Hello again all you lovely brides out there, today I’m talking details..starting with favours.
These have proved to be controversial for many… To give or not to give, after all, you are providing people with entertainment and food… So do you really need to give them a gift too? I have decided that to me there’s something special about a favour… It doesn’t have to be extravagant and it doesn’t have to be expensive… It just needs to remind you of the wedding, mean something to the couple and most importantly offer a little thank you to the guests.
This year we have been to six weddings, some had favours others not but there were two that really stood out. The first being a couple who gave a spoon, not just any spoon but a Welsh Love Spoon! If like me, you didn’t know the origins of these hand carved beauties here’s a bit about them courtesy of the classic website wikipedia:
“The lovespoon was given to a young woman by her suitor. It was important for the girl’s father to see that the young man was capable of providing for the family and woodworking.
Sailors would often carve lovespoons during their long journeys, which is why anchors would often be incorporated into the carvings.
Certain symbols came to have specific meanings: a horseshoe for luck, a cross for faith, bells for marriage, hearts for love, a wheel supporting a loved one and a lock for security, among others”
This was a lovely little gift to receive. Not only because we were in Wales and the bride was Welsh, but also it had a lovely meaning and every engraving meant something special to the couple, Jon and I came away very happy with our spoons and they serve to be a lovely memory of their special day! Here’s a pic of the beautiful bride and her bridesmaids I’m sure you’ll agree they all looked gorgeous and the groom scrubbed up ok too!
The second favour we adore and continue to use almost daily was from my childhood best friend’s wedding in April. Every detail of Hollie and Gav’s wedding was planned to perfection, the ceremony featured a Bjork song carefully arranged by Hollies Dad and Uncle, and the musical theme continued with Hollies dad singing in an impromptu Barber shop quartet during the speeches! When we took our seats we found a rolled tea towel, with our place name and a little card saying thank you pegged to it. It was the perfect favour for a village hall wedding and it served as a napkin on the day as well as being something we use all the time that remind us of the wonderful day we had celebrating a perfect wedding.
So, after convincing Jon of their importance (and getting them past the budget spreadsheet) we will be giving our guests something to take away with them… But do you think the happy memories alone are enough or are you planning to send your guests away with a momentum of your day… I would love to hear all your ideas!
So, I was about to get on to other little important details (like the card box, where to get confetti and pink stripy straws from for the reception drinks) when my bridesmaid Jade, chirps up and tells me she should write something…
So here you go – here’s an extract from a bridesmaids perspective…
“I am sitting here while Hannah writes her blog so thought I would contribute, being a bridesmaid I felt it was my duty to give an update from my side. Wedding talk is constant, never ending in my world when Hannah is here… I’m getting into trouble as I still haven’t chosen my shoes! For me I don’t see this as a fundamental problem, the wedding is 5ish months away however in Hannah’s world this is causing pain. So I’ve set myself a challenge of sorting this in January so she doesn’t have to worry about my footwear on the biggest day of her life. Anyway, I’m feeling I’ve stolen too much of this blog and will pass you back to Hannah…”
So after thinking I had been supressing my bridezilla tendencies (and resisting the urge to tell her there’s actually only 129 days to go!) Jade has thrown it all out there for you all to see… But I’m a detail girl – what can I say!
How much detail are you going to or are you seeing the bigger picture and keeping it that way!? Or perhaps you have a groom that’s a stickler for detail… Or like Jon, one that doesn’t get why colour co-ordinated toiletries in the venues bathroom and matching socks for the ushers are a must! Love to hear your thoughts… And please reassure me I’m not the only one out there!
Until next time..Han x
P.S Hope you all have fabulous Christmases…and Partyful New Years…my next instalment will be in 2013… Did I mention that’s the year I’M GETTING MARRIED!?! xx
I love the tea towel idea very cute and a lovely nifty reminder. We deliberated with favours and decided in the end to just give the ladies a lovely wooden fan. We got married in June in Italy so they were much needed and a nice keepsake.
It’s so excited when you can finally say I am getting married this year, good luck I am sure it will be amazing.
X
I’ve tried not to be to prescriptive and bridezilla-y to my bridesmaids, but they’ve actually welcomed direction and felt a bit at sea when I’ve been vague. I gave them an open brief for the dress, anything a long as it’s aqua, but they were all hugely relieved when I found a dress for them. Likewise the shoes, I’ve said they could wear anything they like but they’re struggling a bit…
As for the favours, I see them as another way to tie in elements of the ‘themes’ (for want of a better word) and another little surprise on the day for the guests.
I love how you’re doing your research at friend’s weddings – it’s really hard not to think ‘ooh that’s a good idea, hmm, that didn’t work’ isn’t it
@Looby Lou Wooden fans sound lovely..and very much needed in June in Italy! Thank you for the good luck wishes..its all very real and exciting now!
@Philippa I have decided that the bridemaids don’t need to be in matching dresses..so they have chosen their own as well as shoes and accessories..Jades struggling a bit with her shoes though!
I love a good theme..and favours defo help with that, i’m always excited to see what favours are waiting at the table…its just a little extra that’s a nice touch…I think any way 
Yep i have been researching away this year and still have another two weddings before ours to get inspiration from! exciting! xx
Both those favours are absolutely gorgeous, such lovely ideas!
We’re definitely having favours, like @Phillippa said, they’re an extension of your theme.
I thought I had my bridezilla tendencies under control too but then I had a massive hissy fit the other day woops! I can’t even bare to share it cause it’s too embarrassing. I blame the house move for stressing me out!!
Fab post Mrs xxx
ummmm those teatowels are amazing!!!
I spent a silly amount of time thinking about favours, coming up with something brilliant and then realising its far too expensive to do one per person! maybe I could do one per table and people can share….
No favours for me – I’m afraid I’m in the ‘I’m already paying for the food and booze camp’…
We have however bought some of the Cancer Research pins that are intended to be favours, in memory of Mr H’s mum. These will be given to his close family on the morning of the wedding though, not as favours.
I did also want to put a bottle of homemade sloe gin in the centre of each table for everyone to share as a sort-of joint favour, but Mr H is worried about the drunk levels going a little too far!
Hannah, my stepbrother’s wedding (also in Wales) had chocolate love spoons as favours for the girls – maybe a bit cheaper than wooden alternatives!
oooh I love the spoons! kind of wish I was welsh so I could give them out.
Poor jade, haha – at least you can get some in the sales! xx
Hi Jade!! *waves*!! heehee
Those towels are a fab idea!
I definitely want to give little favours to all but I’m in the same camp as @Tabitha & @Philippa – I want them to be themed somehow!! But as with most things we are slightly restricted with the budget so I just need to keep looking until I find that perfect little gem!
Don’t worry about the bridezilla tendencies – I thought I was far from being bridezilla until a couple of weeks ago!! (haha) I think we just put so much pressure on ourselves to make this one day perfect – and it’s not just for ourselves, it’s often because we want to make sure all our guests have an amazing time!
I’m just worried about what I’m going to have to talk about once I’m married?!! heehee xxx
I absolutely LOVE Welsh spoons but I am biased
x
Phil bought me a Blodwen lovespoon for Christmas last year because I just love Welsh homewares and we often visit Wales. We got engaged in the Brecon Beacons too, so a lovespoon favour would fit, but then I checked out the prices of the Blodwen spoons. I love you, friends and family, but not that much
Sorry girls..have been in meetings all afternoon!
@Tabitha..oooh you’ve intrigued me..I can’t imagine you being a bridezilla!
@Vix…I know the tea towels are beauts! And yep when you have to multiply the cost by 80 it starts getting a pricey business this favour malarkey! (I’ve been sneakily adding in things as we go along..shhh don’t tell Jon!)
@Emily..Totally understand your approach and the charity pin idea is great..I think we’re going to put a donation pot next to our sweet trolley for Help for Heroes…thought it would be fitting for a military wedding.
@Karen…Jades loving the sympathy from you…I just keep telling her she’s lucky I haven’t put her in an orange-gyspy-wedding-inspired-bridesmaids-dress…this happened to my friend!…Each to their own..but they were bad!
@Rebecca, bet you’ll find something beautiful to go with your theme! I like your way of thinking on the bridezilla thing..I’m glad I’m not alone
@Daffodil..they are beautiful..kind of wishing I was welsh just to have a reason for them!
@Philippa, maybe you should go for chocolate spoons…as suggested by Emily!
Thank you for continuing to read my ramblings, lots of love x
We were going to have welsh lovespoons as but after a family bereavement i decided I wanted BHF charity pins. I’m making my own cards to attach them to. The welsh element of our Scottish-Welsh ‘fusion’ wedding is instead coming from the homemade welsh cakes and daffodil bouquets.
Lovely photos especially the Brecon RAF setting ( OK – biased as mother of the bride!). Charity trolley tokens are a good idea too. Cost cutting? Friend in work has been saving small, lovely jam jars for months to fill with sweets ; material and ribbon for the tops- colour theme of course. What about photo memento? Different ones where you were with your guest at some point in history,copy small, multiples onto 1 sheet, print, cut and stick on jars or on a mini thank you card? As you can see, my daughter’s bridezilla tendencies have not worn off me yet. Good luck ladies- you’ll have an unforgettable day-favours or not!
Philippa no. 2.
Pipii.co.uk is THE place to get stripey straws.
The tea towel is cute but I wouldn’t particularly enjoy a gift with someone else’s weddingdate on, if I’m honest.
@Anne – maybe if it was one of your dearest friends you may feel differently