Wedding Favours  

A wedding favour is a gift from the bride and groom to their guests on their wedding day.  It is usually given as a token of thanks for sharing their special day with them and also as a keepsake of the couple’s special day. 

History of Wedding Favours 

The custom of giving favours can be traced back to the early days of European history when they would be given by wealthy aristocrats in celebration of a wedding, birthday or christening.  The first wedding favours were traditionally known as  “bonbonnieres” which were small trinket boxes made of gold, precious stones, crystal or porcelain.  Originally, bonbonnieres would contain sugar cubes or delicate confections  symbolizing wealth and royalty.   

During this period, sugar was an expensive commodity and was believed to have medical properties but as the price of sugar decreased throughout centuries the tradition was adopted by people of more modest means.  As sugar became more affordable, bonbonnieres were replaced by almonds.  Traditionally, five Jordan almonds are presented in a confection box or wrapped in elegant tulle fabric to represent fertility, longevity, wealth, health and happiness. The bitterness of the almond and the sweetness of the coated candy suggests the bitter sweetness of a marriage.   

“Five sugared almonds for each guest to eat, 

To remind us that life is both bitter and sweet. 

Five wishes for the new husband and wife; 

Health, wealth, happiness, children and a long life!"

Ideas for Wedding Favours 

Although traditionally wedding favours are made using 5 sugared almonds wrapped in lace nets or placed in small decorated boxes, there are hundreds of other options now available to choose from.  These days a wedding favour can come in almost any form and be personalized with the couple's names, initials or wedding date.  Modern gift trends include:  

·          CDs with the favorite music of the bride and groom 

·          Shot glasses filled with colored candy 

·         Silver picture frames with a photo of the couple  

·          Individual chocolates 

·          Coasters 

·          Wine bottle stoppers 

·          Candles 

·          Scented soaps 

Wedding favours can be co-ordinated to match the theme or colours of the wedding or even the personality of the couple.  There are hundreds of companies who can supply the materials you will need to make your own individual favours if you are trying to keep to a tight budget. 

Wedding favours are traditionally placed at each individual place setting around the table and can even be combined with the name of the guest on an attractive name tag saving the cost of traditional printed name place settings.