Wedding Favors Etiquette

     Believe it or not there are actually certain rules of etiquette which apply to the act of giving wedding favors at your wedding reception. Although many of these rules are not as rigid as other types of etiquette it is important to realize there are some generally accepted principles which are associated with the distribution of wedding favors. These rules of etiquette include questions such as whether or not favors are necessary, whether or not favors should be given to children, how favors should be distributed and how much should be spent on wedding favors. This article will take a look at some of these rules of etiquette and will hopefully help the reader to understand a little more about the etiquette involved in giving wedding favors.

     The question of whether or not wedding favors are necessary is certainly one question many couples have as they are planning their wedding day. The answer to this question is that wedding favors are not absolutely required but they are certainly expected. This means you do not have to give wedding favors but many of your guests will be expecting to receive one. Therefore not distributing favors is not recommended. This is because wedding favors are a way of thanking your guests for coming to your wedding and offering them a memento of the occasion. While you can certainly visit with each guest individually to express your thanks for their attendance this may not be possible if you are having a very large wedding. You may make an effort to visit with each guest but may simply run out of time. However, if you provide wedding favors your guests will know their attendance at the wedding was appreciated.

     If you are including children in your wedding ceremony and reception you should definitely give some thought to giving wedding favors to the children. Traditionally, children at a wedding would receive the same favor as the adults. However, some couples may opt to give the children a favor which is more age appropriate. This can be difficult to do because in most cases favors are merely left on the table. If you only have one or two children in attendance you can simply place favors at each place setting and during the reception take some time to visit with the children and offer them the more age appropriate favor in addition to the one found at their place setting. However, if you plan on having a large number of children in attendance this technique can create a significant additional expense because each of the children will be receiving two favors. In this case you can place the favors with the place cards. This will help to ensure the children are all receiving the appropriate wedding favor.

     Another concern couples often have regarding wedding favor etiquette is how the favors should be distributed. The easiest and most common way to distribute wedding favors is to place the favors at each place setting before the reception begins. In most catering halls the staff will be happy to put the favors out while they are setting the tables. However, if they are unable to do so, you can ask a friend or family member to visit the catering hall before the reception to take care of this detail. For guests who do not attend your wedding but send a gift in advance you might want to consider mailing a favor to them along with a thank you note to express your gratitude for their kindness.

     Many couples are concerned with the cost of wedding favors. In fact one of the primary reasons many couples consider not giving wedding favors is they think it will be too costly. It is important to note that wedding favors do not have to be extravagant or expensive. A favor of a simple flower can be quite inexpensive and still shows your appreciation for your guests. Deciding how much to spend on wedding favors is mostly a matter of your personal budget. You should set a budget for wedding favors first and then begin shopping for favors which you think will be appropriate. This will allow you to seek out great deals and offer your guests the most appropriate wedding favor you can afford to give.