By Georgina Clatworthy

When you do the sums wedding favors can actually add up to a significant portion of your wedding budget, especially if you are having a large wedding.  If you have splurged too much on other elements of your wedding day then you will probably be looking to save money wherever possible by the time purchasing your favors comes around.

The good thing about wedding favors is that they can be very versatile and it is wholly possible to get double the use from them and therefore save yourself some money in the process.  Here are a few suggestions on how to make your wedding favors work for you:

Use them as place cards – seems an obvious one really and one many brides may have already thought of.  But it can be surprising how many brides do not think to put their guests names on the favors, and then spend a fortune on name cards and even tiny frames to put them in.  Get creative and make some fabulous tags complete with your guests names to adorn your place settings.

Another great version of this is to use custom cookies as wedding favors and name tags.  You can have made in shape or size you like as long there is sufficient room to ice a name on them.  Tag or plaque shaped cookies look amazing iced up with guests names across them.

Center pieces can be very expensive to put together so use your wedding favors instead.  Design your favors in neat little boxes and pile them up in the center of the tables.  You can add personalized tags if you wish and you can display them on decorative dishes, stands or plates if your budget will allow it.  This is a fantastic way to save a lot of money and you won’t have the problem of what to do with the centerpieces after the wedding!

Combine your favors with your wedding cake in the form of cup cakes or mini cakes.  When you combine the average cost per slice of wedding cake with the average cost per favor you will probably find a figure around $10 – $14.  Small cakes can cost as little as $5 each and when you add in an extra $1 for a Perspex box you will still be saving around $4 – $8 on each guest.

You can display the cakes on a large stand as you would a traditional wedding cake or package them in clear plastic boxes and place them on each table setting.  You can then have a smaller single cake for the cake cutting ceremony later on.

Wedding favors are not something you immediately think of whenever you arrive at a wedding.  Usually you think about the people getting married, the cake, the dancing, and a number of other things.  Even though wedding favors do not seem like the most important part of a wedding, there is something that stands out about them.  They are the only thing that the guests will be taking home with them that they did not have when they arrived.  It is the one keepsake everyone will have to remember your wedding with.

It is nice to get creative with your wedding favors, but not completely necessary.  Some things just never get old, such as chocolate.  It is probably the one gift that you know everyone will get some use out of, even if it is only thirty seconds of use.  It is hard to be creative when basically you are selecting one gift for an entire crowd of people, but it can be done.

Another popular idea for wedding favors is using theme-based items.  You can use a tropical theme.  If you are getting married in Las Vegas, then it would be very easy to pick something out based on your location.  If the wife agrees on it, you can use something that is sports related.  Believe it or not, I have seen golf wedding favors.

Then there are the classic ideas.  You can still use bookmarks, picture frames, coasters, or soap.  Making them personalized always adds a nice touch.  Also, getting them personalized is not as expensive as you might think.

Whatever you decide on, make sure you at least put a little bit of thought into it.  I am not trying to say wedding favors are the most important aspect of your wedding, by any means.  My goal for selecting wedding favors is to make the person that receives it smile.

 By Georgina Clatworthy

Your wedding favors are an integral part of your wedding planning & you maybe left scratching your head at the wide variety of choice available.  But have you considered giving your guests little goody bags as wedding favors?

These can be a great idea if you are having a small intimate wedding or even if you have a large budget to play with.  Whatever your budget, you will find a choice of favors which are relatively inexpensive & which you can add to your goody bag wedding favors.

To begin you should decide on how big your bags will be or how many items you want to put in them.  Think about the time of year of your wedding, if your wedding is taking place in hot weather it maybe nice to include some items to help your guests stay cool in the heat of the day or you may want to theme your bags according to your wedding theme.

Some ideas on things to put in a goody bag favor could include:

• Scented votive candle
• Edible treat such as a personalized cookie
• Wooden fan/ bottle of mineral water
• Miniature photo frame
• Paperweight or ornament

You could also theme your bags with certain types of favor, for instance a gourmet bag could include:

• A sachet of coffee or tea
• Chocolate truffles
• Miniature bottle of liquor/brandy, whiskey/wine or even champagne
• Bottle stopper
• Selection of herbs & spices

Other ideas for themed bags could include his & hers, sports themed, chocolate lovers, kitchen utensils & if your wedding is taking place somewhere with a range of famous local delicacies, why not include a few samples.

When it comes to packaging I would suggest small glossy bags similar to the ones you get in up market boutiques shops & cover the top of the goods inside with some tissue paper in your wedding colors.  You could also personalize them with your guests names & use them as place cards.

There is really no limit to the possibilities of things to include in your goody bags.  I would recommend always including an edible favor of some kind, just make sure it won’t spoil in the heat of a summer wedding.  You can make your bags as luxurious & decadent as you like or simply a collection of pretty, simple & useful objects.

Look to buy in bulk as you will usually get a better price & check out dollar stores for some budget options.  You could also include some hand made items such as poems, recipes, cookies, cupcakes or candies.

Just make sure your wedding favors convey your thanks to your guests for joining you on your special day & that they are a reflection of your own personal tastes & style.

 By Georgina Clatworthy

So you’ve got the venue booked, the caterer, the florist, the cake is ordered & your dress is being made.  Time to sort out your wedding favors!

Your wedding favors will form an integral part of your wedding, although you may not think it.  They are personal gifts from you to your guests to thank them for coming to the wedding, so it is a nice idea to make them as personal & unique as possible.

Whilst you could purchase ready made, ready packaged favors, trimmed with ribbon & tied with thank you tags, it is not as nice as making your own.  Packaging up your wedding favors & finishing them with all those little details makes them a unique & personal gift to your guests & one which your guests will appreciate for all the time & effort you have put in.

But if you are having a big wedding with a large number of guests, the thought of putting together all those favors can be a daunting one.  With all the wedding planning, will you have the time to do it all yourself?  Answer is probably no.  It could take you weeks to get them finished!  This is where holding a favor party comes to the rescue.

A wedding favor party is a great excuse to get the girls round & make a night of it, putting together your favors, having a drink, a laugh & a gossip.  Here are some ideas for making your wedding favor party a great night in.

Spa & Beauty
Invitation: Make invitations from Emory boards, written up with a sharpie pen with the date & time.
Food: Has to be healthy! Set up a smoothie & salad bar in one corner so your guests can help themselves.
Music: Play some relaxing tunes to help you all unwind & de-stress.
When the wedding favors are complete: Treat yourselves to manicures, pedicures & facials.

Junk Food & Movies
Invitation: Use candy wrappers as your invites, writing on the date & time etc on the plain inside.
Food: Order take-out such as pizza or Chinese.  Or make some burgers & fries.
Music: Pick some lively tunes to keep you all in the mood.
When the wedding favors are complete: Put on a favorite movie or DVD of a favorite TV series with some popcorn.

“Just Us Girls” Martini Party
Invitation: Use cocktail coasters!
Food: Make up canapés or appetizers & serve up cocktails with light cubes in your glasses.
Music: Play some jazz, soul & R & B.
When the wedding favors are complete: Chill out, listen to the music, sink a few more cocktails & have a good gossip!  

These are just a few great ideas for making your wedding favors a breeze & having a great time as well.  I am sure you will come up with some great party ideas of your own!

By Georgina Clatworthy

If you have decided to invite children to your wedding it is worth taking the time to consider some different wedding favors especially for them.  Whilst most children will love a little box of chocolates or candies, almost all unlikely to appreciate a miniature photo frame or scented candle.

Another consideration with children at weddings is keeping them interested in what is going on or at least  quietly distracted with something else whilst the ‘boring’ stuff is going on!  This is where some creative thinking with wedding favors for children will pay dividends.

Wedding favors for children don’t have to cost the earth & in many cases may be cheaper to put together than those for the adult guests.  Think about including some sort of activity or game that will keep them occupied at least whilst the speeches are happening.  That way parents are not struggling to keep bored children quiet or well behaved & you are not worried about some unnecessary & untimely interruptions.

Of course the simple solution would be to give out wedding favors that are suitable for all ages, but this would mainly confine you to edible favors such as cookies or candies.  Some parents may not be altogether happy about their children filling up on sugar either & giving this kind of favor doesn’t really solve the problem of keeping them occupied. 

So which wedding favors for children could you give?

I recently helped a friend of mine with her wedding preparations.  I made all the invitations & other stationery & put together favors for the adults.  As we both have young children & knowing that there would be several other children present, I suggested that we should come up with some ’special’ wedding favors just for them.  She whole heartedly agreed, knowing that having something to keep them occupied during the reception dinner would certainly help her stress levels!  So we put our heads together & came up with the following:

Firstly we made a list of all the children who would be there & their respective ages.  These ranged from 12 months through to 11 years.  The 11 year old we decided would rather appreciate the chocolate favors we had put together for the adults, which reduced the list to ages between 12 months & 7 years.

We had plenty of the little chocolate hearts left so we divided them up, added in some other jelly type sweets & a lollipop each.  We decided the best thing was to give them all the same things, so we included little coloring books & packets of crayons, a fun water game each & some bubble mixture (the adults all had champagne bubbles).  I wrapped these items up in cellophane wrappers, tied them up with poly ribbon which I curled at the ends & I made some name tags.  These were created from flat plastic balloon weights, in different shapes & colors, onto which I wrote the child’s names in blue or pink ink. 

They looked fantastic & the children were really excited when they opened them to see what was contained inside.  Overall they were fairly inexpensive to make up as the games & coloring books came from a party store which sold in bulk quantities.  Buying in bulk was a good idea as it meant there were some spares handy should they be needed!

Visit party stores both online & on the high street to see what they have to offer.  You can often buy cheaper if you are buying in larger quantities & you will find a great choice of things for all age groups.  When it comes to packaging use cellophane bags, printed party loot bags or nice boxes like gable end food boxes which will hold a nice selection of odd sized objects!

If you have put together favors for different aged children make sure you put name tags on them so they don’t get given to the wrong child.  Children are not as understanding as adults should you try to retrieve it & give them something else!

Another option to keep children occupied is to have a separate table for them all to sit at (check with parents first that this is ok), I would recommend that only children over four years old sit on a separate table & it could be an idea to make the oldest child ‘table supervisor’ who can keep the others in line!  Lay the table with a white paper table cloth & provide them with pens, pencils & crayons so they can draw on it.  You may even find printed table cloths at party stores made for this purpose.  Afterwards you can cut it up so each child can take home their ‘bit’.

Lastly, here are a few tips to consider:

• Don’t go overboard on the candy – you don’t want loads of hyper active children running riot!
• Check the safety credentials of any toys or games & don’t give toys with small moving parts to children under 3 years.
• Check that bubble mixture is child friendly
• Make sure you buy things suited to both girls & boys – boys will not thank you for giving them dolls & likewise girls are unlikely to appreciate racing cars or robots!

By Jason Hennessey

Among the things that have gained lots popularity in the world of marriage today are unique awesome weddings and ever-cool and fashionable wedding favors. As days go by, many couples are trying to make statements through these two by trying to outdo each other. As a result, some of them have come up with some of the best ideas for the wedding and wedding favors.

If you decide to give your wedding a holiday theme, then you must come up with the type of wedding favors that suit the theme, while being elegant. The presents should have the shape and texture that exude fun-filed holiday session. They should also be thoughtful enough as a way of thanking them. Below are some of the best wedding favors within the holiday theme which have been very successful in most weddings.

Crafted Wedding Cake Ornaments
You can also go for beautifully handcrafted wedding cake ornaments which can be hungered on a Christmas tree. They should be also hand painted with bright beautiful color combinations. These ornaments can also be used to top up other gifts and be kept on the holiday mantle. Be sure to include a gold loop for hanging. You may go a step further and personalize the ornaments by encrypting the couples name and date of marriage. This will make them look unique and they can be kept as keepsakes by the guests.

Coffee or Tea Packets
These packets can hold coffee or tea and maintain its freshness for along time since they are air-tight. They also come in a variety of designs and motifs to suit the various tastes of your guests. You can even personalize them by putting the couple’s names and anniversaries on the labels. The advantage of these pouches is that they are very useful. They can be given to guests at the reception or in the early morning after the reception night.

Snowflake Bottle Stopper
If some of your guests are wine enthusiasts who will stand the sites of the perfect matured wine, then this is a perfect choice. These bottle stoppers come with a star-shaped cutout at the centre which gives it a perfect finish. The stoppers are also present in gift boxes fitted with ribbons

Scented Candles
Frosted glass Votive candles come in different scents and they are known to glow for a long time. These ones will be perfect for the intimate winter nights. The candles come with a heart-shaped frosted glass and delicate scents that are bound to appeal. They also come in beautiful gift showcase boxes tied with nice ribbons.

Silver Dove Bottle Opener
The silver dove can be a good favor since it is fully functional. It comes in its perfectly sculpted silver chrome construction which exudes modern style and taste. The opener can be used with a variety of standard sized bottle tops. Especially in the holiday season when there is a lot of partying, these wedding favors can turn out to be very useful to the guests. These presents come full with a gift box with a gift pedestal which looks like the modern jewelry display cases.

By Jason Hennessey

There are wedding traditions that have survived for generations and are integral part of any wedding, and thus you can not afford to forego them on your big day. One of these long-held traditions is the giving of wedding favors. The tradition is borrowed from 16th century European elite, nobility and royalty. The bride would give gifts to the guests invited as a token of appreciation and gratitude for their coming to her big day. The tradition held and though there is a variation between the kinds of gifts given then and the ones given today, we still give favors.

But what happens when the budget is a bit stretched and the material day is just around the corner? You do not have the financial muscle to splash lavish gifts on your guests as you would have liked. And probably the economy is in a tailspin like it is now. Not to worry because there are budget wedding favors that you can give without necessarily digging too deep in your pocket. But you have to make sure the budget favors are in a way that will still touch the hearts of the recipients.

The most cost-effective of wedding favors are home-made gifts. This way you avoid having to spend on overpriced shop keepsakes while you can be able to make them yourself at minimal spending. What’s more, it is easier to personalize gifts that you have made yourself that those bought or ordered from a shop. You can add personal notes {preferably hand-written} with each gift and this is bound to convey a feeling of genuine appreciation in the person receiving it. Also if they are gifts that need to be wrapped, do the wrapping yourself as again it is way cheaper.

Get simple favors like wine stoppers packaged in a way that will excite your guests. If you have guests that have bridge playing as a hobby, a pack of cards tied up with tulle will do the trick for you. Coffee beans inside a coffee mug will invoke the tastes of wine lovers. Another way of cutting on favors’ spending is inviting just the necessary number of guests. Limit your guests to a number that is absolutely necessary as this will reduce the number of favors to give. Still, you can narrow that down further by getting favors for a family as a unit instead of for each member. But the gift has to be something that they can all relate to and the personalized touch should run through.

Another secret to cutting on budget is buying in bulk. If the kind of gifts you want to give to different people are related, there is no better way to cut on costs as in buying them in bulk instead of individually. The seller might sell you at a wholesale price and at a discount. But what should run through all your favors is that personal touch that will exude genuine and honest gratitude from you to your guests. Favors given with warmth from the heart will make the guests feel it was worth their time coming over to your wedding and/or reception.

By Jason Hennessey

That the global economy is in a tailspin is no secret. Neither is the fact that we have to continue living and partaking in our normal activities. But how do we go about them if we do are not able to swim against the financial tide? The answer lies in being modest but classy at the same time. This is more so relevant if your worry is your upcoming wedding and you have wedding favors to give. Wedding favors are a timeless tradition borrowed from 16th century Europe. The nobility and aristocracy of ancient Christendom had gifts presented to guests attending their reception parties after their wedding ceremonies.

In line with this culturally rich tradition, it has become an integral part of our wedding rituals even though we might not be aware of this tradition. Therefore you have no way of avoiding wedding favors whether there is an economic crunch or not. The most important thing in wedding planning is budgeting. And in your budgeting you have to incorporate all the aspects of the ceremony which includes wedding favors. According to your financial projections, just make sure you apportion enough wedding favor gifts depending on the number of guests you plan on inviting. But do not overstretch your financial muscle. Make do with what you have but make it memorable.

There are a lot of cost-effective wedding gifts that you can choose from to enchant your guests and convey gratitude and appreciation for their attendance. And if you can not make the grand ceremony that you have always envisioned, do not stress about it. Cut on costs and avoid unnecessary luxuries like multiple stretch limos just for that ego-stroking photo. That way you are left with enough to at least have something to get those gift favors for your guests. And again cut on the number of guests that you want to attend your ceremony and/or reception. Invite only the guests that you have to and no more. This will greatly cut on what you will spend to feed them and of course, you guessed it right, give wedding favors to.

Examples of low cost gifts that you can opt to go for include picture frames, place card holders or even wine bottle stoppers. These are cheap but symbolic and meaningful if you take them as a choice. In line with reducing the number of people and consequently expenses, have just an adequate number of bridesmaids and groomsmen. Also find a venue that is not too pricey and if possible hold both the wedding ceremony and the reception at the same venue, to cut on the cost of moving from one place to the other.

Some programs in the ceremony itinerary are not that essential so you can scale down on that as well. The economic downturn has spared no one so don’t worry about what people will think of your modest style. After all even multinational companies are not immune even with millions of dollars at their disposal. And if such big companies have to scale down, what about you? Of utmost important in a wedding ceremony is the genuineness, warmth and passion that you put into it. Wedding favors however modest will be appreciated if you give them with a touch of warmth and from the bottom of your heart.

By Jason Hennessey

It is your wedding day, you have been looking forward towards this day and the moment is here with you. A wedding is one that day that will live in your memory for a long time. This day is a magical, perfect that you would wish it would stand still. Usually, what makes this day a great date in your life is that; you get everybody with you. Friends, relatives, close family members, old, and young get to witness as you tie the knot. Many presents are offered at this occasion, and as an appreciative gesture, you too you are expected to offer some gifts; favors. Choosing favors, which is usually supposed to be prior to the wedding day, is normally a daunting task considering that there are various people of various ages and backgrounds are to be presented with favors.

If you are expecting some kids in your wedding, then your will mostly likely going to consider giving them some wedding favors, specially made for them. You don’t want to get your fondest niece and nephews disappointed because you failed to give then presents when everyone else in the family was getting. However, as much as children love gifts, they will easily be disappointed if you choose a gift that they don’t “feel.” Choosing a favor for kids can be quite a difficult task. Nevertheless, with some tips on yourself you can easily get the right presents for them.

The best approach to choosing gifts to the young ones is by being practical. Giving them educational or learning toys, books, or stationary can be just right for them. It is important to keep in mind that the choice of the gift will also depend on the age and the sex of the kid. Some toys are exclusively for male while others are for the females. For instance, it would not make sense to buy a one-year old kid a bike while he can barely ride or a nice pack of color pencils while he can’t hold a pen right.

Another sensitive consideration when buying wedding favors for the children is the cost. It is always financially painful to spend on anything unimportant during the wedding as you always have very many expenses to cater for. This is not a guarantee that you can’t gifts to the kids and other folks in the wedding. Picking up great but inexpensive wedding favors can be possible and mild to your pocket. Selecting edible wedding favors such as chocolates, candies, nuts, biscuits, cakes, smokies and much more can be just right for the low budget. Since parents are likely to dig in too, make sure you have plenty of those snacks.

When kids get idle and bored, they are likely to throw tantrums and be a bother to parents as well as other guests. Choosing toys can get their minds and energies occupied. Other wedding favors that can be suitable for the kids include masks, whistles, beads, yo-yos, bubbles, crayons, marbles, stickers, dinky cars and much more. Most of these gifts are available in various gift stores. Gift selection need to be an imaginative affair.

By Jason Hennessey

It is every couple’s wish that each and every one of their guests get to carry apart of their union home. This is the motivation behind wedding favors. You should thrive to give your guests a wedding favor that they will acknowledge and exhibit at their homes. The only what your wedding favors can have some form of individuality is if you personalize your wedding favors. Make them something that your guests will always associate with you.

Whatever your wedding theme is you should incorporate the theme of your wedding in the wedding favors you give to your guests. However, even though wedding favors serve a purpose in weddings, they are always the first to be deleted off the list incase of a budget cut. This is not because people don’t realize their usefulness but because of the cost. This has prompted ladies to find an alternative by making the wedding favors for themselves. You don’t have to use expensive porcelain as a wedding favor if you know you don’t have the funds. Go for more affordable and personalized wedding favor such as:

Cards
You can create cards which can be placed at the table for each guest to take home. The card should be designed in a way that it contains a heartfelt message of appreciation to the guests. It can also include a quote of the main reason the couple decided to get hitched.

Wedding candles
Candles when used in weddings create an atmosphere of warmth and love. One of the most common items used as wedding favors are wedding candles. A beautifully wrapped candle serves as a great wedding favor which the guest will acknowledge and exhibit at their homes.

Eco friendly options
If you are having a green wedding, it is advisable that you give your guests gifts like flower seedlings wrapped with ribbons. With this form of a gift you ensure that the guests carry a piece of scenery with them at home. Every time they look at their gardens, your wedding comes to mind.

Photo album
This is an exceptional gift especially if you able to get the guest photos in the album before they take them home. This is possible if the photos taken at the church are processed in time and put in the albums before the reception. They are then given to the guests as they go home.

Personalized salt and pepper shakers
By having salt and pepper shakers that have both your names engraved in them, it caters for the longevity of your gift. These two items will always be found on your guests table if they want to use them. if they are stored as souvenirs, they are durable and long lasting.

Edible favors
Ranging from chocolate, candy and cake, the sweet tooth should not be forgotten. These sweet delicacies should be considered for a wedding favor. The guests can go share the sweetness of the ceremony to those who were not in attendance.

With such a large option to choose from, it is now affordable for most couples to incorporate wedding favors in their budget.