A wedding without favours is like a summer’s day without sunshine. It’s the little finishing touches that make your wedding complete, a tiny memento at every table setting to bring a smile to each guest’s face and interest to the room. Favours are the icing on the cake of every wedding and your way of saying a special little ‘thank you’ to your guests in a stylish and memorable way. Here are some of the most unusual and amazing wedding favours around now.
Confetti shop favours, clockwise from top left: kissing fish mini candles | diamond keychain | butterfly wine stopper | “fall in love” coaster set
Traditionally five sugared almonds were given to each guest to represent good health, happiness and fertility but contemporary brides often prefer to give something a little different – alternative favours that will make a statement, little keepsakes guests will love.
Modern wedding favours
Today’s wedding favours are beautiful, amusing, useful or just plain fun. With so many different types of favours to choose from now, you can be adventurous and imaginative, giving your guests useful wine bottle stoppers, kitchen magnets, coasters or key rings. The colour and design of these tiny offerings will liven up reception tables and ensure your guests never forget the day.
Confetti shop favours, clockwise from top left: mini linen drawstring pouch | mini woven beach bags | “good luck” wooden elephant | mini flower pots
DIY favours
When our parents married, only Hollywood stars had such elegant little details on their reception tables. Now, even the most budget-conscious bride can give her guests a gift. Finding matching colours and styles for your very unique wedding is easier and more affordable than ever before.
Home-made favours a la Kirsty Allsop are becoming more mainstream and you can get tiny pretty jam jars, favour boxes or linen bags in which to give home-made jam, cookies, cakes, chocolates, pot pourri, each personalised with your guest’s name that will even double as a place card – a very personal reminder of your wedding day.
Latest fashion in favours
The latest favours, and among the most stylish, include pretty blue beach themes with tiny starfish detailing and a whole range to match – ideal for a cool seaside or beach-themed wedding. Who wouldn’t want to take one of those gorgeous candles home to their bathroom?
Confetti shop favours, clockwise from top left: beach theme wooden trinket box | sailboat magnet | starfish photo frame | starfish candle
There are natural, organic favours, flower seeds and wood carvings for an eco wedding and a myriad of intricate, gift boxed designs, novelty cuties and floral lovelies!
Practical presents that can be used on the reception tables and then taken home to use again are always a winner. These mini French stick pitchers (below left) can be used to hold bread rolls on the reception tables and taken home and used as little vases.
Confetti shop favours, clockwise from top left: mini decorative pitcher | fridge bling magnets | mini lantern keychain | bird ceramic container
Sweet trees
The latest trend in wedding confectionary for favours are these very striking sweet trees by Sweet Trees by Rivera – the sweetest little tree-shaped confectionery sculpture of edible beauty!
These unusual lollipop trees are made entirely of sweets and are as delicious as they are pretty. Adorn each place setting with a tiny Sweet Tree and place a large one in the centre of each table. For maximum impact place a tall colourful Sweet Tree at each end of your top table for all your guests to admire. Then eat them! They also make fantastic favours for children.
All images above courtesy of Sweet Trees by Rivera
The sweetie buffet
A modern and very fashionable alternative to individual confectionery favours, is the Sweetie Buffet which has been the ‘in thing’ lately, with pretty Victorian-style sweet shop jars for a vintage wedding or funky 1950s-look for more of a retro feel.
Gorgeous, shapely glass jars filled with colourful sweet treats that look so irresistible you’ll feel just like a kid in a sweetshop! Pick A Treat, shown below, are one of the best companies supplying these fantastic buffets to weddings and parties – guaranteed fun for the guests!
All images above courtesy of Pick A Treat
MyWeddingMag
The ultimate new-age photo album is this uber-cool Hello Magazine-style mock up of your own wedding by MyWeddingMag. A real glossy magazine including photos and captions, your engagement story, hen, stag and wedding day photos and interviews with all the main bridal party, and you can choose from two options – your love story up to the date of your wedding, or a full magazine including the wedding you can share as a thank-you gift with your guests!
Images above courtesy of MyWeddingMag
Whatever your wedding theme or colour scheme, a reception table is just not finished without wedding favours. So whether you get creative and spend time making jam or icing ‘gingerbread brides’ or you prefer to buy ready made favours to make your guests smile, you’ll know that your thoughtfulness will be appreciated when they take these keepsakes home at the end of a very special night.
Get more great ideas in our Wedding Planning section.
