Everyone looks forward expectantly to the big day when they will get married. All the plans have been meticulously sorted through and all the relevant contractors have been given full instructions on what to do, when and where. All that is left is for the bride and groom to show up and start the proceedings for their guests. But there is one small thing that some may overlook until it gets close to the day and that is how to say 'thank you' to the guests for coming all that way to celebrate the wedding. In days gone by, merely preparing and serving a wedding feast was deemed to be enough for the guests but these days, things have progressed a little further. Bridesmaids and the best man used to be favored for a small gift but now the trend has gone on to include the groomsmen, ushers and the guests themselves. So what is it that can be ordered in bulk, but still retains the look of being hand picked for the guests? The wedding favor! Wedding favors can take many forms. It may be small keepsakes for the dressing table or something very handy for the kitchen. It really doesn't matter what it is as long as it can be appreciated for what it is. That is, a personal gift from the bride and groom in appreciation for there presence. The choice is virtually endless and great sums of money don't have to be spent of course. However, it does depend on what kind of message the bride and groom want to send out. Even small bags of cookies and/or candies can be used as long as it is done stylishly. Some couples have cookies made in the shape of wedding cakes with their initials iced on, which is not only economical, but cute too. Others go to the other end of the scale and provide beautifully crafted small pieces of jewelry for each and every member of the wedding party. It purely depends on the budget and the taste of the wedding couple. But where did this penchant for giving gifts to wedding guests spring from? Many say that it came from when guests were given three ears of wheat as a kind of fertility symbol for the bride and groom to become fruitful. After the wedding the seeds were thrown over the bride and groom (pre confetti days of course) and after there was a mad scramble by the poor of the parish to pick up the seeds for planting. In some countries this has evolved into the brides family throwing coins out onto the floor for children to pick up. These days things are very different. It seems that the art of giving has taken over weddings completely and the bigger or more costly the gift, the better. Of course, it can be said that the bride and groom want to show their guests love and appreciation, and who can fault this? If the gift that the bride and groom want to give is suitable for engraving, this is a great idea to personalize the gift. There are many forms of gift that is suitable but one of the prettiest is to have the place settings or coasters embellished with the couple's photo or initials. These can then be taken home from the reception for great little keepsakes of the day. Some couples give out small and handy gift sets for the kitchen. Bottle openers are a good idea and some sets have a bride and groom as the handles. Vases, too, make delightful wedding favor gifts and some can be personalized with messages actually sealed into the finish of the vase. Wouldn't it be great to use them as table settings and then have them taken home afterward? Photo frames are always a firm favorite since the photo can be changed to ring the changes. Perhaps the bride and groom could have an informal photo taken pre wedding so that it is inserted into the frame when given. It is then up to the receiver whether they change this or keep it intact. An innovation on this theme is a glass vase with a photo slot inside for displaying favorite photos of the couple or a family member. These make great christening or new baby gifts too and many would love to receive one. One perfect gift for men and women is the key ring. Rather aptly, some come in a sort of lazy heart shape, made from silver plate over brass so they are really strong, with a tag attached for personalization. These can be purchased for less than twenty dollars, so they are very affordable, but adorable gifts particularly where love and marriage are being celebrated. The one thing that people should not forget when choosing wedding favors is the style of wrapping. Custom made boxes are available, some with religious connotations, and add a certain something to the contents. Even if the gift is not of high monetary value, if it is well wrapped it will look more expensive. Being given a ribbon bedecked box with a small gift inside really cheers people up and they so look forward to seeing what is inside. As mentioned earlier, the gift does not have to cost a fortune. Even a twenty dollar gift multiplied by three hundred guests comes out at quite a sum. But this is a once in a lifetime event, hopefully. For those on tighter budgets, one of the prettiest gifts is a small silver bookmark with a calla lily at the top. This is particularly appropriate if lilies are one of the flowers in the bride's bouquet and looks very sweet when inserted into a book. For less than two dollars, this gift ticks all the boxes. A beautiful keepsake for just the right amount of money spent. Of course, several of these small gifts can be gathered together in a basket to make the gift even more unique.
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