Saturday, January 12, 2008

3 Tips for Choosing Unique Wedding Favors

Every bride wants her wedding to be unique and personal. While a bride-to-be may see something in a magazine or be inspired by a celebrity's or a friend's wedding, there are many personal touches that she'll want to add to make her day very special and unlike anyone else's. When searching for unique wedding favors, your choices are virtually endless. However, before you buy the first thing that catches your eye, check out these three quick tips for selecting just the right personal and unique wedding favors for your reception.

Tip #1 - Make sure they express your personality.

Unique wedding favors are great, as long as they're not so unique that they really have nothing to do with you and your groom. For instance, suppose you live in the city; if that's the case, why would you hand out seed packets to your guests? Or suppose you and your fiancée don't drink and not many in your family or circle of friends do either. Why would you choose bottle stoppers? When choosing unique wedding favors, you still want guests to think of you every time they see or use them, which they probably won't do if they have nothing to do with you and your personality.

Tip #2 - Don't make them too unique!

Whatever you decide to hand out as wedding favors is of course your choice, but if you're searching for unique wedding favors and decide to give your guests something that's strange, odd, or too much of a joke or gag gift, this might be going just a bit too far. There's a time to have a good sense of humor and a time to be serious, and you may want your wedding favors to be something in between, so do be careful. For instance, giving your guests a jar of pennies may be one of those unique wedding favors that seem fun or silly, but may just leave them scratching their heads as to the meaning. Or, handing out Christmas ornaments may not be appreciated by any of your guests who don't observe the holiday. Remember, unique is good, but showing balance in this regard is even better.

Tip #3 - Be mindful of the cost.

There's really no limit as to how much you can spend on a wedding and reception, and purchasing unique wedding favors can really put a dent in your budget if you're not careful. It's so tempting to purchase crystal ornaments, silver frames, designer chocolates, or something else that you really love, but when you multiply the cost of the favors by the number of your guests, you see how it can so quickly add up. And don't forget shipping costs if you're ordering off the internet!

On the other hand, it's a good idea to be mindful of how cheap or tacky something can look when choosing unique wedding favors. You can definitely purchase inexpensive photo frames, jars of liquid bubbles, and small boxes of chocolates and dress them up nicely, but make sure you're doing just that - dressing them up. If you opt for something you assemble yourself such as chocolates in a tulle bag, be sure to tie them with a big organza or beaded ribbon; you can purchase lengths of these very inexpensively at fabric or craft stores. Silver wrapping paper is great for boxes of chocolates or picture frames.

The bottom line is that unique wedding favors can be a welcome touch to any wedding and really make yours memorable, but don't go overboard with these. Choose something that your guests will love and appreciate and that doesn't break your budget, and you're sure to have made the right decision.

By LINDA ELLISON
Source: http://www.amazines.com/Relationships/article_detail.cfm/397183?articleid=397183

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