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Creative, Trendy Wedding Favors Get Personal For 2006
We all know that today’s brides feel free to mix it up. You’ll see electronic RSVPs in place of card stock, and you might find a handful of tiered key lime pies instead of the traditional French confection on the cake table. Favors are another spot where wedding couples put their personal spin on the proceedings.
The last few years have seen an explosion of favors to match the explosion in theme weddings — and to suit all those weddings that simply don’t fit any rubber stamp.
Even so, brides hit the online boards and forums bemoaning that they haven’t found the right favors. When you read between the lines, you realize that what many brides want is:
- A favor so unique (or so uniquely presented) that it could practically only show up at their wedding.
- A favor so perfect for their wedding that none other would do.
In other words, brides want to find the one favor that’s just about as perfect a match as the man they’ve opted to marry.
** Do You, Jill, Take This Favor … ?
It wasn’t long ago that the ability to order scented pear soaps or silver-plated salt and pepper shakers came as a huge relief to brides and guests alike — what a refreshing change from five Jordan almonds wrapped up in tulle! But these days, a multitude of choices just isn’t enough. Brides are looking for uniqueness with a capital U, and they’re choosing:
* Favors that are Anything but One-Size-Fits-All.
Instead of two truffles in ballotin box, brides are choosing “fair trade” truffles with a dusting of chipotle pepper. Instead a pair of enamelled chopsticks, brides are going for miniature bonsai or tiny Zen garden kits. Fortune cookies in a takeout box are sleek, but brides really want their cookies to come in custom flavors and colors (blueberry, anyone?) with a fortune they’ve penned themselves. You get the picture — brides want favors that looks like they came out of a little shop of elves assembled just for their wedding.
* Favors the Locals Love.
Brides are stealing items from the out-of-town baskets and retooling them as favors. Miniature gifts with major mouth appeal include jars of wild blueberry jam for a Maine wedding, leaf-shaped maple syrup jars for Vermont, cranberry “Bog Frogs” for Cape Cod, or individual salmon spice rub tins for Seattle (the “Rub with Love” tins by Tom Douglas are adorable).
* Hi Ho, Silver.
This theme’s as old as time, but silver’s showing up everywhere in weddings, from sparkly sandals to silvery satin-lined favor boxes. It’s not hard to go over the top with gold, but silver’s innate restraint makes it a perfect choice for weddings ranging from ultra-traditional to celestial. Sleek placecard frames and silver key chains are both au courant and elegant.
* Wild at Heart.
Brides are opting for favors that reflect the current lust for the outdoors — and all the weddings taking place on golf greens, beaches and vineyard hideaways. Favors that offer tactile reminders of the natural world are hot: engraved sand dollars, for example, or votives or glass bottles graced with embedded sand and shells. Favors that reflect popular niches within the beach theme are strong, too: consider starfish soaps and coasters that support the increasingly popular starfish theme, and abalone or paua shell jewelry that’s making a big splash at Pacific Rim weddings and bridal showers.
Of course, it’s not just the favors where brides want something different — they’re putting their individual spin on presentation too, tucking those unique little favors into unexpected packages, such as the new pyramid or triangular-shaped truffle boxes (which double as placecards), small apothecary jars, or lidded boxes in strong, unexpected colors like celadon and chocolate, red and black or Hot Pink and brown.
So as you can see, it’s not that hard to find the one perfect favor for your wedding. Think local or outdoorsy, think presentation, or simply ponder your theme until you find the edges that lead to a fresh and exciting idea. Simply think for yourself and your favors will show it — just as if you really did have your own platoon of elves in the backyard, ready to turn your dreams into reality.
About the Author
Blake Kritzberg is editor of
wedding favors
by FavorIdeas. Stop by for a gorgeous selection of wedding and
baby shower favors
.
New Zealand Paua (Abalone)
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Signature Marta Howell Silver Paua Oval Abalone 15.70Cts Sky Blue Topaz Necklace $1,295.00 |
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ABALONE PAUA NECKLACE PRISM PEARLS RAINBOW SEA OPALS PROM JEWELRY WEDDING BRIDE $449.55 |
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Case Ertl 1966 ford Pick Up and Paua Abalone Baby Doc $449.99 |
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Marta Howell Silver Paua Abalone Blue Topaz Bracelet 19 $435.00 |
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Marta Howell Silver Paua Abalone Blue Topaz Bracelet #20 $435.00 |
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ABALONE PAUA NECKLACE PEARLS RAINBOW BIG SEA OPALS MALACHITE GOLD GLAZED PENDANT $404.55 |
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ABALONE PAUA NECKLACE PRISM PEARL RAINBOW SEA OPALS PROM JEWELRY WEDDING BRIDAL $359.55 |
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ABALONE PAUA NECKLACE PEARL RAINBOW BIG SEA OPALS WEDDING JEWELRY silver OR gold $349.50 |
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CASE XX SILVER SCRIPT 2003 ABALONE PAUA PEARL MOP LRG SADDLEHORN USA KNIFE RARE $348.99 |
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Paua Abalone Heart w/Baby Skulls & Skull & Crossbones $325.00 |
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RARE ! 100% NATURAL Wild PAUA ABALONE PEARL ~ 2.29 ct $318.40 |
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Marta Howell STER Paua Abalone Bars Gemstone Pendant #1 $310.00 |
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Solid 9ct Yellow Gold Abalone Paua & Mother Of Pearl Double Sided Pendant $308.16 |
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ABALONE PAUA SEA 4strand CHUNKY NECKLACE RAINBOW OCEAN BRIDAL wedding lg JEWELRY $305.10 |
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ABALONE PAUA SEA 4strand CHUNKY NECKLACE RAINBOW SEA OPALS OCEAN BRIDAL JEWELRY $305.10 |
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NATURAL ABALONE PAUA SEA CHUNKY NECKLACE RAINBOW SEA OPALS OCEAN BRIDAL JEWELRY $305.10 |
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Marta Howell Silver Paua Abalone Blue Topaz Pendant #5 $305.00 |
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Marta Howell STER Paua Abalone Bars Gemstone Pendant #2 $305.00 |
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ABALONE PAUA NECKLACE PEARLS RAINBOW BIG SEA OPALS BRIDAL JEWELRY silver OR gold $297.08 |
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Paua Abalone Shell Heart w/ Spider – Skull Head Pendant $300.00 |
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ABALONE PAUA SEA 4 strand CHUNKY NECKLACE RAINBOW SEA OPALS OCEAN BRIDAL JEWELRY $288.15 |
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ABALONE PAUA NECKLACE PEARLS RAINBOW BIG SEA OPALS MOSAIC PENDANT BRIDAL JEWELRY $269.59 |
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ABALONE PAUA NECKLACE PEARLS RAINBOW BIG SEA OPALS PENDANT SILVER BRIDAL JEWELRY $269.55 |
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Paua Abalone Shell Heart w/ Dolphin Choker / Necklace $275.00 |
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ABALONE PAUA NECKLACE RAINBOW SEA OPALS PROM JEWELRY PRISM GEMS TRIPLE STRAND LG $249.00 |
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Paua Abalone Shell Heart Choker / Necklace $250.00 |
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20 Sheets 4A PAUA ABALONE INLAY VENEER (Red Tint) 5″X9″ $250.00 |
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“AA” and “NA” Paua Abalone Shell Sobriety Symbol $250.00 |
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ABALONE PAUA SEA TRIPLE CHUNKY NECKLACE RAINBOW SEA OPALS OCEAN BRIDAL JEWELRY $224.10 |
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Beautiful Paua Abalone shell handcrafted roller ball pen $224.99 |
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Rosette Inlay White Mop and Paua Abalone for Guitar #RS9 $220.00 |
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Rare Natural Paua Abalone Pearl ~ 0.8 ct. ~ Gem Quality $208.00 |
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CASE XX USA PAUA SHELL 81749L MINI COPPERLOCK NICE ABALONE KNIFE 1998 2 DOT $199.95 |
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Case xx CV Trapper Custom Genuine Paua Abalone scales w/Filework $199.00 |
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CASE XX SILVER SCRIPT 2002 ABALONE PAUA PEARL MOP LRG COPPERLOCK USA KNIFE RARE $198.99 |
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Three Paua Abalone Shell Choker Necklace $200.00 |
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Three Paua Abalone Shell Choker Necklace $200.00 |
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ABALONE PAUA SEA NECKLACE RAINBOW SEA OPALS OCEAN GEMS BEACH BRIDE BRIDAL JEWELS $188.10 |
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Rosette Inlay White Mop, Gold Mop and Paua Abalone for Guitar #RS9 $187.00 |
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ABALONE PAUA SEA NECKLACE RAINBOW SEA OPALS GEMS BEACH BRIDE JEWELRY MADE IN USA $179.55 |
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ABALONE PAUA SEA NECKLACE RAINBOW SEA OPALS OCEAN GEMS BEACH BRIDE PRISM JEWELRY $179.10 |
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ABALONE PAUA SEA OPAL PENDANT ON NATURAL aqua BABY BLUE BIWA PEARL GEMS NECKLACE $179.00 |
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ABALONE PAUA SEA OPALS PENDANT ON NATURAL BIWA PEARL NECKLACE RED WHITE GREEN LG $179.00 |
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Rare Natural Paua Abalone Pearl ~ 0.55 ct ~ Gem Quality $180.00 |
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.925 Sterling Silver Paua Abalone Tahittian Black Rainbow Pearl Pendant Necklace $175.00 |
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Goddess Face Bali Tray Dulang Abalone Paua Peridot Silver 925 PinPendant L4778 $168.48 |
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ABALONE PAUA NECKLACE PEARLS RAINBOW BIG SEA OPAL PENDANT HAMMERED GOLD JEWELRY $159.99 |
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18k GOLD, WHITE PEARL ABALONE, BLUE NEW ZEALAND PAUA SHELL MAORI DISK NECKLACE $153.00 |
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Rosette Inlay Paua Abalone & White Mop #RO16 $160.00 |
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Rosette Inlay White Mop, Gold Mop, Black Mop and Paua Abalone for Guitar #RS13 $160.00 |
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RARE ! 100% NATURAL Wild PAUA ABALONE PEARL ~ 1.04 ct $158.40 |
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Rare Natural Paua Abalone Pearl ~ 0.48 ct ~ Gem Quality $158.40 |
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ABALONE PAUA EXTRA LARGE NECKLACE RAINBOW SEA OPALS BRIDAL BRIDE WEDDING NATURAL $149.00 |
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ABALONE PAUA EXTRA LARGE NECKLACE RAINBOW PRISM SEA OPALS BRIDAL WEDDING NATURAL $149.00 |
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Rosette Inlay White Mop, Gold Mop, Black Mop and Paua Abalone for Guitar #RS13 $150.00 |
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7.1″ HEAVY PAUA ABALONE SHELL 925 STERLING SILVER bracelet $149.95 |
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925 STR SILVER LARGE WHOLE ABALONE PAUA GEM PENDANT #1 $149.00 |
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925 STR SILVER LARGE WHOLE ABALONE PAUA GEM PENDANT #2 $149.00 |
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ABALONE PAUA & 925 SILVER SPIDER PENDANT BROOCH / PIN $142.18 |
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JADE SEAFOAM GREEN GEM NECKLACE BIG PAUA MO PEARL SHELL ABALONE SEA OPAL PENDANT $140.68 |
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Photo Mugs Paua (Haliotis iris) interior layer of shell, close-up of iridescent nacre or mother of pearl…. |
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Dramatic gold plated oval cufflinks with abalone/paua shell with presentation box $79.99 Gold plated oval cufflinks set with glorious abalone/paua shell. The cufflinks have a slight step down/lip to the setting. The rich colors of nature truly pop when the light hits the cufflinks. The cufflinks measure 18mm x 14mm. Gift boxed… |
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Paua (Abalone) Shell Long Segmented Hook Earrings $48.00 Elegant sterling silver earrings with segments of Paua shell. Matching pendant also available. *About Blair and Sara’s Paua Shell Jewelry* These shell jewelry are made of genuine Paua – a type of abalone that can only be found on the coastline of New Zealand. Known to produce the most colorful shells of them all, the Paua shells are combined with the elegance of .925 sterling silver to make each… |
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Paua (Abalone) Shell Chunky Segmented Ring A silver ring with enough substance to be worn comfortably by a man … BUT can also be worn by a woman for a bolder look. Three segments of sleek polished Paua shell adorn this clean-cut .925 sterling silver ring. *About Blair and Sara’s Paua Shell Jewelry* These shell jewelry are made of genuine Paua – a type of abalone that can only be found on the coastline of New Zealand. Known to produce th… |
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Photo Jigsaw Puzzle of from Flpa $24.99 Photo Puzzle, Paua (Haliotis iris) interior layer of shell, close-up of iridescent nacre or mother of pearl. Chosen by FLPA. 10×14 Photo Puzzle with 252 pieces. Packed in black cardboard box of dimensions 5 5/8 x 7 5/8 x 1 1/5. Puzzle image 5×7 affixed to box top. Puzzle pieces printed on RA4 paper at 300 dpi. This item is shipped from our American lab…. |
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Tiger Shell Koru Design Hook Earrings $52.00 Tiger shell jewelry rules the tropical-exotic category, with its unique brown and cream markings. These sterling silver earrings feature a “Koru” design – a New Zealand native fern frond symbolizing the beginning of life and continued growth. Matching pendant also available. *About Blair and Sara’s Tiger Shell Jewelry* Tiger shell is a tropical shell that has distinctive colorings reminiscent of… |
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Paua Shell , Solated on White Background with Clipping Path . – 18W x 13H – Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys $30.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l… |
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Paua Shell – 18W x 12H – Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys $30.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l… |