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Wedding favors are a symbol from the bride and groom to thank their guests for participating in the wedding and reception. To busy (and broke) brides, this tradition seems like overkill. You throw a lavish gathering and you still need to give out gifts? On top of bridesmaid gifts, groomsmen gifts, and all those other extras?
It's understandable newlyweds can forget (or pretend to forget) the plight of a wedding guest as one of our readers eloquently stated in her Letter to the Bride. Unnecessary travel costs, wedding gifts and time off work. It's no wonder why guests appreciate a token for their efforts, but how did the wedding favor make its invasion into wedding tradition?
The First Wedding Favors
After a fifteen-minute Google search an intense research project, it turns out the origin of the wedding favor remains unknown. The first records of the wedding favor date back to the 16th century during the European Medieval movement. If you know your world spices history, you'll know that sugar was a hot commodity. Therefore, bags of sugar and sugary confections (aka The Origin of the Wedding Cake) were gifts provided by nobility as a symbol of prestige.
Just like Detroit real estate, the price fell on sugar to the point the middle class was willing to give it away. While the upper class traditionally presented sugar cubes and candy in porcelain "bonbonniere" boxes, the middle classes handed out small boxes of nuts, fruit and sugar. In the lower classes, it was acceptable to hand out these offerings in the beginning of the ceremony, as it was the only food for guests during the celebration.
The Modern Wedding Favor
Over time, wedding favors evolved from plain sugar cubes into sugarcoated almonds known as "confetti." The wedding party would place bags of five sugarcoated almonds, which symbolize gifts of fertility, wealth, longevity, health and happiness. The sugarcoated almonds also represent the sweet and bitter aspects of marriage.
Nowadays, there's no reason to focus on the bitter side of marriage. Wedding favors come in all sorts of tasty treats and trinkets, so don't let your guests walk out empty handed. For more inspiration about neat wedding trinkets, check out WeddingStand's Wedding Favors page for an elegant selection of seasonal and edible wedding favors, such as these Monogrammed Oreos. Your guests will only remember sweet memories when you present them with tasty and affordable personalized wedding favors your family and friends are sure to love.
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