| Over the past several years, destination weddings | | | | find a little thank you token with your note. |
| have become increasingly popular for various | | | | Now for some wonderful destination wedding |
| reasons. Not only can you celebrate your wedding | | | | favor ideas! |
| with family and close friends, but you can party | | | | - Luggage tags: They're perfect for destination |
| for a few days with them, and spend your | | | | weddings, as most destination weddings require |
| honeymoon in the same romantic place. | | | | the guests to travel to a certain location. They |
| Destination weddings also cut down on the | | | | more than likely will be used again - as many |
| traditional wedding costs in some instances, | | | | people simply use disposable tags or the tags that |
| because you will still be able to invite those 250+ | | | | come pre-attached to luggage. With heart shape |
| guests, but only a small percentage of those | | | | designs, to planes and cruise ships, luggage tags |
| invited will actually be able to attend. Destination | | | | are perfect! |
| weddings also allow the bride and groom to | | | | - Bookmarks: one of the most popular pastimes |
| choose the perfect setting for their event, | | | | for vacationers is reading a good book. Give them |
| whether it be a romantic seaside getaway, a | | | | something they can use both home and away - a |
| cruise destination, or a fun filled Las Vegas trip, | | | | bookmark! With numerous shapes on the market |
| destination weddings are exciting for all who | | | | you're sure to find a bookmark that will match |
| attend! | | | | your event. Bookmarks are also lightweight, and |
| I have some personal experience in planning a | | | | travel well. |
| destination wedding, as my wedding day was | | | | - For a more formal destination reception, place |
| celebrated on a cruise ship headed for Mexico in | | | | card holders also make a good choice. Usually |
| 2003. We invited quite a large number of guests, | | | | lightweight and small, place card holders can double |
| more than we would have been able to if we had | | | | to hold seating assignments and then later on to |
| a traditional wedding, but only 40 guests were | | | | hold photos, notes and recipe cards. Stay away |
| able to attend - which allowed us for a more | | | | from place card frames though, unless the front |
| intimate gathering. Having a destination wedding | | | | is made of pvc plastic. You do not want glass |
| also allowed us to spend more time with each | | | | frames to break in transit. |
| guest - something we could not have done if we | | | | - Wine charms or bottle stoppers. With an |
| had a wedding close to home. Everyone left with | | | | average weight of 1/4 pound or less and available |
| a long lasting memory of our event, and to this | | | | in many styles - these make a lightweight, good |
| day our guests still talk about our wedding cruise! | | | | choice if your having a small affair. |
| When I was planning our wedding cruise in 2003, | | | | - Cocktail Mix Favors: when you think of laying on |
| the wedding favor market had much to be | | | | a warm sandy beach, many people also think of a |
| desired. There was nothing that fit our day! | | | | nice tropical drink in hand. Give your guests a |
| Although this made it a bit difficult to plan, with a | | | | taste of the tropics with a cocktail mix favor in |
| little imagination, I put together a wedding favor | | | | which they can relax and enjoy at home. Totally |
| bag of goodies for our guests to take home. | | | | customizable these are lightweight, unbreakable |
| Thankfully, because of such an increase in | | | | and inexpensive! |
| destination weddings, wedding favor specialists | | | | - Travel related items: such as mini alarm clocks, |
| have increased their lines of wedding favors, and | | | | manicure kits, mini travel soaps, or sewing kits. |
| there is now a large selection of destination | | | | - Think outside the box: shop party stores as |
| themed favors available to suit every bride's | | | | well, for unique party favor items. For a beach |
| taste and theme. | | | | theme wedding you can give a tropical luau bag |
| When planning a destination wedding, here are | | | | filled with leis, sunglasses,beach hats, inflatable |
| some"don'ts" when selecting your destination | | | | beach balls, etc... Think back to when you were a |
| wedding favors: | | | | child and received goodie bags at birthday parties. |
| - Candles, chocolates, and candy can melt. It does | | | | Perhaps a bit silly, but I guarantee everyone will |
| not matter if you are not traveling to a warm | | | | be sporting those beach hats and carrying those |
| climate, if you plan on taking your favors on a | | | | bags around your destination resort. |
| plane, the cargo holding areas can be quite hot. | | | | - Wedding Tees: A screen-printing shop can |
| You should eliminate these favor ideas from your | | | | create a custom tee shirt design just for you! |
| list. | | | | Reasonably priced when you are having a smaller |
| - Glass can break and anything you feel has the | | | | affair, everyone will use your tee shirts, time and |
| potential to be break - cross that off your list as | | | | time again, even if it is "just around the house". |
| well. | | | | People love shirts! |
| - Item weight. Let's face it - you will be traveling | | | | - Gift bags / Gift Baskets: when your guests |
| not only with all your normal vacation items, but | | | | arrive to their destination, a lovely (but sometimes |
| also with all your bridal items as well. Carrying | | | | expensive) option is having a small gift basket in |
| another 30 plus pounds is not something you, | | | | their hotel room. Soaps, sewing kit, manicure kit, |
| your groom, or your attendants want to do. | | | | mini clock, bookmarks, a small bottle of |
| - Don't plan on having your favors shipped | | | | champagne or wine, non-perishable food items |
| internationally. Not only is international shipping | | | | (cookies, crackers, snacks, mints), etc...will be a |
| expensive, your favors could potentially get lost in | | | | generous gesture. |
| customs, broken during handling, or heavily taxed | | | | For our own wedding, we used a combination of |
| by the government. | | | | the ideas above. I purchased from a discount |
| Here are some "do's" to think about when planning | | | | party company tropical beach theme bags and |
| your destination wedding favors: | | | | stuffed them with a personalized tee shirt, |
| - Think lightweight. If you plan on traveling with | | | | cocktail mixes, wine stoppers, candy, a |
| your favors, try to select something lightweight | | | | personalized cd I made with all the wedding songs |
| and small. Remember your guests have to pack | | | | we had at our reception, and some fun goodies |
| these to take home too! | | | | such as leis, glow sticks, Hawaiian shirt key chains. |
| - If you can't think of anything that will go with | | | | Everyone carried around the tote bags with them |
| your destination theme, select something useful or | | | | during our cruise when they walked to the beach |
| practical - which has a special meaning to both of | | | | or pool, and everyone loved their little goodie |
| you. | | | | bags! With so many options out there, there is |
| - If you rather not take favors with you, you can | | | | something to please everyone and fit every |
| send your favors direct to your guests homes | | | | budget. Keep our handy tips in mind when you |
| with their thank you notes. A bit more expensive, | | | | are browsing for your destination wedding favors. |
| but your guests will be quite surprised when they | | | | |