| Homemade wedding favors come from a | | | | found in retail store. |
| centuries old tradition of brides and grooms | | | | Homemade wedding favors can be labor |
| providing small gifts to wedding guests. Every | | | | extensive or have a sense of simple |
| culture across time has treated marriage as a | | | | sophistication. Time, talent and imagination are the |
| wonderful event with the nuptials celebrated | | | | only limits for the creation of wedding favors. |
| throughout the community. In many cultures the | | | | Craft stores offer an extensive variety of |
| bride and groom are associated with good luck. A | | | | materials from which to create a memorable item. |
| common thought among these cultures was, that | | | | Simple glass bud vases and candles can be |
| every thing the couple touched would be | | | | adorned with paint or glass gems. Ready-to-paint |
| charmed. By gifting members of the community, | | | | bare wood birdhouses can be adorned to |
| the couple would pass blessings to others for the | | | | resemble wedding chapels. Something as simple as |
| rest of the year. | | | | adding a photo of the couple, to a simple picture |
| Initially all wedding favors were homemade, as the | | | | frame makes an excellent favor that will outlast |
| concept of mass produced items had yet to be | | | | the wedding day. |
| conceived. Many brides would choose to | | | | Home computers, desktop publishing software |
| redistribute their good luck by preparing a small | | | | and quality papers make it easy to duplicate |
| gift of almonds beautifully wrapped in elegant | | | | products that have only been available from |
| fabric. The custom in the Middle East is for the | | | | professional printers in the past. Poetry can be |
| bride to provide five almonds to represent | | | | added to beautiful backgrounds for unique |
| fertility, longevity, wealth, health and happiness. | | | | bookmarks or framed works. Decorative |
| Today, the candied nut known as Jordan almonds, | | | | placecards with the guests name in an beautiful |
| provides for one of the most common and | | | | script can later serve to replace a boring name |
| traditional wedding favors, when they are | | | | placard on their work desk. Software to edit |
| wrapped in small bundles of delicate fabric. | | | | music and video recordings allow for the |
| The gifts a bride might create would be | | | | production of private CD's and DVD's. |
| dependent on the culture and materials available. | | | | Baked goods continue to make excellent wedding |
| For years European and American women would | | | | favors. Cookie cutters are manufactured in every |
| crochet small bags or stiffen their work to create | | | | imaginable shape allowing the bride to present |
| small boxes that would typically hold fruit, nut or | | | | distinctive, frosted and personalized delights. |
| candy treats. Crochet items are still an elegant | | | | Miniature cakes, petits fours and even chocolates |
| touch for Victorian or country themed weddings. | | | | can be recreated in the home kitchen. Plastic |
| Today, a bride is only limited to her imagination | | | | molds for forming chocolate and other candies |
| when it comes to selecting the gifts that will show | | | | make it easy to produce delicacies that are |
| appreciation from the blessed couple. | | | | representative of wedding themes. A fun twist on |
| The tradition of creating homemade weddings | | | | a common molded candy is to prepare it on a |
| favors has continued as a means for the bride to | | | | stick to create a lollipop from hard candies or |
| reduce expenses on the wedding budget. Although | | | | chocolates. |
| today, many quality items can be mass produced | | | | Homemade wedding favors will continue to be a |
| for a relatively low cost, brides prefer to create | | | | favorite for the bride and her guests. The |
| homemade favors as a means of self expression. | | | | opportunity to produce an item that genuinely |
| Homemade favors allow her opportunities for | | | | expresses the heartfelt sentiments of the couple, |
| unique gift giving and personalization that can't be | | | | will never go out of style. |