Wedding Favours

Our Favourite Wedding Favour Ideas

Wedding favours, or bonbonnières, have a rich and old history that is believed to have originated in France. A bonbonnière was usually a small trinket box, typically made from crystal or porcelain, decorated with precious stones or gems and filled with sugar cubes for the guests to enjoy. Even though this doesn’t sound particularly lavish by modern standards, at the time sugar was an expensive commodity, reserved only for the affluent and wealthy. When sugar became less expensive, almonds were introduced, specifically sugared coated almonds which were known as confetti. The trend moved through Europe and then to the Middle East, where brides would give the guests five almonds to represent health, happiness, longevity, wealth and fertility.

Bonbonnières weren’t just given out at weddings, but also other celebrations such as birthday parties, baptisms and confirmation, so were seen as a way to thank guests for celebrating this special occasion. The idea of a favour is to thank your wedding guests and offer them a small token of appreciation on your wedding day.

We at Upwaltham Barns thought we’d offer our best wedding favour ideas to make your guests feel special during your magical day at our unique wedding venue.
 
 

Ceramic heart name tag

This favour adds the perfect personal touch to your day. It could have your name and the date of your wedding, so guests will remember your wedding day or have the name of your guest to add an extra personal touch.

Crackers

Crackers don’t just have to be for Christmas and we particularly like this idea as it harks back to the idea of the traditional bonbonnière with having another gift inside for your guests. Crackers can be handmade ensuring they complement your table décor.
 
 

Decorative pebbles

This is arguably one of the most personal favours on our list and can easily be a DIY project. It is simple, but at the same time allows you to decorate each pebble to suit a particular guest, or even a specific table depending on how you’ve set your day.
 
 

Ring/jewellery dish

This favour is ideal simply because it’s useful. Having somewhere nice to put your jewellery is always welcome, and offering your guests such a thing with memories attached is even better. This isn’t just for the females at your wedding either, these can be unisex and would be a great place to store your cufflinks!

Succulents

Offering your guests a gift that is living and they have to look after is a great representation of marriage. It needs attention and love to flourish, but as succulents are quite easy to look after, it’s not all hard work! Succulents are a great addition to the home and something your guests are sure to love.
 
 

Flower Seeds

You can pick flower seeds to suit your wedding season. A wild flower mix could reflect the country style of the gardens at Upwaltham Barns. Forget-me-not seeds are easy to grow and will ensure your guests remember your special day each Spring when they are in flower.

Preserves – Jam

With this wedding favour you’re sure to add a sweet touch to your day. Often homemade, preserves have the natural advantage of lasting for a long time, meaning that your guests can choose when to enjoy your gift. You can create a personalised label for each preserve so your guests will be reminded of your day when they go to use it.

Button hole/Corsage

A corsage or button hole wedding favour is great for wedding photos with all guests wearing something similar and eye-catching. As it’s a wearable wedding favour, guests can have it on for the whole evening and easily take it home with them at the end.

Tea

Tea is a diverse favour that you can personalise to suit each guest and with the large variety of tea out there such as green, fruit, chai, earl grey there is something for everyone. You could place loose tea leaves inside a tea infuser for a unique approach or create personalised tea bags that include the details of your day.

Wedding favours are a great way to show your guests that you appreciate them sharing your special day and can be tailored to suit every wedding, style and budget. We know that couples want their loved ones to feel special too and whether you choose to have favours or not, the team at Upwaltham Barns are here to make sure your guests are happy and comfortable during your wedding.

Book a visit now to meet our team and fall in love with our beautiful
Sussex barn wedding venue.