17/03/2014 | Comments: 0 | Posted by: Patrizia Saraga | In: Destination Italy, Getting Married in Italy, Destination Italy, Italian wedding traditions: getting married in the famous "italian way"
Wedding favors are now a traditional, accepted and expected small touch in most modern weddings. The bride and groom want to show their guests their gratitude for sharing their special day with them – and this can be done in both big and small ways.
Like most wedding traditions, wedding favors date back into history and started with aristocracy. Early wedding favors tended to be something more substantial or precious than what is offered today. A precursor to today’s favors was the “bonboniere”, a little trinket box made of materials like crystal, porcelain and/or stones. The boxes were filled with sugar cubes or candy. In the era when these gifts became popular, sugar was quite expensive, making the inclusion of sugar or candy quite a sign of wealth and status and would extend the sense that the bridal party were truly thankful for the guests’ attendance.
Later, when the price of sugar became more reasonable, the tradition of providing sweet treats as wedding favors continued and expanded to the majority of couples planning weddings.
One popular choice throughout the ages has been sugared almonds, also known as Jordan almonds, which have been generally considered as a mark of good luck. Almonds’ popular use dates back extensively, as they were given to celebrate general well wishes. Sugared almonds specifically make an appearance in the 13th century and are called “confetti”. It was at this point that the symbolism of sugared almonds came to represent parts of the wedding favor story. Coating bitter almonds in sweet sugar, so the reasoning went, could signify the bittersweet nature of marriage.
Eventually, this symbolism grew. Sugared almonds are offered in specific amounts, which has a specific meaning. For example, a lot of three almonds signifies the bride, groom and their future child. More common, perhaps, is the tradition of offering five almonds, each one with its own meaning: fertility, longevity, happiness, health and wealth.
Sugared almonds are often ornately packaged, reflecting the ornate history of the trinket boxes in which they were presented in the past. Today it is just one more way that couples can differentiate. The presentation of their wedding favors can be another manifestation of their wedding themes and colors, another reminder of their love and the visual representation of that love or can showcase the tastes, personality or memories they want to send their guests away with.
When planning a wedding, it is often these little things that distinguish the final impression left with guests – and because it is such a small thing (but with the potential to make a lasting impression), it can easily be overlooked. Finding detail-oriented help in the form of professional wedding planners can help ensure that the big things run smoothly but also that the little things run perfectly and are not forgotten.
Tags: bomboniere, wedding favors
