Fabulous favors

Christa Vagnozzi
TheKnot.com

Favors have been getting a bad rap. They get left on reception tables, chucked in junk drawers, or even tossed out the next morning. So what’s the point of even having them at your wedding? Well for starters, favors are a quintessential wedding tradition and a way of saying “Thank you for coming.” And for many Hawaii brides, that usually extends to “coming all this way.” As destination weddings are all the rage, favors are falling into favor more than ever. The keys to making your guests’ trip special with fab favors is: Make it functional, make it edible, and most important, make it personal.

 

Quick Bites

Edible wedding favors are a surefire hit. Who doesn’t love an after-wedding snack or a sweet treat for the plane ride home? What’s more, local vendors are creating scrumptious favors that go beyond the basic chocolate bar.

• At Big Island Candies in Hilo you’ll find gourmet truffles that look too good to eat … almost. These miniature works of art are available in flavors including mocha, hibiscus, yuzu, dark chocolate, and coconut.

• In addition to wedding cake, local bakery Sweet Stop in Kailua can do individual macadamia nut tarts. 

 

The Candy Bar and Beyond

A table brimming with candy at the reception is the ultimate in edible favors. It makes for a gorgeous display of color and provides unexpected fun at the reception’s end.

• Looking to try something new? Enter the dessert bar. Offer your guests a buffet of gooey sticky buns, homemade Rice Krispie treats, and other novelty desserts that can double as a late-night snack, or early morning breakfast.

• Cereal also lends itself to a breakfast bar twist. Fill clear containers with a variety of breakfast treats—Froot Loops, Cheerios, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch—so your guests can take some for something to wake up to the next day. Don’t forget mini cartons of ice-cold milk.

 

Function over Form

The #1 rule: Give guests a favor they’ll actually use and you won’t be stuck with leftovers. 

• For a destination wedding, personalized leather luggage tags in hot colors will brighten up your guests’ journeys home.

• Or consider giving travel journals, so guests can fill them with memories of your wedding.

• More functional favor ideas: coasters, lottery tickets, or personalized bottles of sunscreen.

 

Uniquely You

Today’s weddings are all about personalization, and your favors can be too.

• Are you coffee lovers? Head to a local coffee shop that allows you to create your own blend. Then divvy up the grinds into favor-sized bags and seal them with a personalized label.

• Send guests packing with a tangible reminder of Hawaii in the form of photo cards. Grab the digital camera and take snapshots of you and your fiancé in front of your favorite landmarks. Upload these onto a photo-sharing website, such as Shutterfly.com, to print as postcards. Then package five to ten photo cards together tied with colorful ribbon, and present them to your guests.

 

Sweet Charity

Instead of traditional favors, give a donation to charity—it’s a hot trend among benevolent brides and grooms.

• Let your guests know about your charitable contribution by placing a simple card on each place setting.

• If you still feel the need to give guests something they can take with them, give a favor that signifies the charity you donated to. We know a bride and groom who once commissioned small pieces of artwork, created by a local artist, to represent the donation the couple made to an organization dedicated to saving the rainforest.

 

Garden Variety

From potted plants to peonies, thank guests with a favor that will live on for years.

• Give perennial flower bulbs for guests to plant in a garden or in a pot to rest on a windowsill.

• For a beachside wedding, fresh flower leis are beautiful and festive.

• Fill a basket with individual seed packets, like forget-me-nots or your favorite bloom.

• Paper fans in floral patterns will keep guests cool during the ceremony and are compact and easy for guests to slip into purses or pockets.

• Or give guests colorful clusters of miniature floral-scented soaps wrapped in tulle to match your primary wedding colors.

 

Packaging and Presentation

Remember, it’s the tiny details that pack the biggest punch. Pick packaging that matches your wedding colors and your table décor.

• Visit a neighborhood fabric store for ribbons to match your wedding day palette (if you have one, bring along a swatch of your table linens) and personalize the gift with a unique favor label or a monogrammed sticker.

• For an extra touch, add a fresh flower, such as an orchid, to the packaging to finish off each favor.

• The favor table is also getting a makeover. Three-dimensional setups make for a grand presentation, as do fresh floral backdrop curtains (made out of orchids strung on hanging wire) and tall, dramatic floral arrangements.