I am amazed at how often I am asked about this topic. Most brides are lost when trying to select the perfect favor to give guests. Why? Well, I believe that it has to do with the current changes in the industry. Weddings are becoming less “stick to the formal etiquette” and more personal. Brides and Grooms are older, more established and more fiscally responsible for their own events.
Favors were originally designed to share in the joyous occasion and pass along good luck to guests. They have since evolved to thanking guests for sharing in their event and to provide a memento of the day.
So, how do you choose the perfect one? Well, first of all, let’s go over the types of favors generally given to guests and the pro’s/con’s of each.
Types of Favors
- Food or Beverages – everything from candy to fruit and from coffee to wine.
- Pro’s - This category is filled with thousands of options to choose from. Most items can be easily personalized, through selected packaging and is fairly inexpensive. Most guests are delighted to receive an extra tasty treat to be shared on the ride home or back in their hotel room.
- Con’s - Just remember that food and beverage items are perishable, so considerations of weather and storage should be accounted for. As well as, how long before the event these items should be ordered.
- Gifts – you can choose to provide guest picture frames, bookmarks, glasses, candles and so much more.
- Pro’s – This category is filled with so many options in a variety of styles, colors, shapes and sizes. The gift you select can easily be of a personal nature or have it easily customized to reflect you and your spouse.
- Con’s – Sometimes the selection is overwhelming. Many couples want to choose gift that is sex-neutral and useful. Most of the time, gifts will be more expensive than traditional candy. So, watch your budget here!
- Donations – this is a great new trend that allows the wedding couple to forgo the favor in lieu of making a donation to their favorite charity and sharing this news with their guests.
- Pro’s – most guest are happy to leave the material memento to the wayside in efforts to help others in need. This also saves you time and effort in selecting, manufacturing and staging the favor.
- Con’s – this favor selection has no con’s.
Well, now that you know what types of favors are available and their positive and negative attributes, let’s discuss how to present them to your guests.
Ways to Present Favors
- At Each Place Setting – They may be placed directly on the plate or near the plate. By doing so, will add additional color to the place setting. This presentation also allows guests to receive your gift before the reception festivities begin and will provide an ice-breaker for conversation.
- At An Exit Station – setting up a favor station to provide a small gift as your guests leave adds a little element of surprise. These stations are typically, set-up after dinner while guests are dancing. One thing to remember is to have your MCEE inform guests to take a gift, otherwise you may be left with extras.
- At the Place Card Table – using a favor in conjunction with a place card is a great way to save some money, without sacrificing one or the other. The favor is arranged on the entrance table in alphabetical order (so guests can find their name and their seat). By choosing this method, give guests a sneak preview of what to expect from the reception. This method also ensures guests will pick-up their favor. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that they will remember to take it at the end of the night.
As for selecting the “right” favor, that’s up to you. You may want to consider an item that represents you and your spouse, or perhaps your budget will be a deciding factor. Just remember when you are selecting a favor to summarize the expense. The item may seem inexpensive on an individual basis, but when you multiple it by your guest list, that number may be more than you were anticipating to spend. And don’t forget, some favors require additional packaging, so those numbers count too.
BIO:The Flowe Lady has created more than 12,000 floral arrangements in her years as a professional bridal/event consultant and silk floral designer. Visit www.BloomedToLast.com to learn more tips, see floral examples, or to read more wedding planning articles.
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