Unique Wedding Favors For Your Reception

Unique Wedding Favors

You are a unique couple so you definitely want unique wedding favors to give your guests to thank them for sharing your day with you. Depending on your taste, there are so many options for unique wedding favors. Concerned about our world? Choose green wedding favors that your guests can plant in their yards or use again. Great options are wildflower seed wedding favors.

Unique Wedding Favors

silk wedding flowers

For as long as anyone can remember flowers have been a timeless tradition at wedding ceremonies across the world. Perhaps more than at any other time in one's life, do the love and friendship the flower symbolizes seem more relevant. Their soft petals and beautiful colors add beauty and elegance to an already perfect day.

silk wedding flowers

That is...unless your chosen style or color isn't in season. Or they may just not be in stock. You may also have to add in the extra cost of shipping the flowers you want, having your florist working over time to get all one zillion of your arrangements done within two days of the ceremony to be sure the flowers don't fall apart of wilt or both before your big day. If it sounds like a hassle, that's because it's a hassle. Fresh flowers aren't cheap, portable, or made to last.

silk wedding flowers

Luckily, artificial flowers are now more beautiful and natural looking than ever. They are becoming widely used in wedding ceremonies for a variety of reasons.

When using silk flowers for you ceremony keep a few things in mind before you make your selection. With all the options in flower combinations you'll want to be sure of each one's meaning in combination with the others. Your florist may be able to help you, or you can check out a book on the topic. When shopping, you may also want to bring along a real flower to hold up to the one you are considering to be sure that it looks authentic.

You truly can get all the beauty of fresh flowers at your wedding without the trouble or expense. Quality silk wedding flower arrangements will perfectly compliment your special day, and many days to come.

silk wedding flowers

wedding favors

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).[citation needed] 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.

wedding favors

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.

wedding favors

Fall Wedding Flower Trends

Rich hues, unique vases, and unexpected elements are just a few of the hot trends in fall flowers.

Choosing flowers for spring and summer weddings is a no-brainer: There are tons of varieties in season, and any sweet pastel or bright and sunny color scheme feels appropriate. But if you want flowers that reflect the fall season in a chic and intriguing way, it's a little more challenging. We've quizzed some of our favorite florists and event designers on the latest trends in fall flowers. The good news: Your options in the fall are as gorgeous and stylish as ever.

Think Texture

The hottest trend in fall wedding flowers is lush, richly hued arrangements with lots of interesting texture. Instead of using just two or three types of blooms in your centerpieces, try a wide mix of flowers coordinated with your color scheme. For example, you could start with a base of classic flowers and mix in feathery crocosmia and velvety coxcomb. Or you could add non-floral accents such as viburnum or hypericum berries, lotus pods, fiddlehead ferns, or wooly lamb's ear leaves to make the arrangements more remarkable. For a distinctly fall touch, poppies with dark centers add visual depth and a dramatic element that announces that summer is over.

Search for flowers by color with our ultimate wedding flower guide.

Classic Flowers in Rich Hues

Fall Wedding Flower Trends

Although texture is key, classic flowers still rule for fall weddings. Tailor them to the time of year by choosing more deep and dramatic shades than you would in the summer -- opt for classic autumn hues or go with more unexpected colors like aubergine, copper, and forest green. Lush, elegant dahlias may be the quintessential fall blossom since they come in all the autumnal tones (red, burgundy, orange, and plum). Of course, roses will always be popular and are available in any hue you need for your fall color scheme. Also hot for fall weddings: antique hydrangeas in greens and purples, and deep crimson calla lilies.

Pick a Polished Bouquet

Loosely tied bouquets that look like they were just gathered from an English garden are a natural choice for many brides during the spring and summer, but for fall weddings, bouquets can be more structured. Think densely packed, dome-shaped bouquets in a color scheme such as red, brick, and plum. Instead of leaving stems exposed, trend-conscious florists wrap them in textured fabric, velvet sashes, or ribbons. The groomsmen boutonnieres can be similarly polished -- instead of a bare stem, choose boutonnieres wrapped in satin or grosgrain ribbon for your wedding party.

Use Plants as Centerpieces

Succulents are a hugely popular landscaping trend right now, and stylish brides are working them into their centerpieces too. They're seasonless but come in deep, fall-appropriate hues like aubergine, cactus green, and pomegranate. Since their leaves look like petals, succulents mix easily with flowers, and they're a natural choice for weddings in the Southwest.

Bypass Boring Glass Vases

For centerpieces, unique containers are de rigueur. Classic glass vases may feel right in summer, but for fall, style-conscious couples are using everything from eye-catching copper pots to silver trophy cups and gold-leaf vases, or going earthy with containers made of wood or covered in lichen. Mismatched antique urns or pots from the flea market are also popular. Use a collection of pots in different sizes -- as many as five per table -- that your guests can take home at the end of the evening. If you decide on glass vases, you can add a distinctly fall feel by using wheat berries or millet as a base for the flowers.

Go Green

Eco-conscious couples and their florists are focusing on using locally grown organic flowers. Stick to flowers grown near the wedding site, which lessens your environmental impact, rather than flying flowers in from another continent. Organically grown blooms spare the earth (and your guests) from exposure to potentially harmful chemicals. It's also a great way to support nearby nurseries and celebrate the local region.

Fall Wedding Flower Trends

Fall Wedding Favor Ideas

Send guests home on a high note with these fall-inspired favor ideas.

Caramel Apples

Fall Wedding Favor Ideas

Treat guests to the quintessential fall indulgence -- caramel apples. Have them packaged individually and tied off with a ribbon that matches your colors so guests can grab the treat as they exit without getting caramel on their nice clothes.

Soy Candles

Capture the coziness of autumn with soy candles in shades of burnt orange, yellow, or brown. They can double as place cards, or pack them into pretty boxes that match your color palette.

Autumnal-Shaped Chocolates


Chocolate is always a favorite favor (who doesn't love a sweet after a night of dancing?), so consider chocolates in the shapes of maple leaves and acorns. Display them in individual boxes at each place setting or on trays near the dessert table.

Few things represent the fall season better than maple syrup. Give mini maple syrup bottles to your guests as a sweet thank-you, or include them in farewell bags at the postwedding brunch for all to enjoy with their breakfast.

Apple Cider Mix

Fall Wedding Favor Ideas

Packets of apple cider mix are perfect for welcome baskets and reception favors alike. Buy them prepackaged with cute sayings such as "Falling in Love," or make them yourself -- and don't forget the cinnamon stirring sticks.

They're practical and pretty, and your guests will love the fall scent. Get pumpkin-shaped soaps and leave them at each place setting.

Individual Apple Tarts

You don't want to upstage the cake, but fresh apple tarts are a tasty way to wow your guests.

Sunflower Seeds

Both for eating and for planting, packets of sunflower seeds are ideal for a rustic fall wedding. Display the packets on a table alongside fresh sunflowers in vases, or simply place little pouches filled with seeds at each setting.

Fresh Candied Pecans


Warm pecans coated in brown sugar will leave your guests feeling snug and satisfied. Have your caterer arrange for a pecan cart to give out the snacks toward the end of the evening.

Apple Butter

Fall Wedding Favor Ideas

Whether you buy it or make it yourself, apple butter is a unique fall favor that not only looks the part, but tastes great too. Package the sweet spread into mini jars; cover each jar lid with fabric to match your wedding day colors; and tie them off with a thin piece of raffia and a small thank-you note.

Summer Wedding Flowers

We talked to top florists to get tips on how to keep your summer wedding flowers fresh.

Choose hearty flowers

Summer Wedding Flowers

Opt for flowers that will stay fresh throughout the entire day. Look for ones with a waxy texture to ensure staying power. Hawaiian blooms, such as orchids, are a great option (check out cymbidium and dendrobium orchids). Ginger halcyons, birds-of-paradise, tiger lilies, and even roses will champion high temperatures too. Buying local flowers is another way to go; blooms that are in season in your area will more likely survive a long day in a bouquet. Check with your florist to see which ones will work for your venue.

Maintain your blooms

Summer Wedding Flowers

When it comes to wedding flowers, the higher the temperature, the more upkeep they'll require. Have them delivered the day of the wedding and make sure there's a refrigerator on-site to store them before the ceremony starts. Also, be mindful of your flowers during photography sessions. When your photographer isn't snapping away, have a friend or bridesmaid hold your bouquet in a shady spot, or place it in a vase of cool water. If your blooms will be exposed to the summer heat for an extended amount of time, keep a spray water bottle on hand and give your flowers a light misting every hour or so.

Opt for bright and bold colors

For the color of your flowers, check out which flowers will be in bloom around your ceremony and reception site, and consider bold versions of those hues. For an outdoor or semiformal wedding, think violet, hot fuchsia, mango, magenta, and green. Wine colors and deeper shades are appropriate for formal weddings, like dark red roses or deep purple lilies. When it comes to casual weddings, sunflowers are a great option since you only need a few to create a vibrant pop of color.

Choose the right centerpieces

You have plenty of summer centerpiece arrangements to choose from. If you're having a formal ballroom wedding, go for tall vases overflowing with a mix of bold and deep-hued flowers accented with feathers or gems. To create a modern vibe, display monochromatic green, orange, or even yellow blooms in clear Lucite containers. For an outdoor wedding, consider wooden containers filled with colorful, locally grown flowers. During the cocktail hour, daisies in simple Mason jars will perk up the space. Or look into potted centerpieces so guests can take them home as favors.

Summer Wedding Flowers

Spring Wedding Reception Table Styles

Classic Spring Style

Spring Wedding Reception Table Styles

Colors: Peony pink and leaf green

Table Settings: Make these classic colors stand out by incorporating them in unexpected ways. Instead of a table runner, use pink and green ribbons in varying shades, widths, and textures to create a colorful statement on white linens. Give some tables green napkins and others pink napkins. White chiavari chairs will play up the garden feel. Add sashes or cushions in pink and green hues.

Spring Wedding Reception Table Styles

Centerpieces: Don't feel obligated to stick to two shades. Instead, go for lush centerpieces that incorporate a range of pinks, from deep pink peonies to pale pink freesias, and rich greenery pieces like hanging amaranthus.

Finishing Touch: Place a single fresh flower in each guest's napkin. If you're going with colorful napkins, choose a contrasting bloom or try using white, which will stand out against the fabric.

Rustic Spring Style

Spring Wedding Reception Table Styles

Colors: Chocolate brown and robin's egg blue

Table Settings: Use the main chocolate-brown tone for your linens; then pick up the blue subtly -- think ivory-colored napkins with a blue edge. Opting for family-style banquet seating will add to the sophisticated ambience, as will candles in Mason jars. To keep with the color scheme, use coffee beans to anchor the candles inside the jars.

Centerpieces: Place trios of centerpieces on each table arranged in unique containers -- think branch baskets, Mason jars, or, if you're up for hitting some yard sales, antique ceramic pitchers. Go with the main brown hue for the largest centerpiece using curly willow, dried seedpods, and dried herbs. For the middle size one, blue hydrangeas will beautifully tie in the accent color. In the smallest, use white blooms. We love the idea of displaying one or two super-sized blooms, like peonies or gardenias.

Finishing Touch: Place a mini bird's nest with three blue Jordan almonds inside next to each guest's charger.

Modern Spring Style

Spring Wedding Reception Table Styles

Colors: Poppy orange and celadon green

Table Settings: Choosing spring colors with a dramatic contrast -- one bolder, one more pastel -- makes this combo modern. Use the same philosophy with your decor. Mix and match square and round tables. Set round dinner plates atop square chargers in celadon. Bring in the poppy orange with napkins in neatly folded triangles. Keep your linens white or ivory so the colors and shapes really pop.

Centerpieces: Alternate between high and low centerpieces. For a low centerpiece, bright green wheatgrass studded with anemones or gerbera daisies in orange hues are simple but make a statement. For tall centerpieces, go with a few stems of brilliant orange Mokara orchids springing from a celadon vase, or consider green cymbidiums and a deep orange vase.

Finishing Touch: Create place cards in the wedding colors, but instead of having them alternate back and forth, do them in pairs -- two orange cards followed by two green so couples will have the same colored place card.

Vintage Spring Style

Spring Wedding Reception Table Styles

Colors: Pansy purple and butter yellow

Table Settings: To keep things modern rather than kitschy, stay somewhat subtle. Instead of opting for patterned linens, get a similar effect by placing a vintage-inspired, lacy white overlay over butter yellow linens. Then bring in antique-y patterns for other details, like using toile or chintz seat cushions that incorporate the wedding colors.

Centerpieces: Go with classic spring blooms, like grape hyacinths, daffodils, and tulips, growing from pots. You can leave the pots terra cotta or seek out ones glazed in seasonal colors. Alternate between full-size plants and the mini versions; set out trios of the minis. In addition to purple and yellow, feel free to mix in a little bit of pink and orange to keep things from getting too match-y. A bonus: Guests get to take the flowers home.

Finishing Touch: Use vintage images from seed packets or old decor and gardening magazines (try eBay or antique stores to find them) on your stationery, like your place cards or table numbers.

Formal Spring Style

Spring Wedding Reception Table Styles

Colors: Warm ivory and candlelight white

Table Settings: Choose rich and contrasting textures to keep things from being too washed out or wintry -- think candlelight pintucked linens and ivory satin napkins. You might also choose to bring in a subtle metallic hue with pale silver or platinum chargers, or even chiavari chairs in one of those hues adorned with rich ivory cushions.

Centerpieces: All shades of warm white, obviously! Make the most of the season with springtime blooms like French tulips, lilies of the valley, and hyacinths. Flowers that have a hint of green in them, like lady's slipper orchids and cabbage roses, will add depth and bring in a bit of seasonal color. Another option is to highlight the flecks of yellow, pink, and brown on white irises or alstroemerias.

Finishing Touch: Candles in frosted white glass votives will provide a rich glow for your tabletops, or choose tealights in clear or frosted glass holders. Keeping your whites warm will banish any idea of winter and announce that spring is here!

Spring Wedding Reception Table Styles

Spring Wedding Reception Table Styles

Spring Wedding Reception Table Styles

Spring Wedding Reception Table Styles