[ad_1]
Weddings are moments of celebration, revelry and merry making to acknowledge the union of the bride and groom in holy matrimony. They do not cease to be memorable occasions for only the bride and groom but at the same time, they bring together distant family members and friends who are able to assemble under the same roof to bless the couple.
While modernism has crept into each and every aspect of our lives with the advancement of time, certain rites and rituals which are associated with the wedding ceremony have continued to persist. Even today, the wedding ceremony is still regarded with a lot of respect and dignity.
One such respected practice is the custom of the bride and groom giving the wedding guests some mementos to acknowledge their assemblage and presence in the wedding. This is known as the act of giving wedding favors. The very origin of this act can be traced back to the European aristocrats of the early times who offered wedding favors to the assembled guests in the wedding ceremony.
This usually was comprised of small boxes made of crystal or porcelain and decorated with precious stones. These boxes normally contained sugar, which was a symbol of grandeur and wealth of the newlyweds. This was often known as Bonbonniere and is thought to be the first form of wedding favors ever known.
Later, when sugar became widely available, it was replaced by almonds. Almonds had a special significance as they were symbols of happiness, joy, wealth, and fertility. It was believed that the newly married bride and groom would be blessed with these attributes. Much time has passed since then and the act of giving wedding favors has been popularized and accepted by various different cultures throughout the world. In the United States, it has been incorporated into the wedding ceremony or reception
Weddings have given rise to a separate industry which provides all the amenities required for weddings and therefore, various kinds of articles can be given out as wedding favors. The favors are provided by the bride and groom in attractive packages. Some of these articles include candle wedding favors, edible favors, favor boxes, and holders.
