Wedding Favors

History and traditions of wedding favors
The tradition of giving wedding favors, or ‘bomboniere’ is rooted in ancient European history. It was a ritual of common practice for wealthy aristocrats who were celebrating marriages, christenings, births and birthdays. The bride and groom give small presents, or favors, to their guests and well-wishers to thank them for sharing the momentous occasion. Initially the ‘bomboniere’ were of great value, and were made of expensive materials such as gold, silver, precious gems, porcelain or crystal. The contents of the ‘bombonaiere’ were also of great value, most notably sugar. At the time, sugar was a very rare substance, prized for its supposed medicinal qualities.