Wedding Favors

[buttercup80]

There''s a lot of extra information/back story I could give, but it boils down to I''m having the worst time figuring out favors. . .help a girl out?

(I was originally thinking a donation somewhere or forgetting about them altogether, but FI is adamant that we give something. . .)

 

[rockzilla]

In theory I would go with the tree, BUT I live in an apartment and would have nowhere to plant it. Plus, if it was a faraway wedding its be hard to transport...

If all of your guests live nearby and have places to plant a tree, that might be nice. But, I would feel really guilty throwing away a baby tree...as opposed to the edible gifts that you could give to someone else.

 

[SarahLovesJS]

I voted for the apple, yum!! Any chance of getting caramel?

 

[ladyciel]

I voted for the italian chocolates, but I''m a total sucker for anything with chocolate and nuts. For me it was a decision between those and the apples. Definitely consider your guests and whether or not they have to travel far before giving out the trees.

 

[iheartscience]

I voted for the chocolates, although I would love a candy apple as well! I didn''t vote for the candy apples because they are so messy and hard to eat, whereas a chocolate will probably get eaten that same night!

 

[musey]

Date: 6/11/2008 9:57:34 PM
Author: rockzilla
In theory I would go with the tree, BUT I live in an apartment and would have nowhere to plant it. Plus, if it was a faraway wedding its be hard to transport...

Ditto!

I picked the chocolate, because that type just so happens to by my favorite! Plus, it's easy to eat, if people decide to do so while at the reception... whereas the candy apples can be pretty messy.

I do think candy apples are AWFULLY nummy, though!

 

[newbie124]

I think the best analogy I've come up with for wedding favors is airline food/snacks. It's never really all that great, but for whatever reason people miss it when it's not offered.

If you really want to offer favors, I agree that food is definitely the way to go. At times I've gotten caught up in the cuteness of little boxed trinkets, but then I realize how many of those I've received at other weddings and didn't know what to do with. I always felt bad just tossing them, but then I just don't have a need for things like a plastic shell filled with sand.

I also agree w/ all the above comments that while candy apple sounds yummy, it can be a bit cumbersome to deal with. Chocolate would be less expensive, easier to consume, and just as appreciated.

 

[rubybeth]

I voted candy apple, but chocolates are great, too--that''s what we''re having. I really like food favors, because they definitely are less likely to get thrown away than any other favor (including trees and seeds, like one poster mentioned, apartment dwellers can''t always deal with this stuff). Plus, food is yummy and fits any theme.

 

[pocahontas]

Date: 6/11/2008 10:56:41 PM
Author: newbie124

If you really want to offer favors, I agree that food is definitely the way to go. At times I''ve gotten caught up in the cuteness of little boxed trinkets, but then I realize how many of those I''ve received at other weddings and didn''t know what to do with. I always felt bad just tossing them, but then I just don''t have a need for things like a plastic shell filled with sand.

I also agree w/ all the above comments that while candy apple sounds yummy, it can be a bit cumbersome to deal with. Chocolate would be less expensive, easier to consume, and just as appreciated.

Ditto!

 

[pocahontas]

Date: 6/11/2008 10:56:41 PM
Author: newbie124
I think the best analogy I've come up with for wedding favors is airline food/snacks. It's never really all that great, but for whatever reason people miss it when it's not offered.

Haha - I love this (it's so true)

 

[FireGoddess]

I was going to vote for the tree till I saw the Baci. There is nothing on EARTH better than Baci. Nothing.

 

[choro72]

I vote for either Candy Apples or Chocolates, although I have no idea what a Candy Apple is. I personally think that something edible is the best wedding favor, because guests have no use for most personalized sentimental stuff anyway.

If you want cheap suggestions, my idea is to buy bulk boxes from papermart, and fill them up with tons snacks. I don''t know where I''ll get the snacks from, but googling "bulk snacks" returns a lot of stuff.

 

[swimmer]

Buttercup,
They are all thoughtful favors you listed. The chocolate seems easiest for all to deal with unless heat will be an issue. But I would ask your FI what his reason is for wanting favors, is the tree somehow symbolic of your relationship, or the apple...are you teachers? If there is no compelling reason for any favor, like a tribute to ethnicity or hometown, what is the point? You are going to feed your guests, and there will already be dessert, right? Honoring them with a donation to a favorite or appropriate charitable organization is a one size fits all generosity from you that is a lasting tribute to your love.
(You don''t sound really sold on the idea of favors or I wouldn''t bring it up...)

I have loved the envelopes filled with rose petals, spoons with chocolate on them, little water gun, sapling to plant from seed, mini-pie in a heart shape (sort of), M&Ms, almonds in a box, in a bag, and scattered on the table...but nothing lasts like a donation to a worthy cause. Actually, where is that mini-water gun, its hot here...

 

[buttercup80]

Argh - I''m still confused. . .although I did find myself a bit disappointed that more people weren''t voting for the apple - I think that''s what I really want, but I know it''s going to be a huge battle with my mom. Sigh.

rockzilla, those are exactly my concerns about the trees - good idea in theory, but. . . I don''t think it would be an issue for most of our guests, but there are a few traveling/in aparments. Also, I''d worry about them arriving half dead or something.

Sarah, I think my heart is with the apple, too. I''d be willing to go for caramel, but some of those caramel ones are too gooey-sweet. Plus, I love that candy apple red!

lady, thing, musey, newbie, pocahantas, FireGoddess - I personally love baci myself, plus it''s Italian (which I am) and even comes wrapped with a little quote about love. "Baci" means "kiss" in Italian. The only problem is it seems a little one sided - FI is the one who''s stuck on giving favors and he doesn''t really even like hazelnut all that much. Plus, the baci aren''t cheap and when you add in a box to put them in, it''s not as inexpensive as you''d expect...

choro, thanks for the link to papermart - I''d never heard of it before and I''ll probably need a container no matter what I do!

swimmer, believe me - there''s nothing I''d like more than to do a donation and be done with it, but FI wants favors and he doesn''t really ask for that much. (Of course, he really wanted to give monogrammed beer mugs, but the cheapest I could find those for was $7 apiece and I was not at all disappointed to point out that they were way over our budget.) Of the physical favors I''ve listed so far, I think the apples actually have the most significance - FI and I ARE both teachers, plus our wedding will be in the fall.

I guess I''ve figured out that I kind of want the apples - and FI liked the idea, too - but I''m anticipating a fight with my mom (the baci were her suggestion) and I feel like I need to know other people would like apples, too.

So would anyone really hate getting an apple?

 

[Shoopy]

I''m against food as a favor. I would also have nowhere to plant a tree.

I think with the chocolate in a box, you get two favors: a good piece of "candy" and a box

 

[Stephanie]

I am doing caramel apples! FI and I both love them. And daffyapples.com has them for about $1 per apple, all you have to do is wrap them in cellophane and ribbon. For our 100 guests we are ordering 96 (they are sold in lots of 24) because we know some people just don''t like them.

 

[swimmer]

Makes good sense Buttercup!
I would love an apple!

 

[Sabine]

I voted for the apple because I''ve personally never seen those at a wedding, so they''d be more unique and fun than a chocolate. But if they were too hard, the chocolates would work well too. If I was at a wedding with a tree as a favor, unfortunately I would probably leave it there.

 

[buttercup80]

Oooh, Stephanie, have you tried the daffy apples? I had looked at them, but I was worried about the sweetness of caramel and I wasn''t too sure of the crunchy things - were they good? When is your wedding? I want to hear how people like them!

fieryred, what makes you against food as a favor? Have you had bad experiences? Any box that I get to hold the chocolate would not really be nice enough to consider a favor, I don''t think - it would just be something to keep the baci together. . .

Thanks swimmer and sabine! I really like that the apples would be somewhat unique - I''m going for a little bit of whimsy and fun with everything (which is where my mom and I clash the most - she thinks weddings should be "sophisticated" and "elegant," but I am neither of those things. "crazy" and "colorful" are more apt!). My candy apples should fit right in with my blue shoes and cupcake cake - all of which my mom hates. . . Sigh.

 

[Krissie]

I voted for the apple! I think that is what we''re going to do, but we''re going to have caramel apples, some with nuts and some without.

I was originally not going to have any favors and just make a charitable donation, but I really do think it''s a nice touch. The only thing is I think they will be labor intensive. We are going to order them in bulk, and then wrap them ourselves with cellophane and a printed ribbon. I think we''ll have them by the front door so people can grab them on the way out. Now, whether I want to be doing this 2 days before the wedding is another story ...!

If you go the apple route, we will have to brainstorm on a cute little saying to include with it. If we were doing candy or cookies, I would probably say "Sweet Dreams!" as people would be getting them as they walked out the door at night, but it doesn''t seem to work for apples. Maybe "How sweet it is!" or "Apple of my eye!" I am so cheeeeeezy.

 

[Fancy605]

I LOVE the idea of the tree. Precious!

I personally don''t care for food as a favor, but that''s because I am incredibly picky about what sweets I eat. I don''t like candy or snack type foods or any of that with the exception of Lindor truffles (which, I gave as favors at my wedding b/c it''s the only candy I like period) However, I will say that my BIL and SIL had candy apples at their wedding, and they were a HUGE hit. They were coated in white chocolate, and they had a caramel coating inside the which chocolate shell. They looked so delicious that I was almost tempted to try one--but I ended up giving mine to DH b/c he actually likes that kind of thing. Anyway, they were hugely popular. Everyone raved about them. The people who stayed the night at the reception hotel were VERY pleased when they were presented with the extra apples the next morning.

If your heart is with the apple, I say, pick the apples.

 

[pocahontas]

Buttercup - I think if you really want the candy apples you should go with them. Otherwise, you'll be upset that you settled for something that holds a lot less meaning to you and your FI. However, if you are open to other suggestions then what about Italian nougat? You could make it yourself to keep the costs down and use almonds instead of pitaschios. It's something Italian, non-hazelnut and yummy. I was thinking of small squares wraped in cellophane and ribbon. Or, what about home-made peanut brittle presented in the same way?

 

[buttercup80]

krissy, do you mind if I ask where you''re ordering your apples from? I think we''re going to do a similar wrapping (cellophane and a ribbon to match our colors), but ours will have the escort cards tied to them. . .

Thanks fancy! I did really like the idea of the tree, but (silly as it seems) the apples have more meaning and resonance for us. . .I''m so glad you were at a wedding where people liked them!

pocahontas, I LOL-ed at the thought of me trying to make my own wedding candy - I''m not what you might call gifted in the kitchen. . .although, my dad would have loved it because nougat is his absolute favorite!

Does anyone who has done apples or seen them at a wedding have a pic they could share? I''ve been to the bulk apple sites online so I know what the apples themselves look like - I''m more looking for a pic of a bunch of them wrapped up or however they were presented. . .

 

[Stephanie]

This one of my saved pictures. I plan to something similar - guests names on the front of the tag and a thank you on the back. I got the wrap, raffia and tags at nashvillewraps.com - only about $20 for everything since I plan on handwriting (calligraphy) all the names. I have heard nothing but wonderful things about Daffy. You could try google and the BBB to seek any problems that anyone has had with them.

 

[neatfreak]

Apple! Yummy. I like the tree idea in theory too, but I think a lot of people will leave those...

 

[buttercup80]

Thanks Stephanie! That looks a lot like what I want to do - but the tags are going to be our escort cards - with a "thank you for coming" note on the back. . .

I''m so excited that people (for the most part) don''t seem to think this is a terrible idea!

 

[Rhea]

For me personally, the tree. I don''t care that I live in a flat and have no place to plant it, I''d plant it at the in-laws.

But realistically, the chocolate.

 

[septembergirl]

I voted for candy apples because when my husband and I got married, we gave candy apples (cookies & cream, peanut butter cup, candy pieces, & chocolate milk/white chip versions) to our family members who came in from out of town. For our guests, we had bride and groom oreo sets (the bride had been dipped decorated in white chocolate to look like a wedding gown and the groom was dipped in milk and white chocolate in a technique that made it look like the cookie was a tux). We love sweets, so these choices fit our tastes.

 

[ladypirate]

One wedding I went to had homemade cookies individually wrapped in cellophane with a card attached that said "In lieu of favors, a donation has been made to ______" It was pretty much the best favor ever.

Another favor we actually used after we took it home from the wedding was coasters that were not personalized with the couple''s names/dates. They liked wine a lot, so they gave out wine-themed coasters. We have them on our bedside tables.

 

[zoebartlett]

I voted for the chocolates because I LOVE the combination of chocolate and hazelnuts. My #2 choice would be the candy apple. That might have been my first choice because it''s so unique, BUT it''s hard to eat. IF I could save it and have it at the hotel later, that would be one thing. If I wanted something to munch on at the reception, however, chocolate would obviously be much easier.