Wedding favors are small gifts given as a gesture of appreciation or gratitude to guests from the bride and groom during a wedding ceremony or a wedding reception. The tradition of distributing wedding favors is a very old one. It is believed that the first wedding favor, common among European aristocrats, was known as a bonbonniere: a small trinket box made of crystal, porcelain, and/or precious stones.
The contents of these precious boxes were generally sugar cubes or delicate confections, which symbolize wealth and royalty. As the price of sugar decreased throughout centuries, the tradition of providing gifts to guests reached the general populace and was embraced by couples of modest means. As sugar became more affordable, bonbonnieres were replaced with almonds.
Today, gifts to guests are commonly known as wedding favors and are shared in cultures worldwide. Wedding favors have become a part of wedding reception planning, especially in the United States and Canada, and they are various, usually complement the theme or season of the event.
Today, the most environmental conscious couples despise the idea of wedding favors, because for the most part, they aren’t environmentally friendly, useless and they can be severely lacking in creativity. An Eco friendly wedding favor not only can represent an ideal, but it can also turn into something truly unique and special.
