Favours--what are you doing?

Nukke · February 2010

Hi guys! I wanted to ask you guys what you're doing for favours, as well as get your opinion on my idea!

First I'll explain mine. I desperately wanted to give everyone a tree to plant for a favour, but the cons are starting to outweigh the pros:

seedlings:
pros: right up my alley, eco-friendly and so sentimental! I love the idea of someone planting a tree and watching it grow over the years and remember Matt and I.
cons: tree favours are expensive (around $3 a pop), and they must be cared for and planted immediately after the wedding. I'm worried some people just won't care or will forget and the little things will die

seeds:
pros: the guest can care for them when they find it convenient (they can wait a few months to try to grow the trees if they like). These are REALLY cheap to do (less than $1.00 per person). Plus they're still sentimental
cons: seeds can be tough to germinate. I'd hate to send people home with seeds that never grew into anything

The biggest con of both of these ideas is, many people don't give a rat's &#& about favours or trees for that matter.

So here's my latest idea....

My parents own a farm. Matt's parents own a large property as well. I would like to put out a list for people to sign to have a tree planted, by us, in their honour at either the farm or the property in PA. I thought that would be the most convenient for people who are either too lazy to plant their own, or don't have the time/place to do it.

So.... a small favour of hershey's kisses (to pay homage to Matt's love for the PA chocolate) and put out a list for guests who want a surprise tree species planted for them either in Canada or the US. This way I'll know exactly how many trees to buy, and I will be sure that they'll all be cared for and planted. I'm going to plant them all in November, take a photo of each little tree, and mail it with the thank you cards. That way each person who wanted a tree will get to see what kind they got, and see it planted! This favour idea would cost me about $1.50 per person.

And, no, this isn't too much work for me. We've only got 75 people or so coming to our wedding, and I highly doubt all of those will want a tree. And if they do, I'm an expert tree planter. I'm Canadian! lol

opinions?

ramblingpurse · February 2010

I think the last idea with the Kisses and a list for planting trees for people that want them. That way the people who want trees can get them, and everyone gets some chocolate to take home. Yum!

My favors are actually tied to the centerpieces. Its my most elaborate project for the wedding but the most fun for me. I have always loved flea markets, antique stores, garage sales, etc. And I have always been a fan of the 1950s, thus my collecting vintage purses, gloves, hankies, jewelry.

Soooooooo the centerpieces are collections of vintage tableware, collectibles, knick knacks, toys (vintage and vintage inspired), costume jewelry. I did research on 1950s toys, so stuff like Silly Putty, tinker toys, Mr Potato Head, paper dolls, Slinky-stuff I can find new easily. If I can find good prices on hatboxes, I want to put everything in them.

THEN people can take home items they like, as favors. That way every time they use a vintage Coke glass, or play with the Slinky, or wear an old necklace from the wedding, they can remember Tom and I and what an awesome wedding we had

I've got til September to collect enough things for the centerpiece/favors, so I'm scouring flea markets and antique stores and in the spring, I'll b out at the garage sales. And of course, ebay has tons of little collectibles.

I am also using red apples as placecard holders, saw it in Martha Stewart. Little placecards are pinned to the apples. Edible and healthy!

hippie4yahweh · February 2010

LOVE seeds, planting a tree for your guests (who want it) is really sweet, too! Photos with your thank yous is such a cute idea!

We're doing multiple little things- a small cookie/ candy buffet (connected to the assorted mini-dessert display, we'll have bags and boxes so everything can go home with our guests........ umm, and us. I

candy, he's obsessed with cookies lol) we're also doing a photobooth for our guest book and for our guests to take home.

I'm considering making a donation to the ACS specifically for the wedding. Long story, but it'd be explained in 1 discrete sign near the front of the reception, not 82973465983 cards everywhere, I promise.

alyssa324 · February 2010

I was totally doing tree seedling for favors too. I love that idea but like you said the cons out weigh the pros. But i love what you came up with and the note idea is perfect. So since I scratched this idea

I wanted the favors to be very "us". After lots of trial and error I came up with yahtzee. (FI and I both love playing board games) Each bag will have 5 dice, a pencil, and 1 or 2 of my own custom yahtzee score cards (PIB). Actually I scheduled the assembly line for this weekend. I will post pics monday

GracefulMeadow86 · February 2010

we actually decided to skip favors - we're trying to be price savvy for the wedding and to be honest, ive only kept one favor from a wedding throughout the years and that was actually a little pine tree sappling from my sisters wedding!

i loved my little tree and its still planted at my parents house!

Just Jen · February 2010

We're making chocolate-covered pretzels.

Nukke, I would totaly kill your tree -- not out of maliciosness, becuase I am incapable of keeping plans alive. So I'd be very happy with the kisses and the knowledge that someone else was caring for a seedling raher than I.

Ken&Cass · February 2010

It's going to be pretty hot in August when I'm getting married, and I've always been the type of person that doesn't like to buy people stuff that they won't use. My guests are getting fans and handkerchiefs. Fans for the women obviously, handkerchiefs for the men. Then of course I'm doing bottled water for everyone. Originally I wasn't going to do favors because I tend to think they are generally a waste of money, but I decided to just go this route to keep my guests more comfortable.

DivineWillowMama · February 2010

I agree with PP's. Although I would LOVE to get a baby tree.

I would plant it right away, but most people probably wouldn't. My FH and I were going to start plants in a seed starter tray and give out baby perennial flowers, but we realized that some people wouldn't care about them. We actually know a lot of people who would, but to have something everyone would love we chose huge, chewy, super moist, double chocolate brownies. I also have 100 sandalwood fans that I bought from theknot to put on all of the ceremony chairs. I love them to pieces! They are so pretty. I just need to figure out how I want to decorate them a little.

I definitely love the baby plant idea. If I would have gone with the purple and green color scheme there would be no doubt that I would have done them along with the sandalwood fans.

Especially because it would be a totally garden themed wedding. Maybe you could just give them as gifts for special people who would appreciate them....it's a thought.

Speaking of my purple and green wedding ideas, just for fun I put together a planning bio for it. Since I can't actually live it, I figured I would get the idea out of my head and into some sort of physical form. Seedlings are included!

Carly_Jamesy · February 2010

I agree with pp on getting a picture of the tree. I would also kill it, but not do to lack of trying to keep it alive, just because I can't keep any plants alive.

We are making CDs for everyone or per couple, haven't decided yet. We found blank ones that look like vinyls. We are having a big band era theme. We've been taking swing dance lessons for our first dance. So the CD matches the theme. We are going to put our favorite big band songs and the first dance songs on it along with the lyrics/ why we chose the song. They will cost a little less than $1 a piece, but will take a long time to put together.

ledalia · February 2010

We are having an old fashioned candy bar. We asked our grandparents what their favorite candy was as a kid and are trying to incorporate those: mary janes, clove candy sticks, spice jelly beans, hershey's, etc. We are also going to have buckets of coke in glass bottles for guests to take home. I've thought about having cigars but I'm not sure if we can afford it. This all ties into our idea of having our engagement photos taken at the soda fountain in town. We are going to display the pictures so it's like our own soda and candy shop.

Nukke - I personally prefer the idea where the guests take home the tree. I'm sure most people will want a tree in their honor so you will probably end up buying most of them anyways. I don't see why they wouldn't plant it - maybe if you gave them instructions and asked them to send a photo or something that would encourage them.

UnderAtree · February 2010

I like the idea of planting trees for those who want them. That's really sweet. Maybe for some that aren't OOT maybe they can even help?

For our favors I want to have those little Fortune Telling Fish, they are cheap so it doesn't bother me if people take them or not. Also I want to do a candy bar that's filled with old fashion candy. That way its a favor worth taking. And if no one wants it. More for me.

JareeH · February 2010

We are giving each guest rock candy in our colors, one green & one purple. got a good price on them from www.ohnuts.com and then will tie the two stick together with a ribbon and tag with wedding info on it. I've never kept a wedding favor, so i dont expect any of our guests to. Rock candy was a fave of mine when i would travel in grade school and FH thinks they look awesome!

Favours--what are you doing?

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