Wedding "favours"?

The Spanish have little pins that the brides carry and give to all the female guests. The pins go a certain way (I’d have to check) if you’re married and the opposite way if you are single. I’ll take a photo tomorrow. I’d be happy to buy and send x

As I know my own DS, I know if a little surprise for each guest will be welcomed or not.

Thank you again to those who have come up with some great suggestions, of which there are at least a couple that I will be using.

My DS is getting married, yippee !!!! He's the Groom. Did I say whether or not there is a Bride??????????????????????????

When DD married her Australian fiancé in Oz, her future in-laws insisted on providing stuff on the guests tables although DD didn’t want them and her fiancé didn’t want to upset his mum. So sugared almonds inside champagne flutes appeared. Most people left them behind, I think they thought they were extra glasses. I took a few home as souvenirs for relatives who couldn’t attend, virtually everyone from our family. 20 years on, DD would not have stood for this interference from in-laws. Also as so many GNers write about not wanting extra clutter etc. why bother with favours?

Cant believe so many think wedding favours are a new fad.

They are a nod to tradition.

It used to always be sugared almonds. It was traditional/superstition and each colour symbolised a well wish for the couple (fertility, health etc) .

But sugar almonds were a bit gross. People always left them on the table. If you tried to eat them you felt like you would break a tooth. So over time people started replacing them with things they thought their guests would like better.

No they are not necessary or compulsary, but if someone wants to do that nod to tradition so what.

OP either the couple have decided that they dont like favours and dont want them, in which case yours will go down like a lead balloon

Or they DO want them and will have spent time planning their own if you havent been deligated to for this task. In which case it will be awkward for the guests when you give out your "competing" favours.

tables not tablkes !!

I got some little gauze drawstring bags from ebay, very tiny, they have them in every colour, I then bought some silver choc beans, they were very light, you could only get about eight in a bag but they look so nice on tablkes and very cheap to do and easy to transport.

Wild flower seeds were my DDs choice; good for the poor old bees, not expensive and nothing to offend anyone. However, depending on where 'abroad' is watch out for countries not allowing any seeds to be brought in. Maybe, if that is a problem, source the same but in the host country.

Weddings are happy family times and the Grooms parents have every right to make or buy little presents for the guests.

This is the nub of the problem. Whilst you might feel this, the bride (and groom) might not feel the same way, so I would strongly urge you to please, check with the bride that she's OK with you doing this on their day. My MIL organised some 'surprises' at our wedding and, although I don't lose sleep over it, it irritated me.

Although I am sure that whatever you choose will be lovely in your eyes, your son and DIL might have other thoughts and feel resentful that you hijacked carefully thought out plans. You don't want to set off on the wrong foot do you!

Hopefully, they will love what you suggest and all will be fine! I just wouldn't want you to inadvertently put your foot in it.

At our DD's wedding the favours were a small (espresso cup sized) tin bucket and a packet of seeds to plant in it - chilli for the men and flowers for the ladies.

At our god daughter's wedding last year every guest had the prostate cancer man pin as a favour as our dear friend, the bride's father, has it and had not long finished chemo

I'm one of the grumpy ones who think 'wedding favours' are just a waste of time and money and a trend strongly promoted by wedding businesses and the 'buy more useless stuff' brigade.

We still have a box of (unused) glass coasters from a wedding with the bride and groom's names and wedding date engraved on them. Who is ever going to use items with someone elses name on them? Surely it's enough that wedding guests have their memories and photos of a friend or relatives happy day.

Dontaskme, surely its far better to just relax and enjoy your son's wedding than worry about trivia.

You really need to run this past the bride and groom. Do not spring this on them on the day. There is no need for this to be a surprise.

Love spoon? Is that a Welsh, Irish or Scottish favour? I haven’t heard of it before?

When my DD got married a lot of friends where from our of town. She bought them all Scouse(Liverpool) passports with their names in. I would guess you could get some from the home city you're from.

Favours are nothing new. In Italy 45 years ago every guest received a bag of sugared almonds plus a gift. Shops sold little ornaments, the couple chose which one, to be tied to the almonds. I can remember multi colour glass clowns or swans. Heaven knows what they do now! Back to the op, I would check with the bride, but there's some good ideas here, as long as the get the seal of approval. It could look a bit off if the couple have something in place already.

When I married my DH on my 50b/day 15 years ago I found a company in Wales that made miniature love spoons got one for all the ladies know most still have them

*hot. Long day in the garden, I’m losing it!

The previous website had lots of variations too, also found this one with initials for a fold out fan, very sweet. I think slip on flip flops for tired feet or a fan when everyone’s pooped and hit a great ideas! Let us know what you end up going with!

www.fantastica-uk.co.uk/ourshop/prod_865931-NEW-Personalised-Wedding-Fans-Fabric-and-Wooden-Handle.html

At a friends wedding a couple of years ago, we were all given a badge supporting a charity (it was a Parkinson’s UK - as her dad had this awful disease). I thought that was a great idea. My DD and SIL created a CD of their wedding playlist - I must admit I’ve never played it.

I liked the poster who suggested fans! They would look great in photos for the younger generation, and would cool off everyone too. (I could have used these at a south of France a few years ago when my menopause was making feel sick and faint.) I put a link to personalised wedding fans that are inexpensive but modern below. Ignore the nasty comments! Enjoy the wedding
www.confetti.co.uk/shop/product/expressions-hand-fan-with-decorative-shape?gclid=Cj0KCQjwzunmBRDsARIsAGrt4mshlQl_BYADMEr_xiGcXBy3L6S9Xsp_oKOgxmTavglGL3PLoz9RRKsaAjo4EALw_wcB

One DD had paper bags with labels of the wedding. People did not understand till the sweet table was rolled out. Don't think there was many left ? The other DD had macaroons in boxes, yummy x

Why are they called favours, anyone know the origin?

Weddings are happy family times and the Grooms parents have every right to make or buy little presents for the guests.

Er no. No one has any "rights" over anyone elses wedding.

I had replied assumming this had been agreed upon with the couple, if not, just don't. It would be very rude.

Imo the best wedding favours are the ones that provide a talking point at that awkward bit between sitting down and the meal arriving.

"Momentos" are IMO wasteful. I am not going to keep a keyring or candle holder or other charms/tat with someone elses wedding date, they are not going to take pride of place in my home! I dont even have tat with my OWN wedding date lying around.

I like table games, edibles, that sort of thing. I have seen little sets of "ice breaker" cards on tables at weddings. I like those. Jokes are good. Trivia about the location etc

Sweetcakes its in the Maldives. Hope your DD day is fabulous
Really great ideas, some of which would be light enough/small enough to travel with, thank you.
Maybe "favours" was the wrong word, which is why I put it in inverted commas. I wanted to do something from US to everyone - crackers we were going to fill ourselves with special things, but as has been pointed out maybe not a good idea due to explosives!
I'm ignoring the negative miserable comments. Weddings are happy family times and the Grooms parents have every right to make or buy little presents for the guests. I didn't say at what point in the proceedings they would be put on the tables, but it stands to reason that it wouldn't be when they were being laid. We thought once everyone had finished eating and had got on to he drinking would be good.
Fun Fun Fun

Some of the traditional wedding favours are the sugared almonds. We did these at our daughter's wedding, 5 sugared almonds represent, love, happiness, health, wealth and fertility. I made small cotton drawstring bags and added their initials on the front, and then put the favours inside with the message.....love,happiness etc, printed on some pastel coloured paper, then tied at the top with a narrow ribbon tied into a bow.
These were really simple and stress free to make, and can be done a few each evening well in advance.