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Wedding Accessories Knowledge Base - What is a Wedding Favour?
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 amongst European aristocrats, was
known as a bonbonniere. A bonbonniere is 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. (In this era, sugar was an expensive commodity
and was treasured only among the wealthy. It was believed
that sugar contained medical benefits). 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. For centuries, almonds were
commonly distributed to wedding guests to signify well wishes
on the bridegroom’s new life. In the thirteenth century,
almonds coated with sugar, known as confetti, were introduced.
Confetti soon transformed to sugared almonds, which later
evolved into the wedding favor for modern day weddings.
Traditionally, five Jordan almonds are presented in a confection
box or wrapped in elegant fabric to represent fertility,
longevity, wealth, health and happiness. The bitterness
of the almond and the sweetness of the coated candy exemplify
the bitter sweetness of a marriage.
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. Wedding favors
are diverse and usually complement the theme or season of
the event. Classic favors can range from the classic sugared
almonds or individual chocolates to candles and scented
soaps. Modern gift trends include: CDs with the favorite
music of the bride and groom, shot glasses filled with colored
candy or silver picture frames with a photo of the couple.
Gifts may also be personalized with the couple's names,
initials or wedding date.
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