subject: Inspiration From The Past: The History Of Wedding Favours [print this page] The joining of two people in holy matrimony has been around since the dawning of humanity, but many of the customs and traditions associated with the ceremonial union of a bride and groom have evolved over time. Understanding just where certain details of a wedding, such as nuances in wedding favours or wedding table decorations, come from may provide insight into how to plan your modern wedding.
The tradition of sending wedding guests home with wedding favours after the reception comes from a European custom hundreds of years old, and it did not just apply to weddings. It is said that in the old ages of the aristocrats in France and Italy (perhaps in the sixteenth century), when customs were much more strictly enforced, guests of parties, weddings, or other celebrations were always sent home with something called a bonbonnire. This was a small favour; a box, actually, filled with something made from sugar, or bonbons, hence the name. Sugar was very expensive when these types of gifts were traditional, so it was a great honor to be able to give them to their guests.
Beyond the polite custom behind the wedding favours, a sentiment shared by many different cultures that applies exclusively to weddings is that the bride and groom were good luck. To thank their guests for attending the weddings, the bride and groom would send them off with small gifts (usually food, if the wedding was more modest, in the past) to share their luck.
Almonds are somewhat odd wedding favours that have appeared in the past in many different cultures. They also represented good luck to many guests in the form of five different almonds wrapped in special paper. Brides in Middle Eastern cultures would traditionally provide guests with five almonds, which represented fertility, longevity, wealth, health and happiness. Now, in other cultures, Jordan almonds and other favours grouped in fives represent the same thingsthe five wedding wishes.
Wedding favours have certainly evolved a lot from gifts of sugar cubes and almonds, and they now reflect the interests of the couple a lot more. For example, engagement pictures of the bride and groom are common, as well as personalized shot glasses, candles, special soap, matchbooks, and commemorative napkins. Wedding favours also provide a good alternative to traditional wedding table decorations, as they provide something to put on the table during the reception.
The most important point of modern wedding favours is that they involve the guests in the lives of the couples so that the guests can remember the bride and grooms special day later on. Sending the guests home with something that involves the date of the wedding or pictures of the bride and groom are becoming more and more popular as weddings become less traditional and more personalized.
by: Libby M. Waters
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