks to Melisa, Janette and Rach for your input on these.

For table decorations, Mel suggested a vase containing one or two gold fish with a flower floating on the top. However, it would be a great idea to get whoever is serving the meal to take them away - tipsy guests may want to tamper with them! She also suggested decorated clean up cans to double as flower vases. Also decorate empty wine bottles as the colours to choose from are huge today - these could be used as candleholders.

Johanna told us what she is doing for her wedding favours. She has little silver boxes with contrasting thin ribbon. She put 5 little silver Bombonniere into each box with a hand written note thanking her guests for their love and support at her wedding. These will serve as both as a great gift and decoration on each guest's plate!

Kate bought small silver bags from a packaging place that she plans to fill with handmade fudge and a thankyou note, all tied with an aqua ribbon. The guest's names will be written on the bag so that it can double as a place name as well. She also suggested noodle boxes filled with lollies and tied up with ribbon.

Sachet boxes that stand up on their own - are filled with mini Toblerone bars and glo-heart sweets. Then Cara will tie them with purple organza ribbon printed with gold hearts. Hand-embroidered names will hang from the ribbons so once again the favours double as place cards.

Deanne plans to use Hershey's Kisses as she and her fiancé absolutely love them! Every week with the groceries, she buys a few bags so that come her wedding day, she will have enough to lavish on her guests by sprinkling them on the tables at her reception. A great idea for when the speeches are on... guests can nibble away to their hearts content. She also plans to handmake her own chocolates and wrap them in brightly coloured foil.

Jen told us that she recently saw at another wedding, ribbon wrapped bundles of narrow tapered candles with a card saying 'thanks for sharing our special day ...'

Caught up in the paua craze yet? This wonderful gem of New Zealand is taking our country by storm. No longer the tacky shell you find at the tourist shops, it is coming out and making a fashion statement.

Suzie has used her creativity to its fullest in making her wedding favours. It has taken a bit of time and effort, but has turned out to be cost-effective and quite original. Acrylic resin photo holders inset with paua pieces or riverstones, these also double as name holders on the day and the guests will also be able to put a photo of the happy couple in it to remember the day by.

She used ice cube trays as moulds, and food colouring to dye the last layer of resin - which gave an effect of being immersed in water. Her theme colours for the wedding are blue and green contrasting with the white - incorporating paua shell into just about everything.

Suzie bought some rope wire and alligator clips from hardware stores to make approximately 120 of the photo holders. Very cost-effective at only $1.30 per person, it is something that everyone can take away and keep as a reminder of our day.

Although quite messy and fiddley - Suzie admits to enjoying letting her creativity run free and having a real sense of achievement on their completion.

We look forward to hearing how her guests receive these treasures on her special day.

Here are some quick ideas that you can add your personal touch to...
Candy dishes - ice buckets - wine glasses - shot glasses - champagne flutes - cognac glasses - bath bombs - lottery tickets - pill boxes - bottle opener - incense - umbrellas - chop sticks - clay teapots - rice bowls - key chains - coffee mugs - expresso cups or spoons - cake serving set - cream and sugar serving set - sugar bowl and spoon - place card holders - wind chimes - mini oil lamps - napkin holders - mini candelabra - candles - watchmaker tins with sweets - candy apples - jams - flavoured tea bags - flavoured coffee - truffles - family recipe book - wine - flavoured vinegar or oil - mixed spices - sun catchers - potpourri sachets - soap - soap dish - book marks - trinket boxes - fans - playing cards - calendars - CD's - golf balls or tees - tennis balls - stamps - address book - notepads - pens and pencils - chocolate bars - fruit cake - wedding cake - evergreen trees - ivy plants - mini topiary trees - flower bulbs - seedlings - packets of flower seeds - keyrings - miniature bottles of spirits with personalised labels - small soft toys - bottles of bubble blowing liquid

Have fun and be unique with your ideas. Here are some links to wedding favour craft pages that can inspire you with even more...