So for my average guest I'm making up hangover kits and bags of candy for the kids. What should I do for older guests like my grandmother and great Aunt and Uncle? IDK!!
So for my average guest I'm making up hangover kits and bags of candy for the kids. What should I do for older guests like my grandmother and great Aunt and Uncle? IDK!!
Or you could not be ageist. I mean, I'm sure that's a shocking concept, but....
Yeah, just do one favor for all adults. I'm 35 and don't drink, so a hangover kit would be a waste of money for me. My elderly mother was the life of the party at my sisters wedding last year, thanks to alcohol, so she may have benefited from the hangover kit. Fun/drinking has no age restrictions (well, except for legal restrictions for kids/teens).
Typically, edible favors are best. The cutesy themed favors (like hangover kits) are often unused and a waste of money. If you do them, that's your choice, but do the same for all adults and don't discriminate and assume that older people don't drink or can't have fun.
Maybe instead of a hangover kit just include some typical hangover cures in a general way that will be useful for any age. Instead of favors we did welcome bags which included individual doses of Advil, bottles of water, chips, fun size candy bars, and a deck of cards. It's not for hangovers as someone who doesn't drink can still enjoy having bottled water and salty/sugary snacks, it's more just something everyone wants when staying at a hotel. They were a huge hit.
What is a "hangover kit"? Are you making advil and water your favor? Plates of greasy diner food to soak up the booze? And what if I don't need a hangover kit because I'm an adult who knows how to drink responsibly within my limits without making myself sick as a dog? Or I'm not drinking because I'm taking an antibiotic or pregnant or practicing sobriety or am the designated driver or have plans the next day I don't want to be nursing a hangover for or I just plain old don't feel like drinking - none of which is dependent on my age (well, except maybe the pregnancy one).
Have one favor everyone can enjoy. If you're hell bent on the concept of a "hangover kit" then maybe put them in welcome bags at hotels where you have blocks reserved (if you do) or make it a bathroom basket thing. Or if you really want to treat the drunken (and not-so-drunken) late-night partiers then have a late night snack and coffee bar available towards the end of the night. I'd appreciate that a hell of a lot more after a night of drinking and partying than whatever you might put in this kit that I probably already have on me or in the car.
Well let's see. My older guests drink. Might not enough to get a hangover, but they drink, a lot.
I had a candy bar and my older guests LOVED it. I made sure I had some old-school candies. They loved seeing candy from their childhood. To this day the 90-year old still talks about my candy bar and how she took more than one container.
Anyway, go edible for everyone.
What differentiates an average host and a great host is anticipating unexpressed needs and wants of their guests. Just because the want/need is not expressed, doesn't mean it wouldn't be appreciated.
My other suggestion: if you want to do hangover kits, instead of doing them as a favor, maybe just set out a basket with some kits that people can choose to take with them at the end of the night, if they think they may need them. That would allow you to still provide them, if that's what you want, but it is limiting it only to people that actually want them. If your demographic is mostly partying types who drink a lot, I'd say to make them for maybe half the guests at most.
A kit of items to help guest endure (or maybe prevent) post-drinking hangover. Often includes water (or maybe gatorade or electrolyte mix), aspirin, mints (to eliminate that post-vomit taste), and maybe pepto bismal tablets or alka-seltzer.
A kit of items to help guest endure (or maybe prevent) post-drinking hangover. Often includes water (or maybe gatorade or electrolyte mix), aspirin, mints (to eliminate that post-vomit taste), and maybe pepto bismal tablets or alka-seltzer.
Hmmm...that all seems like emergency kit/bathroom basket kind of stuff - not a small thank you gift you're giving me to thank me for attending your wedding (which is what a favor is). Water is available at the bar at the reception and free out of the tap at the hotel. Keep non-alcoholic beverages available at the bar, like pop and lemonade and offer coffee for those people who are smart enough to cut themselves off or don't want to drink in the first place. I already keep mints and gum in my purse (or I'll brush my teeth back at the hotel, which also usually supplies mouthwash). I almost always have advil in my purse or suitcase if I traveled. And I've never ever taken pepto bismal or Alka-Seltzer for anything.
A kit of items to help guest endure (or maybe prevent) post-drinking hangover. Often includes water (or maybe gatorade or electrolyte mix), aspirin, mints (to eliminate that post-vomit taste), and maybe pepto bismal tablets or alka-seltzer.
Sounds gross and insulting, to me. So you are expecting your guests to need this?
So for my average guest I'm making up hangover kits and bags of candy for the kids. What should I do for older guests like my grandmother and great Aunt and Uncle? IDK!!
Give everyone some yummy chocolate, a few gourmet cookies, or a slice of cake in a box. A hangover kit is going to go in the trash if it's even taken home. I say this from experience, not to hurt your feelings.
Really, your older guests won't expect favors. They weren't common back in the day.
ah, I've seen favors at weddings dating back to the late 70's. So almost 40 years ago. So yeah, some older guests might "expect" them.
What differentiates an average host and a great host is anticipating unexpressed needs and wants of their guests. Just because the want/need is not expressed, doesn't mean it wouldn't be appreciated.
Really, your older guests won't expect favors. They weren't common back in the day.
Even if they won't expect them (which I actually find hard to believe), I bet they will expect to be treated equally with all the other guests. And they'll probably be pretty put off at being singled out and excluded or treated differently. I don't know anyone of any age who enjoys that.
Really, your older guests won't expect favors. They weren't common back in the day.
Even if they won't expect them (which I actually find hard to believe), I bet they will expect to be treated equally with all the other guests. And they'll probably be pretty put off at being singled out and excluded or treated differently. I don't know anyone of any age who enjoys that.
Yes, you are right about that! My thought is, why have favors at all? They aren't necessary. In 1976, I was told that favors were for children's birthday parties.
Cute idea, but like a pp said, what about adults who don't drink? And how do you control who gets/takes which favor? Also, I would hate to be the parent who has to explain to my child what a hangover kit is for. It may give the kids the wrong idea about drinking.
Really, your older guests won't expect favors. They weren't common back in the day.
Even if they won't expect them (which I actually find hard to believe), I bet they will expect to be treated equally with all the other guests. And they'll probably be pretty put off at being singled out and excluded or treated differently. I don't know anyone of any age who enjoys that.
Yes, you are right about that! My thought is, why have favors at all? They aren't necessary. In 1976, I was told that favors were for children's birthday parties.
The only "favors" I recall from weddings back then were matchbooks and coasters. I think of those days as the "Madmen Days". I'm not sure they were favors as much as necessities for those times. I can think of many people that used to keep large snifters on a living room or bar countertop filled with those matchbooks.
Re: Favors for the older guest
Do an old person kit! Orthopedic socks, stool softeners, prunes, funeral and cremation brochures, AARP information, etc.
Seriously though, just have the same favor for everyone. Preferably edible.
Typically, edible favors are best. The cutesy themed favors (like hangover kits) are often unused and a waste of money. If you do them, that's your choice, but do the same for all adults and don't discriminate and assume that older people don't drink or can't have fun.
What is a "hangover kit"? Are you making advil and water your favor? Plates of greasy diner food to soak up the booze? And what if I don't need a hangover kit because I'm an adult who knows how to drink responsibly within my limits without making myself sick as a dog? Or I'm not drinking because I'm taking an antibiotic or pregnant or practicing sobriety or am the designated driver or have plans the next day I don't want to be nursing a hangover for or I just plain old don't feel like drinking - none of which is dependent on my age (well, except maybe the pregnancy one).
Have one favor everyone can enjoy. If you're hell bent on the concept of a "hangover kit" then maybe put them in welcome bags at hotels where you have blocks reserved (if you do) or make it a bathroom basket thing. Or if you really want to treat the drunken (and not-so-drunken) late-night partiers then have a late night snack and coffee bar available towards the end of the night. I'd appreciate that a hell of a lot more after a night of drinking and partying than whatever you might put in this kit that I probably already have on me or in the car.
I had a candy bar and my older guests LOVED it. I made sure I had some old-school candies. They loved seeing candy from their childhood. To this day the 90-year old still talks about my candy bar and how she took more than one container.
Anyway, go edible for everyone.
Sounds gross and insulting, to me. So you are expecting your guests to need this?
Give everyone some yummy chocolate, a few gourmet cookies, or a slice of cake in a box. A hangover kit is going to go in the trash if it's even taken home. I say this from experience, not to hurt your feelings.
The only "favors" I recall from weddings back then were matchbooks and coasters. I think of those days as the "Madmen Days". I'm not sure they were favors as much as necessities for those times. I can think of many people that used to keep large snifters on a living room or bar countertop filled with those matchbooks.