Unique Wedding Favors

When I was still selling items on eBay�, I once auctioned off one hundred packets of vegetable and flower seeds. When I listed the items, I figured it was a long shot to make a sale on them. I mean, other than an overzealous gardener, who else could possibly want all those plant seeds?

So I was surprised when, immediately after I listed the seeds, a buyer swooped in and purchased the hundred packets of seeds. I was curious what she was going to do with them, but I didn’t need to ask. She told me instead. The buyer was helping her daughter plan her wedding. The packets of seeds were just what they were looking for to give out as favors for the guests.

I’m not sure exactly how they created their unique idea, but I suppose they left the seeds in their original packets. That way, the planting instructions were intact. You could then easily fold each packet and place them inside pieces of netting, or in fancy, premade bags. You could also use small, heart-shaped boxes tied shut with colored ribbons. Of course, the color of the netting, boxes, and ribbons would coincide with the bride’s chosen wedding colors.

Then, make up small cards that can be attached to each bag or box. Personally, I would punch a hole in the corner of each card. Then, before I tied the ribbon around the wedding favor, I would slip the ribbon through the hole in the card.

You can find the ribbons and netting reasonably priced at your local craft store. White or colored paper cards can be purchased at your local stationery store. Of course, to find a wider selection of products to make your wedding favors with, you can always search the Internet.

The message on the cards could read something like: “Thank you for joining us in
the beginning of our life together. Please plant these seeds as a remembrance of this joyous day.”

The reverse side of the card should have the pertinent information that would identify the special day. For example, it could read: “Mary and John Smith – Married June 12, 2006- St. John’s Church, Melrose Park, New Jersey.”

You can also use this same type of idea, but instead of seeds, you could use homemade candles, soaps, or chocolate candies. You can easily make all of these items in your microwave oven at home. All you basically need are candle wax, glycerin, and chocolate to melt and pour into the forms you have chosen. You may want traditional hearts or wedding bells. Or, you can choose any other object that will coincide with the theme of your wedding.

Here’s another nifty idea for a wedding favor. The wedding was being held in October. The couple didn’t want their special day to be associated with Halloween. So, they chose a Fall theme instead. They didn’t have a lot of money to spend on their wedding, but the soon-to-be bride was able to assemble a hundred favors that beautifully decorated their reception tables with the splendor of Fall. It didn’t cost a lot of money either.

What she did was purchase several bags of Hershey’s Kisses in their gold and brown autumn colors. The bride also purchased a few yards of colored netting and ribbon. The last items she found at her local craft store were some small, individual fake tree leaves. The leaves resembled actual Fall ones because they were colored brown, gold, and yellow, with hints of reddish tones.

Then, she cut the netting into squares. She placed five Hershey’s Kisses in each square. She tied the candy and the squares into small bundles using pieces of the ribbon. Finally, the bride added a couple of leaves to each bundle for added decoration. They turned out looking great!

For these favors, you could spruce (pun intended) the leaves up a little with some glitter and glue. Use the glitter and glue to outline the edges of the leaves along with the veins.

If you’re planning to hold your wedding around Christmas time, you could buy an assortment of personalized matchbooks, key rings- that sort of small item. The personalizations could read: “Kevin and Tina Jones – December 15, 2005.” Make sure you have one item to give each guest.

You could then purchase some small boxes to hold the items in. Place an item in a box, wrap the box up with gift paper and a ribbon, and you have a wedding favor – a mystery gift- for each one of your guests. To add to the attractiveness of this favor, you could place a small Christmas tree on each table at the reception. Place several of the wrapped boxes under each tree.