Craft Your Own Chocolate Wedding Favors

The creation of your own chocolate wedding favors has grown to be, for many, nearly a rite of passage. Indeed, they do make great bridal shower favors. However, chocolate wedding favors can be similarly suitable for the wedding itself. An evening of making your own chocolate wedding favors is, in fact, an occasion that the bride and her bridesmaids can look back on as a fun evening of laughter and crafting where the music was playing, the chocolate was plentiful, and the laughter was nearly endless.

No doubt, for many, make-your-own-wedding-favors are nearly an indispensable part of the whole wedding experience. This said what options do you have if you want to make your own chocolate wedding favors without giving in to the worn-out standby of Jordan Almonds bound in a sheer portion of colored organza tied with a ribbon?

One alternative that is relatively easy for those who do not see themselves as particularly crafty but want to do something that looks impressive is the molding of chocolates. With a high quality chocolate, some candy colors, a double boiler, molds from your local craft store, and a little bit of creativity you can create fun bite size candies that fit your wedding theme. For example, if you are having a Hawaiian themed wedding you could make orchid shaped chocolates in the colors of your wedding. Or perhaps, if you could find a mold, you could create chocolates in the shape of a hula dancer... or sea turtles... or palm trees. The possibilities in molding you own chocolate wedding favors are nearly endless.

For an extra motivated bride and bridesmaids, homemade truffles are bound to thrill your guests. Nearly one and all love the sinfully rich luxury of truffles, but few realize how available recipes are, meaning that your guests will be delighted to end the wedding dinner with a handmade chocolate truffle presented as a wedding favor in any number of favor packaging options to match the decor of your wedding.

Fortunately there are plenty of options within the chocolate wedding favor realm that lend themselves marvelously to such an endeavor. For an adult crowd…

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Still More Practical Wedding Favor Ideas

Granted, what is practical to one person is not necessarily practical to the next. The classic example is a place card holder in the shape of a pink woman's shoe with a stiletto heel. Sure, there are a few women that might be able to make use of such a gift, but most will not. Certainly very few, if any, of your male guests will be interested in such an impractical wedding favor. But here are a few more suggestions for wedding favors that have a practical function for your guests after your wedding is over.

• Coasters: Virtually everyone uses drink coasters to protect their furniture making coaster sets a great wedding favor choice. Even better, coaster sets come in a wide variety of styles meaning that there is a good chance that you can find something to not only fit, but build the decor of your wedding reception - whether you are planning a snowflake themed wedding, or a beach wedding, or something else. The photo coaster sets, however, are perhaps the most practical of all, because your guests can add whatever picture they choose into each coaster so that they will fit the decor your guest is trying to achieve at their home or place of business.
• Ornaments: Ornaments can be an extremely practical wedding favor and not only for winter weddings either. Depending on the ornament you choose, your guests can use the ornament year after year, thinking of you every time they erect their Christmas tree.
• Sun Catchers: Some would argue that sun catchers belong in the ornament category. It is certain that a sun catcher would make a beautiful ornament. The gold and the crystals in the sun catchers would also capture the lights on the tree, but sun catchers really belong in a class by themselves. There is little more warming and than the beauty of the sun shining through the window – little more, that is, besides the multifaceted rays of light scattered into the recesses of the room by a well made sun catcher to add beauty to your guests home and remind them of the exquisite nature of your new relationship.
• Ice Cream Scoop: Using an Ice Cream Scoop as a wedding favor has an extremely practical feel – while at the same time being a bit whimsical. Who do you know that does not eat ice cream? Chances are you know very few people who do not eat ice cream, meaning that this is one party favor that will be used. And it makes a great tie in to such themed wedding receptions as an old fashioned soda fountain or ice cream social event.

Of course, the most practical wedding favors are ones that people in your social circle will use - and though I can make suggestions, only you can ultimately make that determination

Still More Practical Wedding Favors

A lot of people choose not to drink for a lot of different reasons. But even for most of them a bottle stopper wedding favor is a very practical gift for someone that has taken the time to spend the day celebrating your wedding with you. Nearly everyone uses some special drink to add a finishing touch to a celebratory meal. If not wine, then it’s a kind of sparkling cider usually. Or they keep a bottle of cooking wine on the counter, upon which a decorative bottle stopper would do much to brighten up the kitchen and give the recipients something to remember your wedding day.

Fortunately, bottle stopper wedding favors can be found to enhance the decor of a wide variety of wedding themes. For example, if you are planning a beach wedding theme you could choose a chic bottle stopper with a sea shell atop. For a Cinderella themed wedding, choose bottle stoppers depicting scenes from the classic fairytale. Having a winter wedding, choose one of several bottle stopper wedding favors fashioned with a snowflake gracing the top.

Whatever theme you choose, a bottle stopper wedding favor is one that your guests can use to add functionality and beauty to their homes long after the wedding.

More Practical Wedding Favors: Luggage Tags

After your wedding reception you will embark on your honeymoon. That is no secret. So why not celebrate the fact that the best is yet to come with fun and durable luggage tag wedding favors?

I really like luggage tag favors because they are always practical. Who doesn't travel from time to time? Yet the luggage tags that most people have on their luggage are the plain Jane tags that come from the manufacturer on the suitcase. But if they switch their tags out with a unique tag - well, not only is that more fun, but it makes it easier for them to spot their bags when they come down the conveyor belt!

Concerned about finding a wedding favor that your male guests will enjoy as much as your female guests? Flying off to some tropical paradise for your honeymoon? Choose an airplane luggage tag wedding favor. What guy doesn't love airplanes? Who doesn't love the idea of sitting on a beach in a tropical paradise with the one you love?

Are you taking a honeymoon cruise? Celebrate by giving your guests cruise ship luggage tags.

Whatever option you choose, these practical tokens of your love and appreciation are fun too. Nearly everyone loves to travel and combined with the idea of the romance of a honeymoon luggage tag wedding favors are sure to put a smile on your guest's faces.

Useful Wedding Favors: Bookmarks

If you are looking for a wedding favor that is as practical as it is decorative then you have to give serious thought to using bookmarks as wedding favors. It's a favor that a large percentage of your guests are likely to not only use, but use in such a way that they carry it with them - whether in their Bible, technical book, or favorite novel. Any reader will attest that a high quality bookmark makes a perfect gift because most people just do not have any bookmarks apart from a piece of scrap paper. That makes a bookmark wedding favor a practical choice as a way to express your gratitude for all the love and support your guests have granted you over the years.

Fortunately, not only are bookmark wedding favors a functional favor, they are also useful to your wedding decor. Imagine you are planning a winter wedding. You go looking for snowflake wedding favors to extend your theme. Why not choose a bookmark with a shimmering snowflake that would extend above the top of the book? That way you have a favor that develops your winter themed wedding but also have chosen something your guests will use too.

The same could be said for fall wedding favors. Choose a metal bookmark made to look like a pressed autumn leaf. Of course, there are calla lily themed bookmark wedding favors and heart themed bookmarks to name just a couple of the other options available.

One of the great advantages of choosing specialty bookmarks as wedding favors is the cost. Where many wedding favors cost three or more dollars a piece, it is easy to find tasteful bookmarks at less than half that price - helping your favor and decor budget stretch, and leaving more for your honeymoon.

Designing a Winter Wonderland Wedding Theme Reception

There is little more stunning than a well designed winter wonderland wedding theme reception. In part this is because of the season. When it is dark, cold, and even gloomy outside, a warm inviting space is all that much more memorable. In part, the winter wonder land wedding theme is so memorable because it is so different from the gazebo weddings we see over and over in the movies.

Fortunately, you don’t have to have a college degree in interior design to build an unforgettable winter wonderland wedding theme reception. Anyone can do it. All you need to do is find a venue for your wedding reception and follow three easy steps to make it happen.

The good news is that if you consider the choices you have to make as you plan your winter wonderland wedding you might be able to make your wedding budget stretch so that many of the items you buy will serve more than one purpose.

Dream Specific Wedding Dreams

Of course, the starting point to designing a winter wonder land theme reception is to decide what aspect of the theme you have in mind. Maybe you envision a wedding reception that embraces your love of snowboarding. Maybe you want a more elegant look featuring fire and ice (crystal, silver, and candles or a roaring fire in the fireplace). Perhaps, your idea of a winter wonderland is a 1950’s ice skating romance fantasy. Perhaps it is the snow capped mountains that you think of as your ideal winter wedding. Perhaps it’s...

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Monogram Wedding Favors & Accessories Help Create an Intimate Setting

As monogram weddings continue to grow in popularity, the need for monogrammed wedding favors and accessories to reinforce this theme continues to rise. The reason for this is simple: One item does not create a theme. For example, a banner bearing the new couple's monogram hanging behind might, for some, be a nice touch but it does nothing to create a theme.

However, if the unity candle and the guest book are monogrammed (along, possibly, with the guest's programs) in the ceremony, and if the wedding cake is accented with monogrammed cake jewelry along with a monogrammed favor, whether a monogrammed candle favor or a monogrammed mint tin or something else - that is how a theme is born.

Besides for using monograms in wedding favors and accessories as a decorative approach, is there any significance to monograms? Actually, there is. And it is a significance nearly all of us use on a regular basis. Think about it. When we...

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Themed Wedding Ceremonies with a Roman Flair

Often, as you begin to plan your wedding ceremony and reception and before you start buying your flower girl accessories or candle favors it is beneficial to stop and take a look at how other people in other times built their wedding ceremonies. In doing so we can often find little twists on what has become merely rote in our society and in incorporating the twist we can make our ceremony fresh and therefore, memorable. As a result I thought today we would take a look at the Ancient Roman wedding ceremony.

Ancient Roman wedding ceremonies began with the bride renouncing her childhood so that she could properly prepare for her life as wife and mother. To do this, she began by surrendering her childhood toys. The bride's hairstyle was unique only to brides. Her hair was divided into six locks, and was fastened with fillets on the top of her head.

Like today, the Roman bride's wedding attire was worn only once; the most significant piece of clothing being the flame colored, yet transparent, veil which was worn on the crown of her head beneath wreaths of myrtle branches and orange blossoms. The dress consisted of a simple tunic tied with a woolen girdle over which she wore a yellow cloak and matching sandals.

The first part of the wedding ceremony would begin at the house of the bride's parents. When all was in order, her parents would then hand her over to her groom. This led to the pledge; a simple ceremony in which the young couple would grasp hands and recite their commitment to one another. From there they would go to a place of sacrifice where the bride and groom would sacrifice a pig. The matron of honor would then join the bride and groom's hands together.

In Roman wedding ceremonies the best man also acted as the...

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The Essentials of Buying Wedding Rings

There is perhaps no more poignant or significant part of the wedding ceremony than the exchanging of the wedding rings. It is a symbolic representation of the beauty of your love, not to mention the never ending and unconditional love the couple is vowing to each other. Furthermore, the wedding bands are the one item from your wedding that you will keep with you for the rest of your life - even longer than those crystal keepsake mementos from your wedding which will last you for years!

As a result, buying the wedding rings is an essential part of your wedding preparation. Fortunately, for most it can be the fun part too – as long as they are equipped with the basic understanding of the elements that go into modern wedding jewelry.

Metals

Fourteen karat gold in either yellow or white gold is the most common material used to make wedding rings in North America because 14 karat gold offers what most North American’s consider the best combination of purity and strength. It is possible to get a more pure gold alloy (24 karat is pure gold) than the 14 karat gold, but the more pure the gold, the softer the metal and the less durable it will be.

Other popular metal choices include platinum, titanium, and silver. Silver is a very soft metal that can be damaged by everyday life and will tarnish over time - presenting a symbolism that none of us wish for our marriage.

Platinum is an extremely hard metal that provides an almost white sheen that can set off the sparkle of the diamond in a wedding band beautifully.

Titanium, on the other hand has the advantage of weighing approximately one third of what gold weighs while also being extremely strong and as such is quickly becoming popular for use in wedding rings.

Diamonds

Diamonds are measured in terms of clarity, size, cut, and color. A young couple's choice for these factors are, for the most part, a matter that is primarily concerned with their preference and what their budget will allow for them to spend on their wedding rings but without a little definition of each item it can be difficult to know what you are buying.

Clarity

Needless to say, we would all prefer the clearest diamond we can afford in our wedding band, but how do you know what is what apart from depending on the salesman's assurance? There is, fortunately...

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Do You Need a Seating Chart at Your Wedding Reception?

Planning a wedding and the following reception following is hard work. Do you really need a seating chart for your reception? Would it not be easier to simply throw the doors open and let your guests worry about who is going to sit where? Of course it would be easier, but you will find that in many cases the overall success of the evening will be greater with at least some seating plan.

Brides who have decided that they did not need a seating chart have found too late that Aunt Jane, who refuses to get hearing aids because she says they make her look old, ended up sitting at a table in the back and missed the entire evening because she could not hear.

Brides who have decided they did not need a seating chart have found that while her grandparents did manage to get seated close to the front, her new husband's grandmother did not and she is not happy about it. Do I need to remind you that could ruin your wedding party?
Other examples of the consequences of deciding there was no need for a seating chart at the wedding reception are guests leaving early because their family ended up sitting at four different tables, or tables where no one knows anyone and as a result does not talk and therefore no one is truly enjoying the celebration that you worked so hard to plan.

Truly, you do need to assign seating in some form if you are having any more formal of a reception than wedding cake, nuts, and punch. The real question is how elaborate you need to get in your designing your seating plan. The bigger the reception and the more unfamiliar...

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Planning a Wedding Reception Seating Chart

Planning a seating chart for your wedding reception is hard work, especially if you do not have a plan or a simple understanding of tradition and how the rules of decorum impact your choices. It is difficult, but it is also worthwhile. Remember, a wedding dinner often lasts for two or more hours. Your wedding will have the greatest chance of enjoyment if you carefully consider your seating arrangement.

Of course, your first and quite probably your easiest decision is the seating arrangement of the head table. Do you want to pair or alternate groomsmen with the bridesmaids on either side of you, or do you want to have all the bridesmaids flanking the bride and the groomsmen flanking the groom just as they were in the ceremony? Or perhaps you would prefer adding parents?

Or would you prefer to simply plan a romantic table for two like in a Parisian cafe. Or...? Have fun planning the seating chart on the head table. A little creativity and some well chosen themed wedding decorations could go a long way toward making your wedding celebration memorable.

Planning the seating chart for...


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Wedding Favor Ornaments

If you are getting married during the time leading up to the Christmas holidays then you might want to consider choosing a wedding favor that will double as an ornament that your guests can hang from their Christmas tree. That is one practical way that you can present your wedding guests with a keepsake of your wedding that most will see as something they can envision using in their own home. As such, each year as they pull out their Christmas decorations they will see the ornament that you gave them and remember you and the good time they had celebrating your wedding.

One of the most popular winter wedding favors that double as a Christmas ornaments is a hand painted wedding cake ornament. The one available through our site is a handcrafted replica of a three tiered wedding cake sitting on a cake stand that can be personalized with the couple's name and wedding date.

Another option that will blend well with any winter wedding is the Snowflake Flower Seed Ornament. Yes, it's a seed packet pressed into the shape of an adorable snowflake! Find it and other snow themed wedding favors on the snowflake favors page of our website.

Live in Florida, Hawaii, or Southern California where snow doesn't seem particularly relevant to the holiday season? Then consider choosing a seashell sun catcher ornament. These have the added benefit of being useful to your guests any time of the year if they choose to hang it in the window - or they can simply keep it with their Christmas decorations and enjoy the gold and crystals in this fun option when they put their Christmas tree up.

Planning a Cinderella wedding this holiday season? Cinderella's Carriage Sun Catcher Favor is another option that your guests can use as a holiday ornament as well as as a sun catcher.

Wedding Footwear Essentials

The process of choosing a wedding gown goes a long way toward dictating which bridal shoe you choose for your wedding day. We all know that. You want the color of your wedding shoes to match or complement your dress. That is one reason to consider getting shoes that you can have dyed to the exact color you want.

But did you know that the length of your dress also plays a roll in determining your choice for bridal shoes? For example, what kind of shoe does a short bridal gown generally dictates? Unless there is a compelling reason why you cannot wear them a short dress makes high heels a must.

Of course, high heels have the added benefit of giving the wearer the appearance of not only added height, but longer and slimmer legs as well!

Fortunately, in some situations generally depending on the formality of the wedding reception a bride wearing a short wedding dress can often switch to something that is simple, elegant, and COMFORTABLE... something like barefoot sandals during the reception. Or, for the right wedding theme she might be able to use barefoot sandals for the entire ceremony. For example, a beach themed wedding - especially one on the beach - might allow for the bride to wear a short dress and get away without wearing high heels by wearing elegant and sexy barefoot sandals instead!