Wedding favors are small gifts as a sign of appreciation or gratitude to guests of the bride and groom at a wedding or a wedding banquet.
The tradition of distributing wedding favors is very old. It is believed that the first wedding favor, common amongst European aristocrats, was known as a bonbonniere. A bonbonniere is a small trinket box made of glass, porcelain and / or precious stones. The contents of these precious boxes were generally sugar cubes or delicate sweet, symbolizing wealth and nobility. (At this time, sugar was an expensive and treasured only among the rich. It was believed that sugar contained medical benefits). As the price of sugar decreased throughout centuries, the tradition of providing gifts to guests reached the general population and was embraced by couples of modest means.
As sugar became more affordable, Bonbonniere were replaced among the modest with almonds. For centuries, almonds were distributed to wedding guests usually to express good wishes to the new life of the groom. In the thirteenth century, almonds coated with sugar, known as confetti, were introduced. Confetti soon transformed to Jordan almonds, which later became the wedding favor wedding signature today. Traditionally, five Jordan almonds are presented in a box of candy or wrapped in elegant fabric to represent fertility, longevity, wealth, health and happiness. The bitterness of the almond and the sweetness of candy coated bitter example of the sweetness of marriage.
Today, gifts to guests are commonly known as wedding favors and are shared in cultures worldwide. Wedding favors have become an intrinsic and necessary part of wedding planning and have complemented ceremonies and receptions alike. Wedding favors are as diverse in style, elegance and theme that options for favors are only limited to the imagination of the couple. Today's bride has the option to select a gift based on your wedding theme.
Many couples wish to share commemorating gifts that are personalized with the couples names and dates so the guests can remember the occasion very special. Some of these favors include personalized pens, wedding flowers, jewelry, glasses, candles, vases, and wedding cameras, even personalized.