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Table Favours or "bomboniere' or "bonbonniere" are traditionally little gifts for guests at weddings. A keepsake for the guest to take home, as a thankyou for attending your marriage and sharing your joy.

Bomboniere are usually part of the table decoration and theme and can be also used a name place tag. This can be done by having the guest's name on the lid of the box, instead of glue-ing little flower bundles there.

Favours can be presented in a fancy box, or some beautiful wrapping personalised with the bride and groom's name and wedding date.
(left) is a white lace appliqued over sturdy white paper box - good for chocolates or candy.
Other packaging can be corrugated cardboard boxes in various shapes, including hearts and hat boxes.

Traditionally it was 5 sugar almonds wrapped in fabric and tied with ribbon. Fabrics like silk, cotton, lace, double-sided satin, tulle or organza.
The almonds, with their natural bitterness covered with sugar, reflect the "bitter/sweet" life of a married couple, and also represent health, wealth,
fertility, happiness and long life.

Many consisted of 3 layers of ribbon-tied lace containing the 5 almonds. The tradition goes back 100's of years to Italy, where favours were given to welcome their guests, and were really more than gifts, with each one having it's special meaning.
(right) are white on white scallop-edged rice paper filigree napkins/serviettes which could be used for presenting your favours.

Many ideas exist for table favours including chocolates, cookies, chocolate-covered cookies, sweets, mints, personalised ribbons, candles, small crystal or glass ornaments, photo frames, homemade fortune cookies, personalised pens, lovely home-made personalised soap, personalised keychains, book marks, magnets, and even seasonal holiday ornaments in glass, to name a few.

Think about using small bells, shells or swans filled with almonds or sweets and wrapped in something nice.
Heart boxes or homemade potpourri sachets would be lovely to use with a name card tied to each one with colour co-ordinating ribbon or cord.

Perhaps you could use a plastic spoon with some sweet kisses, wrapped in cellophane with a tag verse attached along the lines of "we thankyou for coming with a spoonful of kisses to bless our beginning as Mr. and Mrs. " (include your names and wedding date).

Minature cakes, beautifully presented in be-ribboned boxes, could be decorated using your wedding theme.

The colour could match the bridesmaids gowns, or they could be a replica of the wedding cake.
Adorn with iced ropes in gold or silver for a wonderful effect.

If you have a butterfly theme, have little butterflies either in white, or in colours to suit your bridal colour scheme.
For a fairy-tale theme, look to Cinderella slippers or similar filled with something nice and wrapped in boxes, paper, tulle, silky fabric with a name tag attached.

You might like candles wrapped in lovely paper with a note saying "light this candle with our blessings". Maybe a hand-crafted gift or something equally special to reflect the importance of your occasion.

If getting married at Christmas or if you have a Seasonal theme, use seasonal ornaments wrapped in tulle or paper of the theme colours, with a little name tag on each. Guests can then use the ornaments themselves.

You can make your own favours in the weeks leading up to the wedding, or have unique designs craft to your specifications by someone else.
Friends love to help you out.

Whatever you use, it is up to you, your theme, and your budget.
Favours add the finishing touch to your guest tables.