Thoughts on my favour idea...

paperdoorway

So, I'm getting married this year. We got engaged last summer, and about a week later my fiance headed to Asia for work, while I came to Africa. I wanted to make our wedding favours a representation of us while still keeping it practical (I also grew up in Africa, so it's really close to my heart). I was thinking of picking up super cute African keychains as wedding favours from here, and maybe something from Asia from the fiance's side (or is just one keychain enough?), and then dressing them up in a nice box/bag and a tag with our names, relevant quote, and wedding date.

Thoughts? Is that super tacky? (Just as an FYI, I'll be having 400 guests... so really have to consider the budget!) Please be honest. Thanks!

kmmssg

It isn't tacky, but it really isn't going to mean as much to your guests as you think it will.  To you, it represents something both of you have done.  To me, it is a trinket and I don't need another key chain from some far off distant place that I have no emotional investment or interest in.  If I took it home it would thrown away or tossed in the yard sale box.  It is stuff that takes up space that I don't need.  I have to be very upfront that I hate that kind of stuff.

Something edible?  Now you are talking.  Throw me some Hershey's kisses and I'd be pretty happy with that.

Avion22

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_favors_thoughts-on-my-favour-idea?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:27Discussion:8ad72cb9-7a5a-481d-bee7-30148b4dcb37Post:e5283d3e-55ce-414f-a376-f225089c037e">Re: Thoughts on my favour idea...</a>:
[QUOTE]It isn't tacky, but it really isn't going to mean as much to your guests as you think it will.  To you, it represents something both of you have done.  To me, it is a trinket and I don't need another key chain from some far off distant place that I have no emotional investment or interest in.  If I took it home it would thrown away or tossed in the yard sale box.  It is stuff that takes up space that I don't need.  I have to be very upfront that I hate that kind of stuff. Something edible?  Now you are talking.  Throw me some Hershey's kisses and I'd be pretty happy with that.
Posted by kmmssg[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>Agreed.  Keychains just aren't that meaningful to me to begin with, especially not something that is special to someone ELSE and not to me.   </div><div>
</div><div>Edible stuff is great.  Is there some kind of African or Asian sweet or treat that you can give your guests?  A cookie or cake or candy or something like that?

</div>

paperdoorway

Wow, you guys are tough to impress! But I understand. I was thinking something along the lines of this; I think the drums are really cute:

http://www.divinehandicrafts.com/African_best_buy/Images/Products/m-639.jpg

http://store.drumbum.com/media/african-mini-drum-keychain.jpg

I just find edible favours so overdone. But I guess it's the cheapest and easiest way to go, and everyone is happy at the end. I was also thinking maybe like African tea/coffee?

paperdoorway

Oh, I was also thinking I would pair the African keychain with an Asian local sweet/dried fruit. The reason I'm so stuck on something African is because I grew up here, and a lot of my guests are friends/family who grew up with me, so (I hope) they'll understand the African connection. But I suppose a lot of people don't care much for these trinkets so it would be a waste...

CallaLily25

I don't know your guests as well as you do, so I can only tell you what I would personally do. I already have a small keychain that I use daily, so I would leave the keychain behind since I wouldn't have much of a use for it.

I would love an Asian or African edible favor, though.

AddieCake

I am a fan of keychains, and I think the drum is cool and goes with your having lived in Africa.

 However, unless I myself WENT to Africa, they keychain would not be all that special to me, you know?  If I had gone and gotten myself a souvenir, well, that's great. But for you to give them (unless you were doing a tribal themed wedding), a lot of people might not care for it b/c it isn't like a memory from their own trip, if that makes sense. 

paperdoorway

Okay. Thanks for the suggestions, everyone.

Avion22

I think African tea or coffee would be awesome:-)    Edible favors may seem "overdone" but that's because people usually enjoy them.   I would love to try a new flavor of tea or coffee, or get to drink an old favorite.   Then I don't have to worry about what to do with it after the wedding:-)   And if you have guests who don't like tea or coffee, then some people might take the extras, or you can use them.  In contrast, there are few people who would have any use for multiple drum key-chains.

If you can't think of anything that you like, then you can always skip favors.  They're not required at all:-)    

And if you really want to go with the drum key-chains, then go with them.   Just realize that some people might leave them behind, and you could end up with lots of extras.  But you could turn around and sell them on e-bay or whatever.   It's not the end of the world to have leftover favors.

gymbugmj2k

I like the tea/coffee idea!

Perhaps you can do that, and package it with a small world map (print it out), and tape a hershey kiss on Africa and one on Asia.  sort of to symbolize both of your locations.

coffee/tea + chocolate is usually a winning combo

reppunzel

I love the tea/coffee + Asian sweet idea! 
And you can really play up both themes in the packaging/decoration.

 I really love Gymbug's suggestion of a map with a kiss taped to each place!  You could print it onto cardstock and then have a note about the significance of both places on the back.

QueerFemme

I agree with everyone else, the reason you think edibles are "overdone" is because people LIKE them.  People usually end up tossing non-edibles in the trash, if they do bother taking them home from the wedding.  With 400 guess, you are going to spend a ton of money on keychains & drums and end up with a lot let over, and the ones that do get taken will end up in a drawer for a year collecting dust until they get thrown out.

kmmssg

LOVE the coffee and tea idea!

reppunzel

In addition to coffee and tea, I've had some amazing fair trade chocolate from Africa (Kenya and Uganda, if I remember correctly).  Yummy!!!

[Deleted User]

Your ideas are nice but with the amount of people you are inviting I think it's going to get expensive very quickly. I love that you want to honor your families. But like many others said, if you can do it with something edible, first it will probably be cheaper and it will be more well received. You can still honor your families many ways during the day from certain ceremony traditions, special types of music & how you decorate for your reception.

Good luck & have fun planning.

paperdoorway

Thanks for the suggestions!

(As an FYI, the keychains cost 10 cents a piece from here, for a total of $40 so wouldn't be an expense at all.) 

Either way, I know what I'll be getting for favours that everyone will appreciate!

nicoleandersonmd

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_favors_thoughts-on-my-favour-idea?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:27Discussion:8ad72cb9-7a5a-481d-bee7-30148b4dcb37Post:30692022-c107-4404-affe-61ed94bb7808">Re: Thoughts on my favour idea...</a>:
[QUOTE]Wow, you guys are tough to impress! But I understand. I was thinking something along the lines of this; I think the drums are really cute: <a href="http://www.divinehandicrafts.com/African_best_buy/Images/Products/m-639.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://www.divinehandicrafts.com/African_best_buy/Images/Products/m-639.jpg</a> <a href="http://store.drumbum.com/media/african-mini-drum-keychain.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://store.drumbum.com/media/african-mini-drum-keychain.jpg</a> I just find edible favours so overdone. But I guess it's the cheapest and easiest way to go, and everyone is happy at the end. I was also thinking maybe like African tea/coffee?
Posted by paperdoorway[/QUOTE]



A small bag of African tea would be wonderful and very unique!!