Few modern weddings manage to avoid the ritual of wedding favors. Traditionally, wedding favors are usually placed on the table, in front of every guest, although this idea seems to have diminished, in recent years.

Choices of Wedding Favors

Trying to select a small gift that is going to appeal to the entire wedding party is tricky, to say the least. Arguably it is impossible! However, there are ways to avoid giving inappropriate wedding favors, while also keeping the budget in check.

Why not simply create a selection of sweets and chocolates that can be placed in the center of the table for all to pick at. This is a great way of allowing people to choose their own gifts, without having to worry about issues of taste.

With a small, intimate party, it is actually possible to select gifts, individually. This is only really possible when the party is very small; normally a maximum of thirty is appropriate for these types of wedding favors. If you take this approach, be certain that position the wedding favors correctly and inline with the table settings or you might just find that your carefully selected wedding favors end up in the wrong hands!

Edibles are always a good choice when it comes to wedding favors as many people are getting quite hungry after the ceremony and photographs. Sugared almonds are considered to be the traditional wedding favors. However, the fact of the matter is that not many people actually enjoy sugared almonds, so it may be better to consider an alternative. Why not use chocolates or sweets instead? If you are in a warm climate chocolates will need to be stored in a refrigerator until the last minute, so make sure that you have this facility.

Alternatives to Wedding Favors

Moving away from the more traditional types of wedding favors, you may wish to consider a more modern and innovative approach. By daring to be different, not only can you save yourself some money, but you are also more likely to make a lasting impression on your guests.

Some different ideas for wedding favors include a lottery card each, but think about how you would react if someone wins big-time on the ticket that you have bought! If this thought does not appeal, then consider having a raffle where everyone is given a ticket and there is a range of prizes available.

Another great idea could be to place a bowl of goodies such as chocolates sweets and alcohol miniatures, in the center of the table, allowing a bit of potluck for the guests. If you have a bit more time on your hands, you could wrap the wedding favors up and allow guests to select their own and take a chance on the outcome.

One of the key things to remember with wedding favors is that you want to generate discussion. When guests arrive at a wedding reception, they are often slightly shy or timid and having a game involving wedding favors will do wonders to break the ice!

This article was posted on September 21, 2005