History of Wedding Favors

The tradition for gift-giving to ones guests at a wedding is a VERY old one.

The first wedding favors, common among wealthy aristocratic Europeons, were packaged in what is known of as a bonbonniere.  A bonbonniere was a small box made of crystal, porcelain and/or precious stones.

The contents of these boxes were usually cubed sugar or delicate confections, which symbolized wealth and royalty.  Sugar was an expensive commodity.  As the price of sugar decreased, the tradition of providing gifts to guests reached the general populace and was embraced by couples of modest means.

Eventually sugar cubes and confections were replaced when sugar coated almonds known as confetti were introduced in the 13th century.

This evolved into the wedding favor of modern weddings.

Traditionally, five almonds are presented in a box or wrapped in fabric to represent the wishes of the new family; fertility, longevity, wealth, health and happiness.

The bitterness of the almond and the sweetness of the coated candy exemplify the bitter sweetness of marriage.  Not only is it sweet, it is good for you, even if sometimes a bit bitter.  LOL!!!  For Better or for worse ;-) 

Today, gifts to guests are commonly known as favors and are shared in cultures worldwide.  Favors symbolize thankfulness and gratitude to guests for attending. 

Wedding favors have become a part of wedding reception planning, especially in the United States and Canada.

Wedding favors are diverse and can range from the classic sugared almonds to small metal items. Some gifts may be personalized with the couple's names and the wedding date.

The importance of and demand for wedding favors has created a new category of business in the wedding industry.