Your Local Wedding Guide
Wedding Favor Ideas


Choosing Favors with Your Guests in Mind

A wedding favor is your opportunity to thank your guests for being part of your special day. In that light, a wedding favor should be more than a simple trinket and should be, as much as possible, a thoughtful gift from you to them. That doesnt mean that you need to spend a large amount of time or money on this project. You should give it a little bit of thought so that your special gift does not end up gathering dust or in a trash can.

While your wedding may be the most important day in your life, most likely your guests will not want to commemorate it forever. Your goal, then, in choosing or creating wedding favors, is to find something that will be both a memory of this special day and will be meaningful to your guests.

One way to do this is to personalize each individual gift. If you plan to give framed pictures or albums, consider including pictures of yourself with each guest either from the wedding or from prior to the wedding. If you would prefer to use a picture of you as a couple, write a note and sign each picture. That will help each guest to feel noticed and special.

Consumable wedding favors can be very nice, as well. Often distant relatives and old friends would prefer chocolate or champagne to a trinket which they are not likely to display. Several online companies and local businesses offer custom printing of labels, so that you can have your names and wedding dates printed on the wrapper of candy bars or of wine bottles.

If you are using alcohol as a wedding favor, you may also want to have a separate childrens favor. A small coloring book has the double advantage of making the younger guests at your wedding feel included and of keeping them busy during the less exciting parts of the reception.

Dont feel that you need to give the same wedding favor to every guest, either. Consider reserving the more expensive favors such as engraved money clips, printed champagne flutes, or personalized picture frames for your immediate family and wedding party, and having a simpler hand-made favor for everyone else.

The truth is, those close to you are the only ones who are likely to keep such things forever or to display them, so its okay to play favorites. Remember, your wedding favors are a gift to your guests, and therefore should be purchased with them, not you, in mind.

This is your decision, so set your budget and communicate it clearly and then hold to it.

Eloping Information
Finding a professional wedding planner is ideal if you want to make your day magical, but it can affect your pocketbook as well. Usually growing out of a cauldron, which represents the earth mother and all things nurturing, this is a wonderful symbol to use as a way to remind you and your husband as to the growth and change that will come with your life together. While many women would love to be decked out in acres of tulle and lace, sometimes wearing something different can be an interesting and frugal choice. If the wedding couple wants to wear shoes, then sandals are the best bet; however, it is best to avoid cheap Old Navy flip-flops and instead choose quality sandals. A high-priced photographer will likely follow you around for hours, taking pictures of the bride preparing for the wedding, getting in the car, before the wedding, entering the church (or other chapel), and after pictures.

Full albums for the new couple, and each of their parents (or sets of parents, if applicable) should be crafted.
Besides that, a simple summer wedding dress will help keep you cool in the hot sun, if you choose to have the wedding outside as many do. If you are willing to be flexible with dates, you will have a lot more choices for location. Do not choose the day or night before the ceremony to start breaking in your wedding shoes. If your dress is simple, a wedding tiara can make it look elegant. You may be able to get a discount buying it with your dress, but dont settle if you dont like it.