I am getting married in the fall and want to do something unique as wedding favors and decor. Something other than the cookie cutters or candles.
Themes I’m looking at are a wine theme or garden theme (for fall). I would like to cut costs in this dept, so something I could make myself would be great. Any ideas?
First I would like to say that favors are a nice touch, but are NOT mandatory and in fact most guests will forget them or leave them behind anyway.
So, with that in mind… I would go with something edible, or especially useful so they wont want to forget it.
*Chocolate "Leaves" have been a big hit in the past - could wrap them in tulle or put them in a tin or a favor box. http://www.kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?s=cookingschool&m=cookingschool/video_display&vid=21
(Don’t even try to use artificial leaves for this, they wont work)
If you dont want to make them though you can buy them
http://chocolatefantasies.com/autumn.htm
http://www.chocolatevault.com/_flowers/leaves.htm
*Cocoa (I have a recipe if you want to make it yourself) in bags you can personalize with your own design and names and date (think smaller ziplock style and printer friendly labels)
*Bookmarks with a nice verse or poem (maybe thanking them for their attendance) as well as names and date (you can design and print these on your home computer, then take them to an office supply store and get them laminated then punch a hole in the top and add a nice ribbon (Very inexpensive, so if people leave them behind you didnt waste alot of money.)
Everybody needs a acopy of the Book of Alvis.
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Flower or plant seeds in a cute packet. Wine bottle openers or corkscrews. Mini wine bottles. Wine charms shaped like fall leaves (http://www.wedding-bridal-favors.com/store/Wine-Wedding-Favors-c-5.html).
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One thing I’m doing for our wedding is I’m going to make little story books for the kids using picures out of magazines. I’m thinking about making 3 stories then going to Kinko’s and make copies of them. I’m going to keep the originals and give the copies to the kids. For the adults, I’m making beaded picture bracelets for the women, and for the guys, I’m making thick leather bracelets. My bridesmaids, the groomsmen, the ring bearer, and the flower girl are getting bought personalized gifts in addition to the handmade ones. You make stories about fall gardens for the kids, beaded wine or leaf bracelets for the women, and do the leather cuffs for the guys, and put each one in a little bag or basket with fake leaves in them.
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I know that giving 5 almonds as a favor is great. You can also attach a little note to each favor explaining the significance of the 5 almonds. You could find out about this favor and more on http://www.theknot.com They have such great ideas and more for wedding planning. Hope it helps
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http://www.theknot.com
First I would like to say that favors are a nice touch, but are NOT mandatory and in fact most guests will forget them or leave them behind anyway.
So, with that in mind… I would go with something edible, or especially useful so they wont want to forget it.
*Chocolate "Leaves" have been a big hit in the past - could wrap them in tulle or put them in a tin or a favor box. http://www.kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?s=cookingschool&m=cookingschool/video_display&vid=21
(Don’t even try to use artificial leaves for this, they wont work)
If you dont want to make them though you can buy them
http://chocolatefantasies.com/autumn.htm
http://www.chocolatevault.com/_flowers/leaves.htm
*Cocoa (I have a recipe if you want to make it yourself) in bags you can personalize with your own design and names and date (think smaller ziplock style and printer friendly labels)
*Bookmarks with a nice verse or poem (maybe thanking them for their attendance) as well as names and date (you can design and print these on your home computer, then take them to an office supply store and get them laminated then punch a hole in the top and add a nice ribbon (Very inexpensive, so if people leave them behind you didnt waste alot of money.)
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wedding planner
For a wine theme, you could get inexpensive wine glasses from a restaurant supply store, personalize them for each guest with gold or silver paint pens; then fill with candies/Jordan almonds in your wedding colors and wrap with tulle and ribbons. Paired with balloon bouquets, a grouping of the tulle-wrapped wine glasses would make a fun centerpiece for each table.
For a garden theme, get small grapevine wreaths at a craft store and attach a ribbon-tied tulle circle filled with candies/almonds to the center of the wreath. Decorate them with fabric leaves and ribbons in fall or your weddding colors. You could decorate a larger wreath in the same way as a centerpiece for each table.
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Wine charms or wine stoppers. You can find wine stoppers that have a heart on top and they come in a elegant box. Check http://www.orientaltrading.com.
If you are crafty, you can try to tie some incense stick with a pretty ribbon.
Congrats and good luck
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My daughter gave live trees to plant to remember the love in their life. It had a poem about flourishing love & plants. It was a huge hit & people still tell me how well their tree is doing ( I can’t figure out how to tell them I do not want updates on a tree - LOL)
My oldest daughter gave cookie bouqets in crystal flower vases.
Something to enjoy right away & something to keep as gift for rembrance.
Good luck - try being unconventionable in thinking.
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candied/carmel apples…so fun!
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You can get neat pine cone candles for cheap at Michaels. (or make them) Or make popourri sachets in fall colours.
What about coffee/hot cocoa/cider packets?
Or seed packs?
I gave some links to ones for sale on e-bay
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http://cgi.ebay.ca/Fall-Winter-theme-Wedding-favors-Hot-Cocoa-Cappuccinos_W0QQitemZ250042825282QQihZ015QQcategoryZ20937QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.ca/Autumn-Fall-Leaves-Wedding-Seed-Packets-Party-Favors_W0QQitemZ280042428658QQihZ018QQcategoryZ20937QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Try custom made cd’s of love songs that you and your future husband enjoy. When I got married we used cds that we already have and some from friends. We purchased blank cd, cases and used our picture for the cd cover. We also bought candy bars and made our own custom wrappers. We purchased plastic spoons the same color of our wedding and some netting, we placed a few Hershey hugs and kisses on the spoon and wrapped the netting around them. We tied them with ribbon and added a little tag that said hugs and kisses from the Mr & Mrs. Also at my friends wedding instead of spending money on teh napkins she had a rubber stamp with her and her husbands name on it, purshased blank napkins and used the stamp on the napkins. I got the ideas by googling "wedding favors" then I looked at the favors and found that most of them could be made at home. Good luck and congratulations.
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I don’t know if wedding favors are really necessary anymore. If you are having a nice meal and open bar, you needn’t bother. At least I didn’t. I was at a wedding and they just left little chocolate hearts at every seat on the table. It was a cute little touch and acted as a little snack before dinner.
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When planning my wedding, I debated about favors endlessly. At the time, I was working full time during the day, attending grad school at night and helping remodel the house we had bought. Time was definitely an issue for me. A lot of times when you go to a wedding, you get a cheap little favor that make the tables look festive. All I could think about was how many people either forgot their favors and the table when they left or took them home and through them out. I decided to place little tent cards at each table explaining that in leiu of favors, we would be making a donation to the American Cancer Society for each person in attendance. This could be done for your favorite charity of choice. Everyone thought it was a great idea and I know that the money was going toward a good cause instead of something that may end up being a waste of money in the end.
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Personal Experience.