Why We Give Wedding Favors
Posted by weddingexpertonline in November 26, 2009
Many brides consider them a modern invention, but in fact wedding favors can be traced back to the 13th century when wealthy European brides would give them to their female guests. So as you work your way through your wedding planning it is worth paying special consideration to your wedding favors as they firmly rooted in wedding tradition.
In the 13th century wedding favors were small decorative boxes filled with sugar cubes or another expensive confection. Why sugar cubes? Well sugar was a rare commodity in those days and only afforded by the rich. The boxes themselves would have been made from precious metals such as silver or even gold and maybe decorated with gemstones. They may also have been made from crystal or glass or even porcelain.
As time passed the concept of giving wedding favors caught on and before long favors were available to the masses and making a regular appearance at many weddings. Over time sugar cubes were replaced with Jordan almonds which had a sweet coating applied. The almonds were said to represent the bitter-sweetness of marriage with almond being bitter and the coating being sweet.
The packaging changed too. Expensive fabric wraps become common amongst the wealthy and are today epitomized by the pretty tulle nets or fabric bags common amongst modern weddings. In modern times the wedding favor industry has perhaps changed beyond recognition and is today a global market worth millions.
Modern day wedding favors include items such as bottle stoppers, bud vases, photograph frames, coasters and a wealth of edible treats. For any bride the choice of which favors to give comes down to those which coordinate best with her wedding style and/or theme. But not giving favors is considered bad manners on the part of the bride and groom.
They are tokens of thanks, and with their long history many guests will expect to receive them. They don’t need to be expensive, a simple bag of candies is cheap but will still mean something to your guests. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that thank you notes sent out after the wedding day are the same thing – they are not.
Thank you notes are sent to those guests who gave a wedding gift, whether they attended the wedding or not. Your wedding favors are intended to thank those guests who were in attendance; if you don’t give favors then you will need to personally thank every guest for coming – which could take you a long time!
