Wedding favours are a thoughtful little touch that usually lay on your guests dining table. It isn’t a necessity, but it certainly shows that you’ve put some thought towards your guests. Wedding favours are so versatile. They can be anything that you desire (which we will touch upon later). Read on to learn more about the history of wedding favours and how they have evolved to what we know them to be today.

History of Wedding Favours

The tradition of distributing wedding favours is a very old one that has been round since pre-thirteenth century times. It is believed that the first wedding favour was known as a bonbonniere. This was simply a small trinket box which contained sugar cubes or delicate confections. In those times, sugar was expensive and so this symbolised the bridegrooms’ wealth. As sugar became more affordable, almonds became the primary choice for wedding favours to signify well wishes for the new couple. In the thirteenth century, these almonds would then be covered in sugar to symbolise the bitter-sweetness of a marriage. These wedding gifts became popular in Western culture, more specifically the United States and Canada. They now usually compliment the theme or season of the wedding. They have now strayed slightly from almonds (although these are still very common) to individual chocolates. Other common wedding favours include candles or scented soaps.

Common Wedding Favours

As mentioned above, a lot of common wedding favours include chocolates or scented gifts. But there are also other common favours that are used: CD’s with the bridegroom’s favourite music, personalised shot glasses initially filled with sweets, or picture frames with a photo of the lovely couple. These are all great, but your special day is different. And it is the perfect time to make it personal to your theme and to your family and friends. See what you can think of and we are sure we can help make it happen for you.

Versatile Wedding Day Favours

The beautiful thing about a wedding favour is that they can be anything that the couple deem suitable. They are so versatile and can be anything that you want them to be. We have been a part of many weddings and have seen numerous wedding favours. Some of them have been very traditional. Others, not as much! We have seen salt and pepper shakers, personalised decorative tea lights, Christmas filled baubles as well as many others. This just goes to show that it is completely up to the couple. We are here to help draw inspiration and make it happen.

Separate Wedding Favour Table

At many weddings we have been a part of, there hasn’t been a lot of room for wedding favours on the dining tables. Some couples have actually dedicated a separate table to wedding favours for their guests. Having this separate dedicated table for wedding day favours, allows there to be a lot more room on the dining tables for food and drinks or table décor and floristry displays. It is important however, to make sure that your wedding guests are aware of the separate table, so it could be wise to include it within the speeches so that everyone can hear! It would be a shame for them to go to waste because no one knew where they were.

How about no Wedding Favours?

If the wedding is coming close to budget, or simply all the planning is giving you a headache, just go without the wedding favours. They’re not actually mandatory to a wedding. As we have discussed they are a gesture of good will/appreciation to your guests. That is money that could be put towards more drinks, which I am sure your guests will be very grateful for! We have found that when couples didn’t have wedding favours available to their guests, no one really missed them. This just emphasises the point that they are a token of appreciation and not a vital part of your special day.

Stuck for ideas? We can help

At At Home Catering, we are more than just caterers. We are here to help you make your wedding day extra special. We can aid in planning, organising and running your wedding day so that you don’t have to. When it comes to your wedding, we are here to turn your requests into reality. If you’re struggling to think of ideas for any aspect of your wedding, we are here to spark inspiration for you. We try to think outside of the box so that your wedding is unique and like no other. Call us today on 01932 862 026 or email us at parties@athomecatering.co.uk for an expert consultancy of what we can do for you.