Giving out wedding favors during or after the wedding reception has always been a traditional gesture extended by the bride and the groom to their guests.
These are usually little trinkets, that are given away in remembrance of the couple's special day.
This tradition originated with the upper social class of the European aristocrats, who had been known to give away small trinket boxes often made of porcelains and crystals, and sometimes even of expensive gems.
Inside these boxes, one can find sugar cubes, which back then were considered something that only the rich can enjoy.
This wedding favor was originally known as bonbonniere.
As sugar became more affordable, the masses began doing the same practice of giving away sugar cube wedding favors.
Later on sugar cubes were replaced with the more expensive almond nuts.
Almonds signify the good wishes that guests would give the couple as they journey on their lives together.
In the thirteenth century, people started coating the almonds used for these wedding favors with sugar which earned the name "confetti".
Five almonds wrapped in expensive fabrics are given away to symbolize the most common wishes for newly wed couples - health, long life, fertility, wealth and marital happiness.
The mix of the bitter almond with the sweetness of sugar symbolized the bittersweet life experience of the married couple.
These days, people have become more creative when it comes to wedding souvenirs.
The tradition has changed through time, and the items used for wedding favors are now unique and usually influenced by different cultures.
They can range from small boxes with chocolates inside, to little picture frames or small baskets with tiny sugar coated candy flowers.
The trend nowadays is to have these wedding favors personalized with the names of the bride and the groom and the date of their wedding.
Although much has changed, these small souvenirs remain so much a part of the wedding celebration and have even opened up a new industry.
For more creative and unique ideas for wedding favors, one can easily get ideas from the Internet where there are many websites specializing on these.
These are usually little trinkets, that are given away in remembrance of the couple's special day.
This tradition originated with the upper social class of the European aristocrats, who had been known to give away small trinket boxes often made of porcelains and crystals, and sometimes even of expensive gems.
Inside these boxes, one can find sugar cubes, which back then were considered something that only the rich can enjoy.
This wedding favor was originally known as bonbonniere.
As sugar became more affordable, the masses began doing the same practice of giving away sugar cube wedding favors.
Later on sugar cubes were replaced with the more expensive almond nuts.
Almonds signify the good wishes that guests would give the couple as they journey on their lives together.
In the thirteenth century, people started coating the almonds used for these wedding favors with sugar which earned the name "confetti".
Five almonds wrapped in expensive fabrics are given away to symbolize the most common wishes for newly wed couples - health, long life, fertility, wealth and marital happiness.
The mix of the bitter almond with the sweetness of sugar symbolized the bittersweet life experience of the married couple.
These days, people have become more creative when it comes to wedding souvenirs.
The tradition has changed through time, and the items used for wedding favors are now unique and usually influenced by different cultures.
They can range from small boxes with chocolates inside, to little picture frames or small baskets with tiny sugar coated candy flowers.
The trend nowadays is to have these wedding favors personalized with the names of the bride and the groom and the date of their wedding.
Although much has changed, these small souvenirs remain so much a part of the wedding celebration and have even opened up a new industry.
For more creative and unique ideas for wedding favors, one can easily get ideas from the Internet where there are many websites specializing on these.
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