Wunderlich

You found the perfect wedding favor. However, the packaging on another similar favor appears to look better, but it is not your first choice for your wedding favors. Or you have found two nearly identical favors by different manufacturers, the favor with the plain packaging is within your budget, but the one that has more elaborate packaging is just out of your planned budget. What is a bride to do?

The packaging of a wedding favor may appeal to some brides, over the actual favor itself. They want their wedding favors to look nice and present well. However, the packaging is only that and will long be forgotten after your wedding has passed. The favor inside the box, the quality and usability, should be more important than the outside beauty.

If youre concerned about the packaging of your wedding favors, youre not alone. The current trend in wedding favors is to insert them in deluxe packaging pre-tied with a ribbon and a thank you tag (or sometimes a personalized tag). While these options are pretty, they can increase the pricing significantly. With a bit of creativity, some help of your bridesmaids, and a few hours, you can create the perfect presentation of your wedding favors without the additional costs of these new deluxe favors.

Many wedding favors usually come in a plain white gift box. These boxes can be wrapped, stamped, embellished, bagged, or tied with a plain bow. If you dont have the time to gift wrap each one yourself, enlist the help of your parents or bridesmaids. Some items dont need to be gift wrapped, but can be removed from their packaging, and placed on the place setting itself.

If youre torn between two identical favors, one with and one without specialty packaging, first decide if there is a unique way to display the favor minus the packaging. A bottle stopper or bottle opener that has an area that you can tie a ribbon through, can double as a place card setting and holder. Simply take you place card and punch a hole in the top corner. Insert a ribbon and loop it through the end of the favor and through the hole in the place card. You instantly have place card holders and favors, and have presented them uniquely on your place card table.

Contrary to popular belief among brides, the wedding favors they choose will not ruin the wedding if they are a shade of blue off, if the ribbon isnt tied just so or if their favor is gift wrapped or bagged. Guests are happy to receive favors they arent concerned that the ribbon is a hint off color nor will they notice. The only person in the room, who this matters to, is the bride. And unfortunately, its these little things that can drive a bride batty. So relax, your favors dont have to be perfect. Because no matter how you package them, your guests will love them.

Erica Tevis is the owner of Little Things Wedding Favors which carries thousands of wedding favors and wedding accessories to suit every couple's style, theme and budget.