With all the arrangements to be made before your nuptials, such as choosing the meal, deciding on the first dance and of course the all important dress, the favours for the tables are probably not a huge priority.

However having favours which are well chosen and reflect you as a couple can really make or break the wedding tables, but it can be tricky to think of something new and innovative, and it’s always a hard task choosing something that everyone will love. So here are my top 5 alternative wedding favours:

Flower seeds: Keep the love for your wedding growing, by giving your guests seeds to plant in their garden. Wrapped up in pretty organza bags with a heartfelt poem they make a unique gift, and if they are seeds to your favourite flower or plant then they will always be reminded of you once its grown.

Retro sweets: Sweets always appeal to everyone; men, women, children, aunt Gladys…. So keep your guests sweet with a pick n mix bag of retro sweets in a traditional stripy bag. Or go one better and have an actual pick n mix by the door so as they leave they can pick and package their own favour.

Candles: a scented tea light or votive makes a lasting gift, and is always a winner with the ladies. Colour co-ordinated to your wedding theme and in the same scent as any candles used during the festivities they make a great lasting reminder.

Silver charms: We’ve all seen the pocket sized pebble charms around, but have you ever considered them as wedding favours? The ones which are embossed with a word such as love or the image of a heart, are perfect for a loved filled occasion like a wedding and work particularly well for an intimate wedding where you are very close with all the guests.

Shot glasses: Shot glasses are the perfect favour for a more rock and roll wedding. Add a miniature bottle of your favourite tipple and you and your fellow party animals can have an alternative toast. Or your guests can take their engraved shot glasses home and pull them out at the next celebration.

Planning on tying the knot this year? A new year means new ideas for wedding favors . This year promises to be full of both traditional and modern weddings, and ideas for wedding favors will be needed for both styles. Knowing what’s in style before you organize your wedding can help you choose the right favors for your wedding.

For your wedding, you want something tasteful, no doubt. Wedding box favors provide beautiful items to place on your reception tables. Choose from any color box and ribbon for a favor that is sure to balance your color scheme. Surprise your guests with contents of rice, birdseed, or candy.

Small bottles of oil and vinegar make great wedding favors. However, personalizing the labels to read you and your spouse’s names or anniversary date (or both) turn these wedding favors into memorabilia. Staples in cooking, oil and vinegar are useful favors at a wedding.

Got a list full of party animals coming for your wedding? Make them delighted with their own shot glasses to take home. A very common symbol on shot glasses at weddings is the four-leaf clover. Since it is a good luck icon, your guests may need it the day after your wedding!

Beautiful candles are sure to make elegant wedding favors at any wedding. Candles come in all forms from a ball of roses to seashell to butterfly, and you will find that they are fitting for weddings in spring, summer, fall, and winter.

Frame it – your big day will be forever remembered with a photo frame. Wedding photo frames come in many designs, from celebratory (champagne glasses, confetti, etc.) to beach-themed. The value of your idea will go a long way.

Hand out the tunes at your wedding with mixed music Cd’s. Easy to make on your own, these wedding favors are sure to be the life of the party. Go with your own tracks, or make several of your guests’ favorites.

Mostly used in winter and fall weddings, coffee or tea are excellent gifts for your guests. Purchase coffee mugs inexpensively and fill them with coffee or tea samples, complete with a ribbon around the whole presentation. This is a warm and easy way to thank those who attended your wedding.

Stylish and classy, are toasting flutes for wedding favors. Purchase these in sets of two for your guests to take home and use at their own discretion. Favors that can be used long after your wedding are the best ideas as they are practical ways to thank your guests.

The time and effort you put into your wedding favors will be rewarded. When your guests realize how warmly they have been treated, they will never want to forget the great time they had at your wedding. Keep the memories alive by sending them home with exceptional wedding favors.

Are you getting married soon? If so, you should definitely consider a destination wedding. Of course if you have been dreaming of getting married in the church that your grandparents did since you were 5 or you have the perfect back yard for the reception, that by all means take that opportunity and run with it, but if you aren’t attached to any great sites a getaway wedding is a wonderful idea.

If you are going somewhere far you might want to try to keep it small so that everyone can go. Also you need to make sure to send out your save the dates earlier so that they can clear their schedule since it may be far away and require travel time.

One thing that you might want to try when you plan your destination wedding is chartering a private jet. This way of getting there is much more romantic and stress free. You can fly everyone there so your guests don’t have to worry about their travel plans.

The best part of destination weddings is that they really are a fairy tale come true. You can go to the beach or I know someone that got married in Ireland where her ancestors were from. They brought about 75 people with them to share the weekend with and they had n amazing time. The pictures for any wedding are always memorable, but especially if you go away to an amazing place.

Check online for amazing deals and even check through your local travel agent to learn about how to charter a private jet. You may even want to consider a wedding planner to help you out if the place is very far away so you don’t get overwhelmed with the details. Just remember to make the planning fun and memorable because it is part of the whole process and you need to just take everything in and enjoy every step of it, after all, you only get married once!

Getting engaged is a fabulous time. It is exciting and wonderful. When you finally find that one person you want to spend the rest of your life with, well nothing really compares to it. However, at some point, usually fairly early, the glow starts to fade and you realize you have a wedding to plan. So where to you start? Here on some tips to get the wedding planning ball rolling.

So what should you do first? One of the first things you should do is tell the persons closest to you about your engagement. Start with your parents. If at all possible, the parents should be told in person, with both of you present. After your parents you will need to tell other close family members, friends and then everyone else. There are different methods to announcing your engagement. Some popular methods include sending out formal announcements, having an engagement party or creating a wedding website and announcing your engagement and upcoming wedding details on the website.

The next thing you should think about is the guest list. Not just who might come but coming up with a final guest list rather quickly. It is important to have a finished guest list as soon as possible because it affects many areas of wedding planning. The amount of guests will affect the overall cost, the size of the ceremony and the reception and who gets notification of your engagement.

Another item which must be tackled, may very well be the most agonizing – the wedding budget. You really need to know how much money you have to spend on the entire day. The budget covers everything from the reception (including food, alcohol, seating, decorations, cake and entertainment) to the clothing, jewelry and stationery. You should come up with a number and then break it down into each category. Make sure you can afford everything you need but at the same time make sure you have enough to cover expenses.

You and your fianc should also sit down and discuss each other’s ideas of what you want the wedding to be like. There will undoubtedly be some areas where you do not see eye to eye on. You will need to discuss those areas in particular and compromise. Use this exercise as practice for years of comprise you will have together in your marriage.

Lastly you are going to have to choose the wedding date, the ceremony location and the reception location. People usually choose these three things together because you want locations which are relatively close to each other and ones which will fit into your wedding theme or feeling. Both locations need to be available on the same date.

All of these activities are part of big decisions. The good news is once you make the beginning decisions, the rest of the wedding planning will go more smoothly! Congratulations on your engagement and good luck with your wedding planning.

When people begin to plan their wedding they tend to have many questions. Even if the initial questions are answered more seem to pop up throughout the planning process. This is normal. Here are some answers to some of the more common questions.

When do we need the guest list by? The simple answer is as soon as possible. You really need to decide who to invite right away because the guest list can impact other wedding planning items. For instance if you have a budget the number of guests will come into play when it comes to paying for the ceremony location or the reception locations. Another reason to come up with the list of guests immediately is because it is not good etiquette to invite people to an engagement party who will not be at the wedding or to not invite people who will. The same goes for sending out engagement announcements.

When should we reserve the reception and ceremony locations? Again, this is something that should be done right away. The ceremony and reception site can help determine the type or wedding or the feel of the wedding. Because of this it is important to do this rather early in the planning process so you can build your dream wedding around the locations that it is being held.

Should I have a theme wedding? The choice is entirely up to you. However, with the availability of creative decorations, stationery and favors on the market today, it is quite easy to choose just about any wedding theme that you are interested in.

When should we order the wedding cake? The wedding cake should be ordered two to four months before the wedding date, however there is no reason you cannot start shopping sooner. If you have a particular bakery that you want to order from you may want to contact them as soon as possible to find out how long in advance they are booked. If you do not have a certain bakery which you want to order from you should shop around and participate in both taste testing as well as comparing the styles of the cakes available. You want a cake which tastes good and looks great in photos!

When should the stationery be ordered? Typically brides order wedding invitations and other stationery four to six months before the wedding date. However if you are planning on ordering specialized stationery or invitations which are handmade you may need more time than that.

When does the florist need to be booked? The florist is another vendor which should be chosen and hired as soon as possible. I recommend at least 6 months prior to the wedding. This is especially true if you are getting married in wedding season as there will be many wedding parties that need the services of the florists, as well as any other services they may provide.

When should I purchase wedding favors? At least four months prior to the wedding. Make sure you do not order them before you are sure of your wedding theme (if you are having one) or the wedding colors. The favors are one of the areas in which you will have a wonderful opportunity to showcase your theme or colors.

Trying to sort out your wedding decorating can be quite a task, especially if you are trying to achieve this on a budget. To achieve your wedding decorating at a low cost, you need to use your imagination and also think outside the box a little.

Often when you are searching around for suitable wedding decorations, and look in the standard wedding stores you may notice that the prices are quite inflated – this often happens when the stores know that something is for a specific occasion. It really will pay you to take a look around other types of stores – this way you will have unique and lower cost wedding decorations. Any money that you save on decorations can be used to pay for another part of your wedding celebrations, or even to pay for an extra special honeymoon.

One good example of this is to use Christmas decorations. After the season is over, almost every shop will be selling off their unsold stock at half price or even less. Any end of season clearance will have plenty of choice of suitable decorations at low costs – you just need to plan the right time to hit the stores.

Whenever you are getting married you could take advantage of low cost fairy lights after Christmas, these will look beautiful hung up around in any reception venue. Even if you are having your wedding outside you can put these up around bushes or trees. Twinkling fairy lights can look very romantic, and could really set off your wedding decorations.

Candles are also another inexpensive item that can be used in your wedding decorating plans. You could either place them into a lantern, or a candle holder and then use these on each table. If you put them into a metalic lantern, they will give a lovely effect. Some people will worry about having real flames on the candles, and if you are concerned about this, you could always go for the battery operated candles. These flicker in the same way as the real thing, so will look just as pretty. Using a table runner that has been made out of metallic cloth with also give a nice reflective light from the candles. Either put just the one candle on each table, or you could decide to group several together.

If you are planning to have an outdoor wedding, then why not float lanterns in a pond or fountain (or pool if you have one at your venue). You can also place these along any walkways and on tables. For your table centerpiece you could fill a large bowl with water and float candles in this. Change the height of your candles for a more eyecatching display.

If you are good at growing plants and flowers, then you could make your own floral decorations and even have a go at making the bouquets. This will save you lots of money.

Wedding decorating can be done to suit your own particular budget. All you need is to think outside the box a little, some imagination and some of your time, and you will be able to save yourself some money.

I had some really loopy ideas when I first sat down to think about what I should say! It would have been a real disaster if I had just used my initial ideas, so thankfully I saw sense. I required a lot of assistance, initially, to understand Groom speeches and what exactly goes into making a successful one.

The best Groom speeches always seem to make sure that they don’t leave anyone out, from the youngest guest to the oldest. Making people feel important is a winning tip. It took me a long time to realise this, but basically it’s about keeping everyone happy to ensure your Wedding Day goes perfectly!

Who should you show your appreciation for? A good tip when writing the speech is to make sure you thank all the really important people in your life. This may include the Best Man, friends, colleagues, teachers and your wonderful Bride of course! Also, include the Father of the Bride as he will probably have some words to say about you as well, so it is definitely worth putting in a good word for him. Make a note to thank him personally before continuing with the remainder of the speech.

A good tip is to include the tale about how you met your wonderful Bride. It’s something everyone will enjoy and the best Groom speeches seem to include this, as a way of sharing something personal with everyone who has travelled to be with you on your Wedding Day. After that I suggest including some stories and appreciation of your family. Your Wedding is a very important day, for you and your bride, but also for your family as it marks a new chapter in all your lives. Your wedding is a wonderful opportunity to show them how much they mean to you and what an important part they still play in your life.

Whilst your Wedding Day marks the love between your Bride and yourself, it also symbolises the love for your friends and family. It may be a bit nerve-wracking, but the best Groom speeches always seem to include these points, because they have been proven to work every time!. You really can keep people everyone happy if you tread with care!

This winter many brides are looking for interesting one of a kind favors to use in their nuptials. The reason is that the winter season has only so many variations of the winter or holiday themes to use effectively. So in the end, it comes down to uniquely styled decorations and gifts. These favors not only thank guests for attending but also look to create an impression in guests that will make the wedding ceremony and reception all the more memorable. This can be tricky even for the bride with an unlimited budget, let alone that of a bride working with a more modest budget. However, it can be done especially if you know where to look. Here are some interesting winter wedding favors that you can find on the internet.

Personalized favors are a main staple of wedding favors. When you are picking gifts to give to several people at once, you may not have the time to pick an individual item that is best suited for each person. Personalization is a great option because you can not only customize items to meet the theme, but they also convey the good thoughts behind your gift. A simple note of thanks directed to the recipient will make even the simplest gift seem more substantial. Personalization is also something that is considered extra and will be seen by guest as the bride going the extra mile. Some great examples are personalized drink mixes or coffee mugs.

Utilitarian winter wedding favors are another smart route. One of the big problems for brides is that the items that they give while nice, will often be tossed away after the wedding except by the few guests who like to collect such items. A great way to avoid this is to choose items that guests can use in their daily lives and see if you can find a version that perfectly matches your winter wedding theme. This is easy to do if you do some research on the internet and at local stores. Some great examples are grooming kits, money clips, and even key chains. Each of these items are inexpensive but will be used every day by the attendees at your nuptials

Holiday oriented gifts. While not as useful as the previous type they still will be quite popular. In most cases, the majority of your guests celebrates Christmas or enjoys the Holiday season. This is a great opportunity to give holiday themed gifts. Many can be immediately used in your friends and family’s homes to add an extra bit of Christmas cheer. This can be anything from a tree ornament to a special candle. Christmas Wedding favors for these reasons can be quite effective.

Mementos or souvenirs are the most direct form of winter wedding favors. One of the key purposes of a guest gift is to remind your guests of this special moment each time they look at it. So a simple but good idea is to give gifts that are expressly for that purpose. This could be disposable cameras that take pictures of the events of your wedding, or a personalized photo frame. These are gifts designed to preserve memories and most of your guest will get the idea when they receive them. This is how you can make your wedding unforgettable.

Winter is a cold season but it also holds its own special and stark beauty. The entire world seems to be in a deep slumber waiting for the arrival of spring. The snows give a white and glistening splendor to scenery that normally would seem mundane or even ugly. As a bride having your wedding in the winter you can bring the beauty of the season to your guests with winter wedding favors. These are favors that based on keys images and symbols of the season that will be sure to delight and impress your guests with their simple beauty and elegance. Here are some great examples of elegant winter wedding favors.

Giving winter themed candles can be a great themed statement for your reception. They are a key item traditionally used during the winter months and have a lot of symbolism whether in old time domesticity and warmth or imagery tied to major winter holidays like Christmas. They are also quite versatile. Even the smallest candle can be a work of art becoming the canvas for winter scenery or being adorned with simple winter shapes such as snowflakes. Candles can also have other dimensions of interaction such as smell. There are many fragrant scented candles that have scents that mesh perfectly with the winter season.

A simple but elegant gift is bookmarks. They may not seem like month but the can act as both book adornments as well as simple place keepers. They are great when paired with other favors in a gift set. A great idea is to pair it with reading glasses, a book light, and or other book related items. You can also get bookmarks in different types such as a thread bookmark or the old fashioned paper book mark.

Winter is a time when the harsher cold air can do damage to a person’s lips. A great favor idea is winter themed lip balm. These are great because rather than being just pretty collectible knick knacks, they are actually items that your guests can use in everyday life. This item will help them to protect their lips from chapping and at the same time remind them of the unforgettable good time they had at your nuptials. This is definitely one favor that your guests will appreciate and receive gladly

Winter themed wine sets are the perfect blend of artistic elegance and utility. These are two characteristics that are sure to be greatly appreciated by attendees. They are great for anyone who often serves wine when entertaining guests and need to open bottles and seal them over the course of the evening. They sets are well crafted and each adorned with a Snowflake to represent the Winter Season and weathers

For something simple but beautiful you can never go wrong with key chains such Angelic key chains and snow key chains. They match the winter theme perfectly and they also are effective at holding keys such as keys to the office cabinet or a car. They keys are perfect as they will serve as beautiful reminder of the ceremony and reception and will be sure to be a major item at your wedding. Each item does not weigh much and is quite inexpensive but their great looks will be sure to add the right touch to your wedding.

This winter many brides will be choosing to hold their nuptials. This is because the winter season is during the off season for weddings which normally peaks during the summer. This gives not only the dramatic scenery that winter can provide but also affordable options for decorations, venues, and of course, wedding favors. Winter wedding favors are items that match the theme of a winter wedding and also convey the thanks of the bride to attendees for coming to share her joy on her special day. Like other seasonal themes there are many variations that a Bride can do. One that is quite popular is holiday wedding favors. Christmas is the biggest winter holiday so many brides take the opportunity to use its joy and vibrancy as the theme of their wedding. Here are some great holiday wedding favors.

Tree ornaments are always a must for holiday winter wedding gifts. They are great because many of them are quite affordable and the come in several designs so you can mix them up to give everyone something unique even if the guests list is over 100. Some great ornaments are the Snow Flurry Ornament or the single Snowflake ornament. Both are simple and elegant and will look well on any tree this Christmas. Ornaments are also great souvenirs. For many families, Tree Ornaments are not just there to adorn the tree but also keep record of important moments in the family’s life. Giving your attendee’s a tree ornament is a great way to include your wedding day as part of the special record of their lives

Another great item is festive Snow Cone Bath Salts. These are winter themed bath salts that are wrapped in festive red packaging. This gift will be especially popular with the ladies who enjoy aromatherapy and spa products. They can relax in soothing bath smelling of vanilla and peppermint and let worries and aches be washed away. Snow Cone Bath Salts are the kind of gift that will have guest singing your praises long after your wedding especially if they use them after coming in after a long hard day at work.

Holiday Candy jars are a great option for presenting candy favors to your guests. Christmas in one of the great candy holidays so it is natural to give candy as guest gifts. The candy tins with their cheerful holiday depiction up the presentation to another level and long after they have enjoyed the sweet treats you filled the candy jars with, they will be sure to keep the jar for other uses in the home. Whenever they enjoy using it they will be reminded of the wonderful time they had at your ceremony and reception.

You can also give your guests personalized holiday hot drink mixes. Everyone want to enjoy a warm cup of tea, coffee, or hot cocoa on a cold winter’s day or evening and you can give your attendees a cup of warm holiday cheer with these personalized mixes. You not only give them something delicious to drink but also a great souvenir of your wedding by personalizing the packet with the name of each guest and a short note of thanks from you and your groom. Personalized favors best represent the holiday sentiment of drawing nearer to our fellow human beings and will show your guests that you thought of them as you chose the gift.