By Georgina Clatworthy

Time was that wedding favors were a straight choice between chocolates and almonds.  These days however, coming up with wedding favor ideas, which have become far more sophisticated and novel, can present brides with no end of dilemmas between perfection, uniqueness and the eternal question of whether or not to personalize!

So I have put together a list of five wedding favors which in my opinion address these dilemmas and should give you some ideas for your favors.  This list is not representative of sales or popularity amongst other brides, but more based on a criteria consisting of how unique it is or can become, is it perfect for just about any type of wedding? The price and its usefulness when your guests get it home.

1. Custom cookies:  These are topping the popularity stakes at the moment and with good reason.  Edible favors always go down the best, by the time your guests sit down to the reception meal a sugar snack is just what is required to get the blood sugar levels back up again!  Custom cookies can be made in a variety of shapes and size, decorated in any number of ways and above all taste delicious!

Uniqueness rating: 8/10 – because of their popularity

Perfection rating: 10/10 – can be customized to any wedding

Price: 4/10 – can be very expensive unless you can make your own

Usefulness: N/A – it’s a cookie, what do you want to use it for?!

2. Chocolates: Staying with the edible theme, chocolates are definitely the second most popular choice.  From small handmade chocolates to mini bars with personalized wrappers, these go down just as well with guests as cookies do.

Uniqueness rating: 5/10 – chocolates are likely to turn up at most weddings so not that unique

Perfection Rating: 8/10 – can be customized to any wedding style/theme

Price: 10/10 – there are chocolates available to suit any budget

Usefulness: N/A

3. Candles: There is something about candles that makes us want to buy them.  Whether we actually light them is another matter, but from scented to beeswax we love them!

Uniqueness rating: 6/10 – wide choice available but a popular favor nonetheless

Perfection Rating: 7/10 – wide choice of colors, scents, styles and shapes available

Price: 10/10 – again there are choices available for every budget

Usefulness: 9/10 – you never know when the lights might go out!

4. Bottle Stoppers and Openers: These things come in many shapes and sizes so are ideal choices for many weddings.  Purchase them separately or in sets comprising of one of each.

Uniqueness Rating: 7/10 – a fairly modern favor so your guests are unlikely to have been given lots of them before

Perfection Rating: 5/10 – many designs available although perhaps not enough to suit every wedding style/theme

Price: 8/10 – favor stores offer them at around $2 – $3 each so within most budgets

Usefulness: 10/10 – always handy to have in the kitchen drawer

5. Photograph Frames: Not large 4×6 frames but mini versions which many brides will double up as place card holders.  A nice variety of styles and designs available from most favor stores and stationers.

Uniqueness Rating: 4/10 – a common choice for weddings, however the design of the frame can make the difference

Perfection Rating: 6/10 – classic styles through to themed versions make them easily coordinated to many wedding style/themes

Price: 10/10 – available to suit most budgets

Usefulness: 9/10 – depends on the style or design really but decorative whatever you do with them.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Throughout your wedding planning you will be told of how important it is to personalize your wedding to suit the taste and style of you both.  Little wonder then that unique wedding invitations are high on most bride’s shopping list.

Your wedding invitations are the first glimpse your guests will have of your wedding style and/or theme so you need to get them right.  Unique invitations go far beyond choosing something that is in your chosen wedding colors, it is more to do with the design, graphics and style of the invite that will make them unique.

Presentation is another factor that will make your invitations unique and distinguish them from others.

So when you begin looking for your invitations consider the following factors before making you final choice.

Price: This has to come first, you can find the most perfect invitations on the market, but if they are too expensive then you will have to think again.  You should have assigned a portion of your budget to your wedding stationery and if you had researched prices before hand then this should be a realistic figure.

Your invitations will cost the most out of your stationery budget, particularly if you have seperate enclosures, fancy embellishments and separate RSVP cards with envelopes.  You should also include the postage costs as well in your budget, which many brides fail to consider.

Wedding Style: Next you need to think about the style of your wedding.  Are you having a traditional formal wedding, a casual wedding or perhaps a themed wedding?

Traditional weddings which are big on formality and all the wedding traditions will require traditional invitations.  These are often flat cards, worded in the traditional manner and sent out with a simple RSVP card.

A casual wedding allows to choose from a range of different styles of invitations, such as bi-fold, tri-fold, pocket, scroll etc.  These can incorporate fancy graphics and a range of different colors, as well as being able to add in a range of enclosures to give your guests all the information they need.

Themed wedding invitations need to coordinate with your theme.  Usually this is achieved with the use of graphic elements such as background designs or motifs.  Colors, designs and perhaps even wording will be dictated by your chosen wedding theme.

Colors: Your invitations will need to match the color scheme you have chosen for your wedding, as will all your other wedding stationery.  Your invitations will probably be the first thing you buy in your wedding colors, but if they’re not then you will need to make sure you match up the colors and shades perfectly.

If you cannot find invitations and stationery to suit your wedding from a printers, then you may want to consider looking a businesses that specialize in handmade wedding invitations and whom can design stationery specifically for you.  Failing that there are a wide range of websites that offer print your own wedding invitations services and have a wide choice of designs and templates to choose from.  Printing your own at home will require some kind of graphics and desk top publishing software as well as a good quality color printer.

By Georgina Clatworthy

With budgets tight for many couples at the moment, many brides are looking for cheap wedding favors and inexpensive wedding favor ideas for their special day.

If you are having a large wedding, with say, more than 200 guests, the cost of your wedding favors can quickly mount up.  Many brides fail to include the cost of packaging, decorations, tags and labels, as well as shipping costs and taxes which may be applicable.

But there are a number of inexpensive wedding favors available to you and with a little creative thinking and some savvy shopping you can come up with perfect favors for your wedding on the cheap!

Firstly you need to set a budget.  You should have included a figure for your wedding favors in your original wedding budget which you did at the start of your planning.  Now is the time to go back to figure and work out if it is still realistic and more importantly if you can still afford it!

Putting together cheap wedding favors for $1 each is not impossible but will require some creative input from yourself and possibly some compromise.

When it comes to shopping for your wedding favors there are a number of places to look.  Start online with the favor stores.  Many compete with each other on price and will hold pretty much the same stock so you should be able to easily compare prices.  Where they can differ is on the offers and discounts they have.  Some will offer discounts on the total price over a certain amount (usually $150) whilst others will offer free shipping over a certain amount and others will run regular discounts or offers throughout the year.

Even if you are certain you would not be able to afford these stores they are great places for wedding favor ideas and can give you lots of inspiration.  Many will also have a section for discount wedding favors or closeout stock which is always worth keeping an eye on as you can get some great bargains here.

Next you should look for wholesalers, not just those who specialize in wedding favors but also those who provide wholesale food items as edible favors are one of the cheapest and most popular favors around.  Food wholesalers can offer you great prices on bulk purchases of candies or chocolates for instance, allowing you to easily create favors with a selection of treats inside for relatively little expense.

Supermarkets are also great places to look for wedding favors.  A packet of gourmet coffee from the supermarket will cost you just a few dollars but you can split it into many favors for a fraction of the cost of the sachets offered by specialist favor stores.

Other wedding favor ideas which can be found in supermarkets include candles such as votives or tea lights, chocolates, candies and plain cupcakes which you could decorate yourself at home.

In terms of packaging you can find good deals on wholesale favor boxes online, check out sites like Ebay for bulk quantities of boxes, voile bags and decorative items like ribbons and embellishments like flowers and stickers.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Personalized wedding favors are a popular choice with many brides particulalry those who are looking to add a unique and personal touch to their favors.

Creating personalized favors is not as difficult as you may think or as expensive.  Favor stores now offer a wide range of wedding favors which can be personalized, along with a range of packaging which can be personalized also.

If you are looking to add personalized favors to your wedding, the here are a few ideas to consider:

Usually you consider personalization to be the printing of your names and wedding date onto an item, however, simply adding your photograph makes them personalized too.  Look out for photograph frames, coasters which allow you to add a photograph and fridge magnets also.

Packaging is one of the easiest and least expensive ways of adding personalization to your wedding favors.  Sachets of gourmet coffee or tea can be presented in personalized packets and most favor stores will offer you a choice of designs so you can easily coordinate them to your wedding.

Other items with personalized packaging include:

• Chocolate bars with printed wrappers
• Folied wrapped chocolate or candy coins
• Sachets of hot chocolate
• Cocktail mixes
• Labels for bottles or jars
• Mint tins

Printed ribbon is one of the most popular ways of adding personalization to your favors.  It is also one of the most cost effective ways as you can buy it in reels for a bulk purchase price.  I personally think this is the best way to add that personalized touch to your favors as adding you names and wedding date to every element of your favors can be slightly over the top!

You can also have custom stickers or labels printed with your names and wedding date and which can also be designed to coordinate with your wedding stationery or some other element of your wedding.  If you are the creative type you can easily print these at home.

Other personalized wedding favor ideas include M & M’s printed with your intials, visit the M & M’s website for more details on this.  Have custom cookies made and iced with your names and wedding date or if you budget will allow have mini cakes or cupcakes made with sugarcraft intials on top.

Just about anything can be personalized in some form or another these days, for you it is about finding the perfect way to personalize your wedding favors whilst ensuring they are still in keeping with your wedding style and theme.

By Georgina Clatworthy

A wedding guest book allows your guests to write personal messages of good luck and wishes to you both.  They make a wonderful keepsake of your wedding day.

Aside from the traditional paper wedding guestbook there are now several other alternatives available to you.  Here are a few ideas for you to consider:

Wedding signature platters are large plates onto which your guests can sign their names and leave a short message.  You can order a signature platter in a choice of sizes and some can be personalized with your names and wedding date in the center.

A wedding signature platter makes a popular alternative to a traditional guest book as they can be displayed at home, either on a wall or on a shelf, so you can enjoy it everyday!

Some couples choose to have one large signature platter which they will display on a separate table so guests can sign it at their pleasure or they will choose smaller platters and place one on each table.

Similar to the signature platter are wedding signature frames.  These look like picture frames and like the signature platters, your guests can write their messages on the blank insert.  Again signature frames are available in a range of sizes, with a choice of finishes and can be personalized.

It can be a nice idea to choose a very large signature frame and display it on an easel in your wedding reception room so your guests can easily find it.

A wedding wish tree is a beautiful way to collect all your guests wishes and good luck messages.  It works by providing your guests with small pieces of paper onto which they can write their messages and then with the aid of a peg or clip they can attach it to the wish tree.

A wedding wish tree doesn’t have to be a tree! There are various ways of creating this, all of which add a wonderful decorative element to your wedding reception.  The most common version consists of large branches, such as twisted willow fixed securely into a large container.  The branches need to be bare to allow each guest to be able to securely attach their wishes.

Other versions include a washing line, which can also be used to display your escort cards and I have also seen fret work screens where the open design allows for the wishes to be securely clipped on.

What you do with your wishes afterwards is up to you.  One idea is to purchase a traditional wedding guest book and stick them all inside.  Or if you are the creative type you could create a wedding scrap book using photographs, decorative elements left over from your wedding (ribbons, pressed flowers, wedding favors etc) and of course your wedding wishes.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Wedding cake toppers provide the final finishing touch to wedding cakes and for many brides their choice of topper is a personal one.  You will find many choices available when it comes to toppers and your wedding cake designer should be able to guide you to the best choice in terms of the style and decoration of your wedding cake and the style of your wedding.

Here are just a few of the choices available to your for your cake topper:

Flowers are possibly the most popular choice and the cheapest.  It is often the case that your florist will throw in small wired flowers for your wedding cake for free when you purchase all your other floral requirements from them.

Sugar flowers are another popular alternative to fresh ones, however, these can be very expensive and you could need a lot to decorate your cake, as you would often include flowers on the other tiers as well as on the top.

Just make sure that the flowers you use on your cake match those used in the rest of your floral decorations and your bouquets.  A cake covered in exotic orchids will look odd if the rest of your flowers are roses and stocks.

Monogram cake toppers are the newest kids on the block and are fast becoming a popular choice.  They are available in brushed metal and clear plastic versions and can include embellishments such as crystals.  For a wedding cake it is customary to use three letters – the brides initial, the grooms initial and your surname initial in the center.  An alternative option is to use two letters representing your intials, some couples also choose to add the ‘&’ symbol as well in the center.

Traditional cake toppers are figurines of the bride and groom standing proud on the top of the cake.  In recent years there has been many whimsical variations on this which include figurines of the bride dragging the groom; the groom carrying the bride and versions which have the groom climbing up the cake tiers.

For many the traditional topper is still king and some even use their parents cake topper on their wedding cake which makes a lovely gesture and can count towards the bride’s ’something borrowed’ or ’something old’.

Whimsical cake toppers are modelled from clay and are designed using a photograph of the bride and groom to create life like replicas of them.  Some are very artistic and formal, whilst others are more whimsical and show them in a comical light.  Often if one or both of the couple wear a uniform in their job, such as police work or the armed forces, then that is included on the model.  The advantage with this type of topper is that they make wonderful keepsakes and can be on display in the home permanently.

Modern wedding cake toppers include elaborate beaded crowns, crests of feathers and crystals, heart shaped glass frames with a picture of the couple and simple brushed metal shapes.

Whatever your choice of wedding cake topper, make sure it will coordinate with your wedding cake and your wedding style.  If you are having a wedding theme make sure you choose a topper that matches that also.  If you cannot find a topper that is perfectly suited then you can either have something custom made or simply opt for flowers which will coordinate with any wedding style and theme.

 By Georgina Clatworthy

Whilst fresh flowers will always remain the first choice for most brides, wedding silk flowers are undergoing something of a renaissance in recent years.  This can be partly attributed to silk flowers being made to a better quality than in previous years and a desire by many brides to keep the arrangements permanently.

Of course faux flowers are not just available in silk, you will find a good range of paper versions, plastic and even wood although the latter two may not find their way into too many weddings! 

So what can you expect from faux flowers for your wedding?  Well obviously these flowers will not wilt, drop their petals or go a horrid shade of brown as the day goes on!  Many florists are as adept as working with silk or paper flowers as they are with fresh ones so you should always ask about them as an alternative.

Many brides believe that faux flowers will be cheaper than fresh ones.  This is not always the case however.  Mother Nature does not charge for the hours it takes to produce beautiful fresh flowers, however a manufacturer of faux flowers will and when you consider the detail that has gone into some flowers you will realize why they are more expensive than their fresh versions!

Using silk flowers for your wedding can give many brides the confidence to have a go at arranging them themselves, possibly because they are less likely to damage them and find them far easier to work with.  Whilst some silk flowers will be good replicas of the real thing – often you will have to look twice or even touch them to realize they are not real, others are designed with a range of fabulous colors and even have added water droplets or crystals.

Paper flowers can often lend a shabby chic appearance to arrangements and are a popular choice for less formal weddings, they also make nice additions to wedding favors and gifts.  A good tip is to buy flowers with wired stems which can then be twisted and made into pretty napkin rings.

Silk flowers offer up the opportunity for you to keep your arrangements, especially if you want to give some of them away as gifts to guests.  A wedding bouquet of silk flowers can be preserved far easier than one made from fresh flowers and some brides choose to have a second bouquet made in silk flowers to match the one made from fresh flowers which she carried on the day.

 By Georgina Clatworthy

Flowers are an integral part of any wedding, from bouquets to altar arrangements you will inevitably be making a trip to the florist at some stage during your wedding planning.  But when it comes to your wedding reception flowers many brides find it difficult to decide on what exactly they should spend the budget on and where to spend it most efficiently.

A good florist will help you to decide exactly which types of flowers you should have for every floral arrangement for your wedding.  It is worth bearing in mind that the types or varieties of flower you choose should be used in every arrangement throughout your wedding, be it buttonholes or reception table arrangements.  Your florist will also help you choose the best colors to match those you have chosen for other elements of your wedding and help you choose the right flowers to come in on budget.

Your reception flowers could include the following:

• Table centers
• Long arrangement for the top table – although many brides use their bouquet
• Cake flowers
• Tall pedestal arrangements to decorate the entrance and for various focal points around the room
• Small arrangements for tables such as the guest book table and gift table
• Arrangements for the buffet table – if you are having one

Table centers will likely be your biggest expense here.  There are two types of arrangement to choose from – low and tall.  A low table center will allow all guests seated around the table to see each other and facilitates conservation.  Tall arrangements often block your guests view of each and so makes interaction across the table more difficult.  That said, if you are looking for dramatic, statement making centerpieces then these are what you want!

For many brides there is often the problem of what to do with the table centers after the wedding.  You could give them away as gifts to those guests who want them, although this could lead to conflict if there are not enough to go around!  My favorite suggestion is to have them sent to a nearby hospital, hospice or residential home where they will no doubt bring some cheer to the patients.

If your budget is tight then here are some money saving tips for your reception flowers:

• Instead of separate flowers for your wedding cake, use your bridesmaids bouquets instead, just ask your florist to make a simple arrangement for the top of the cake.
• Recycle the flowers from your ceremony by bringing them to the reception venue and save money on having separate pedestal arrangements made for each venue.
• If you are having a lot of bridesmaids you could use their bouquets as table centers, just make sure they are put in place before the guests enter the room.
• Choose flowers which are local to your area and in season. Exotic blooms which have to be flown in are far more expensive.
• Keep the expensive flowers for your bouquet and groom’s buttonhole and use cheaper alternatives for your other arrangements.
• If your main choice of flower is expensive, use it sparingly and fill in with foliage.
• Instead of arrangements for your table centers, use large bowls filled with water and add some flower heads and floating candles for a pretty and inexpensive centerpiece.

 By Georgina Clatworthy

With any wedding it is often the reception which will require the most planning and attention to detail.  Your wedding reception will be the biggest party you will ever organize and as such it is important your wedding reception decoration is perfect.

When thinking about your decoration you need to take into account several factors including:

• The style of your wedding
• Your wedding colors
• Your wedding theme
• Your budget
• Your venue

The style of your wedding will determine whether you have a formal reception, such as a sit down meal with several courses or a more casual reception perhaps with a buffet. Your wedding colors will provide the backdrop to your reception decoration and will determine things like table cloths, chair covers, flowers, balloons etc.  Usually brides will choose a combination of two or three colors, with one of those forming the main color used throughout (often white or ivory), the remaining colors then become accent colors in the smaller details such as flowers, table centers, napkins and decorations.

If you have chosen a wedding theme then this will be the main focus of your decoration.  With a wedding theme it is important to research all the small details and elements that you want to include, otherwise your theme could fall flat and be lost on your guests.  Try to be true to your theme in terms of colors and design, for instance, an art deco themed wedding is usually associated with a scheme of black and white, therefore using hot pink and aqua blue would not work!  Likewise a medieval wedding theme with table centers of tall martini glasses filled with crystals and feathers would look totally out of place.

Your budget will dictate everything, from the scale of your decoration to your choice of wedding favors.  Make sure you set a realistic sum for your reception decorations, especially if you are having a grand wedding theme.  That, said, much can be achieved by making your own decorations, including table centers, favors and hanging decorations.  So if your budget is tight make sure you explore your DIY options.

Venue’s can often be the deciding factor when it comes to how your reception will look.  Whilst many venues can offer a blank canvas, allowing you to decorate them however you wish, others can be rather more grandiose, meaning you will need to work your decorations around existing colors, fixtures and fittings.

The best around this it to pick your venue with your wedding style or theme in mind.  A beach wedding would obviously be at the beach, whilst a 1930’s themed wedding could take place in a ballroom or theatre.  If no suitable venue can be found then your best option would be to hire a marquee and pitch it in a garden or hotel grounds.  Marquee’s offer the ultimate blank canvas and many companies can offer decoration and furniture packages to suit.

Once you have picked your style, theme, colors and venue and set your budget you then need to set about the mammoth task of coordinating all the various decorative elements of your wedding reception.  Here are the things you will need to consider:

• Table linens – table cloths, napkins
• Chair covers
• Table centers
• Place settings – crockery, charger plates, cutlery, glassware
• Wall decorations – bunting, banners, balloons, drapes etc
• Ceiling decorations – chandeliers, paper lanterns, hanging paper decorations etc
• Lighting
• Wedding favors
• Candles
• Place card holders
• Finishing touches such as flower petals scattered on the tables

Work out your decoration scheme very carefully.  Build a scrap book of ideas and make a collage of all the details you want to use.  Make sure you incorporate your wedding colors in suitable proportions.  Interior designers use the 60-30-10 rule, with the main color (usually a neutral tone) in 60% of the scheme, the next color (usually a coordinating shade of the first color) in 30% of the scheme and an accent color (usually a brighter shade from the opposite side of the color wheel) in 10% of the scheme.

Finally, make sure your find out from your venue what you can and can’t do with your reception room – can you change the light fittings? Can you change the window dressings? Can you attach things to the walls and ceiling? Can you have lit candles on your tables?

 By Georgina Clatworthy

Your wedding photographs are one of the most important elements of your wedding, they are your permanent reminder of your special day, so the way in which you present, store and view them in your photo album wedding book becomes a very important decision.

Many wedding photographers will offer packages for your photo requirements which will include an album and other media such as CD-roms and pre-print viewing via their website. 

If you choose to buy your wedding album separately or want to give one as a gift to someone close then you have a few options to choose from:

Traditional albums will have a hard cover with quality paper pages.  The best quality albums will be interleaved with transparent, non-acidic paper to protect your pictures.  Many wedding stationery manufacturers, especially those that offer hand made stationery, will have matching albums or coordinating ones to go with your stationery design.

Typically these albums will be square in sizes ranging from 12×12″ to 6×6″.  Leather covered albums will be the most expensive, particularly those that are hand stitched, whilst paper covered versions will tend to be cheaper.

Digital printed albums are the new kids on the block and offer a cost effective way to present your photographs.  If your photographer doesn’t provide one for you or you opt not to use them, you can find many companies online where you can design the book yourself by uploading the pictures and choosing from a range of pre made templates. These sites will often charge either per picture or per page and the albums tend to be smaller in size than a traditional album, usually around 10×8″ in a landscape format.

Digital albums make nice, inexpensive gifts for family and friends and you can choose to add as many pictures as you like meaning you won’t be left with lots of blank pages at the back.

Having your photographs stored on a disk or online means you can share them with your friends and family far easier than in the past.  If you have a wedding website you can load them on to that so your guests can see the wedding photographs for themselves and order any that they would like.  This also gives you the option of having re-prints made for instance for a large wall photo or to replace any that may have been lost or damaged.

Whilst digital albums offer great flexibility in terms of design, storage and functionality, there is something about a traditional album that keeps it competitive with its digital counterpart.  Granted, a traditional album can be bulky, heavy to carry and easily damaged if not cared for, they have a quality that just isn’t present with digital books.  There is something about leafing through an old album that brings about a sense of nostalgia that printed media can often fail to project. 

My personal recommendation would be a combination of both types of album.  My own wedding photographs are printed in a digital album with the original prints and negatives stored in a traditional album which my mother decorated for me with fabrics left over from my wedding dress.  This album is stored away to protect the pictures inside, whilst the printed book is often looked through by my two girls who think mummy looks like a princess!