presents
Favors Por Favor? Wedding Favor Ideas for 2009 and Beyond
by Naomi Vail
Decisions decisions! Yep, there are a lot of them to make when planning a wedding and it’s often the smallest details that herald the greatest of indecision. Magnolias or Gardenias? Lanterns or candles? Sage or olive? Fondant or buttercream? It’s enough to drive a girl mad! Of all the deliberations I hear as a wedding planner, one of the most common is “what do I get for wedding favors?”
My only advice on this topic is, pick something that your guests will actually want. Too many times I’ve seen wasted favors left on reception tables at the end of the night because honestly, who wants a plastic bride & groom figurine that says “George & Sally’s Wedding.” A favor that someone really wants can fall in to 3 categories: 1) Edible Favors – candy, chocolates and other goodies are rarely turned down and are often consumed before the night is over. 2) Practical Favors – items that have a specific utility other than nostalgia. 3) Favors that are so gosh darn cute or unique, you’ll likely see them perched on the mantels or coffee tables of your guests long after the honeymoon is over.
As the 2009 wedding season peaks, I thought I’d share some fresh new items I’ve seen this year that might spark some ideas.
Edible Favors:
If the idea of jordan almonds in a gift box seems a little too “last year… and the year before,” I introduce to you sheer bakery bliss! These beautiful designer cookies offer an upscale twist on the traditional wedding confection, as they come in delicious flavors such as orange vanilla spice with fondant icing, dusted with a gold sugar luster. Some bakers will even design them to match your cake!
Practical Favors:
The fun thing about practical favors is you can cater them to your own specific theme, personality, occupation, interests or style. Bottle stoppers and bottle openers are perfect for a vineyard wedding. Do you and your fiancee love to cook? Give your guests heart-shaped measuring spoons. Monogram birdseed favors are perfect for, well… anyone. Vegas wedding? Why not give personalized playing cards? There are countless ways to thank your guests; don’t let them forget where they got it!
Wow Favors:
These incredibly life-like tarts have a mouth-watering, jaw-dropping effect. But don’t bite in! The meticulously hand-crafted, all-natural soaps are made with mango butter, shea butter, liquid goat’s milk and vegetable oils. While they might fall into the “practical favors” category, I’d be hard pressed to find someone who has washed their hands with these little works of art!
Whatever your tastes and budget are, there’s a favor out there for you. These wedding favors and more can all be found at Moments of Elegance.com
About Naomi:
Naomi has spent the past 11 years working in numerous aspects of the wedding industry including photography, videography, invitation design, wedding planning and most recently wedding blogging! She’s spent most of her career in beautiful Lake Tahoe with a short stint on California’s northern redwood coast. Naomi is currently engaged and is extremely excited to finally plan her own wedding with her fiance Tim.
Decisions decisions! Yep, there are a lot of them to make when planning a wedding and it’s often the smallest details that herald the greatest of indecision. Magnolias or Gardenias? Lanterns or candles? Sage or olive? Fondant or buttercream? It’s enough to drive a girl mad! Of all the deliberations I hear as a wedding planner, one of the most common is “what do I get for wedding favors?”
My only advice on this topic is, pick something that your guests will actually want. Too many times I’ve seen wasted favors left on reception tables at the end of the night because honestly, who wants a plastic bride & groom figurine that says “George & Sally’s Wedding.” A favor that someone really wants can fall in to 3 categories: 1) Edible Favors – candy, chocolates and other goodies are rarely turned down and are often consumed before the night is over. 2) Practical Favors – items that have a specific utility other than nostalgia. 3) Favors that are so gosh darn cute or unique, you’ll likely see them perched on the mantels or coffee tables of your guests long after the honeymoon is over.
As the 2009 wedding season peaks, I thought I’d share some fresh new items I’ve seen this year that might spark some ideas.
Edible Favors
If the idea of jordan almonds in a gift box seems a little too “last year… and the year before,” I introduce to you sheer bakery bliss! These beautiful designer cookies offer an upscale twist on the traditional wedding confection, as they come in delicious flavors such as orange vanilla spice with fondant icing, dusted with a gold sugar luster. Some bakers will even design them to match your cake!
Edible Favors
Practical Favors
The fun thing about practical favors is you can cater them to your own specific theme, personality, occupation, interests or style. Bottle stoppers and bottle openers are perfect for a vineyard wedding. Do you and your fiancee love to cook? Give your guests heart-shaped measuring spoons. Monogram birdseed favors are perfect for, well… anyone. Vegas wedding? Why not give personalized playing cards? There are countless ways to thank your guests; don’t let them forget where they got it!
Practical Favors
Wow Favors
These incredibly life-like tarts have a mouth-watering, jaw-dropping effect. But don’t bite in! The meticulously hand-crafted, all-natural soaps are made with mango butter, shea butter, liquid goat’s milk and vegetable oils. While they might fall into the “practical favors” category, I’d be hard pressed to find someone who has washed their hands with these little works of art!
Wow Favors
Whatever your tastes and budget are, there’s a favor out there for you. These wedding favors and more can all be found at Moments of Elegance.com
About Our Guest Blogger
Naomi has spent the past 11 years working in numerous aspects of the wedding industry including photography, videography, invitation design, wedding planning and most recently wedding blogging! She’s spent most of her career in beautiful Lake Tahoe with a short stint on California’s northern redwood coast. Naomi is currently engaged and is extremely excited to finally plan her own wedding with her fiance Tim.
. Although Jen spends most of her time in the ER, her real passion is music – she sings, plays piano, and plays this fairly unknown instrument called “
