Thank You, Merci, Arigatou, Gracias, Xie-Xie

Gratitude is a universal emotion. People of different cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs can understand no matter what language it is expressed in. This sentiment is experienced at momentous events in our life. A wedding celebration is a special event connecting two people and their families in holy matrimony. Planning a wedding is indeed no task for the feeble minded, so for those that help the Bride and Groom do all the leg work or just simply being present at each event deserves a big Thank You.

How might one ask, do you give thanks and make a lasting impression on your guest? The simple answer is with a Wedding Favor. For those that are not familiar with this word, a wedding favor is a gift, a small token of appreciation for guest to treasure and remember your wedding day. This word is also interchangeably referred to as keepsakes, giveaways, or bomboniere. It is recommended to order wedding favors at least a couple of months before the wedding date to ensure that there is plenty of time left to order more if the guest list grows longer.

Wedding favors have been around for a very long time, we can trace its roots back to the Italians where the infamous sugarcoated candies called Jordan Almonds made its symbolic presence. The almond which naturally has a bittersweet taste, representing life and the sugarcoating on the exterior brings forth anticipation of sweetness that life also has to offer. Jordan Almonds are not just colored hard shelled candies that seem to pop up in weddings but they are symbolic confections of married life and the journey that lies ahead.

In the modern world of high tech innovations and fast track living, Jordan almonds wrapped in tulle or filled in bags or boxes are not the only options for favors today. Professionals in the wedding industry have come up with novel ways of making favors fun, stylish, trendy, and most of all, affordable. Tradition has fused with style to create favors that represent the lifestyle of the couple. No two wedding you attend, will you receive the same wedding favor.

If Jordan almonds wrapped in tulle netting was the favor you received at the last wedding you attended, here is the 411 on the different types of wedding favors out there.

• Edible Munchies - chocolate truffles, liquor filled chocolates, fortune cookies, mints, designer cookies, jellies, and doughnuts

• Candles - fruit shaped, aromatic, votives, candle filled jars, flower shaped

• Soaps - hearts, rose petals, fruit shapes

• Place Card Holders - mini chairs, vases, bells, picture frames, napkin rings

• Silver - mint julep cups, key chains, wine stoppers, compact mirrors, fortune cookie, chopsticks, bells

Be inventive and use theme to create the mood, like a coffee inspired theme with coffee scoop favors, an Asian inspired theme with engraved chopsticks, or Garden inspired theme with mini pear candles that has the tag reading The Perfect Pear.

When the decision is finally made on the type of wedding favors to get, the next dilemma faced is if each person should get one favor each or should it be given one favor per couple. This depends on the guest list. If a larger percent of the guest list consists of people who are single versus married then opt for one favor per person instead. One good rule to go by is if the favor costs more than $10 a piece, consider giving one favor per couple to cut down on expenses.

Now that you know the Who, What, When, on wedding favors, here is the How part. How is each favor displayed and distributed? The most popular way to give out the favors is by displaying it on each place setting that is if you are giving one favor per person. This allows your guest to use it as a conversational piece with one another, which is a great way to get the guest to start mingling with one another. If placing the favors on each table is too mundane for you, try using it as the focal point of your wedding, similar to your wedding cake. Have a special table decorated just for your wedding favors and place it near the entryway so it will be the first thing guest will see and also the last thing they will remember as they grab one as they leave the reception. This method is good for those that just could not part with giving one favor per couple, because your guest will never know if everyone received a favor since it is self served. Just beware of those that always want a second helping by grabbing more than one favor.

Whether it is known by the alias keepsakes, giveaways, or bombonieres, wedding favors are gifts that will make a lasting impression. Just like Great Food, Great Favors never go out of style. Graciously say Merci, Arigatou, Gracias, Xie-Xie with a wedding favor.

Copyright Tracy Yang, 2005. All rights reserved.

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