The wedding tradition, when the bride and groom give each other pleasant surprises in the form of gifts, is known to many. But relatively recently, another tradition that came to us from Western countries began to gain popularity.
It is customary there to present small souvenirs to everyone present as a sign of gratitude and respect from the newlyweds.
Some people wonder: is it necessary or not? In any case, it's up to you, but this is not just a nice gesture or a fashion statement. After all, people come to share with you the most tender moment in life, and for this you should thank them.
And your closest ones will be present at the holiday - this way you will have the opportunity to share your joy with them. Try presenting jam - it's inexpensive and literally delicious!
Making confiture
Sweets will delight anyone. Therefore, a great original idea for a gift for all wedding guests would be jam. You can buy ready-made jars of dessert in supermarkets, but it’s even better to make it yourself, especially during the season. You can decorate them in a variety of ways.
The style of your wedding will give you ideas for decoration:
- Vintage style. Calm pastel colors are used here - pink, white, coffee, gray or soft green. These colors are suitable for decorating the lids of jam jars. Wrap them on top with equal pieces of fabric, tying them with thread. The thread can be regular twine or ribbon. You can also use these shades for postcards, indicating the initials of the newlyweds and the wedding date on them, and write words of gratitude on the reverse side. You can secure the cards in the form of labels, wrap them around the jars, tie them or glue them to the lids. Having delivered this gift for tea, the guests will once again remember the newlyweds and wish them happiness.
- Retro. Everything here should look like it was taken out of grandma's chest. By the way, jam prepared as wedding gifts can be placed in an old chest. This way you will have it at your fingertips. For decoration, it is better to use white colors, lace, satin ribbons or beads.
- Classic style. You can even color it with such an original gift as jars of jam. And leave your signature recipe on the back of the cards. It could be something familiar, like apple jam, or something exotic.
Wedding bonbonnieres
They are presented packaged in small boxes or bags called bonbonnieres. This word comes from the French “bonbon”, which means small candy. According to tradition (and bonbonnieres came to us from Europe), the newlyweds put 5 sweets in boxes for their guests, which symbolized 5 things: a long family life, joy, luck, health and material well-being. What are modern wedding bonbonnieres like?
Wedding bonbonnieres: types
The beautiful ritual of presenting wedding bonbonnieres to guests is only gaining popularity in our country. But as far as their design is concerned, there are no rules or restrictions - newlyweds can choose any options for such gifts for guests to their taste. As a rule, bonbonnieres are bags or boxes containing sweets or souvenirs. But if you wish, you can give your guests small pots with live plants, small jars of jam or candied fruits, even a lollipop decorated in a wedding theme! The main thing is that the gift is pleasant and reminds guests of the time spent at the wedding.
Ѵ The filling for all bonbonnieres must be the same for all guests, otherwise one of them may be offended. An exception can be made for little wedding guests - sweets are always the best gift for them!
Today, in any store or on a wedding accessories website you can buy a variety of ready-made bonbonnieres. This is very convenient when many guests are invited to the wedding, and there are still a lot of different things to do before the celebration. But if you are inviting up to 50 friends and relatives and like to craft, it is quite possible to make bonbonnieres yourself. This way you will show your guests how precious they are to you; you can create them in any style, in accordance with the style of the wedding and the color scheme of the room. Small cards hand-signed by the newlyweds and attached to bonbonnieres look very touching.
Traditionally, bonbonnieres were awarded at the end of the celebration, before serving dessert. But now, quite often, they are immediately placed on the table near a card with the name of each guest, or they are laid out on a separate table so that the guests can take them themselves. Make sure there are 4-5 more gifts than guests to avoid a possible unpleasant situation.
Bonbonniere bags: options
Bonbonniere bags for weddings are the simplest and most inexpensive option. At the same time, they look very elegant and solemn. The color and material of such bags are usually selected to match the color and style of the wedding. They can be beautifully tied with a contrasting ribbon, decorated with a bow, added a card, a small keychain, decorated with beads or rhinestones, etc. The main thing is that the size of the bag matches the size of the gift placed in the middle. They can be made from almost any material (and it will take a minimum of time to make them yourself). The most popular are:
Brocade bags
This beautiful, dense material perfectly matches the solemnity of the wedding. It’s quite easy to work with, it holds its shape well and looks very festive. Opting for brocade bags is especially appropriate if other wedding accessories (cushion for rings, decorations for glasses) and room decor are made of the same material.
Silk and satin bags
Bags made of silk and satin look solemn and stylish. But due to the “capriciousness” of these materials, making bonbonnieres from them with your own hands can be difficult. It’s easier and better to buy ready-made bags.
Organza bags
This material looks airy, weightless and delicate, like a bride's veil. Therefore, it is very popular for making bonbonnieres. In addition, it does not need to be processed - just wrap the gift in a piece of organza of the required size and tie it beautifully. It’s just important to remember that this is a transparent material, that is, the souvenir will be immediately visible. Accordingly, you can’t put anything inside that could break; it’s also inappropriate to put candies from which powder or sugar will fall out.
Burlap and linen bags
A very popular material for wedding bonbonnieres. Such bags are especially appropriate for weddings in a fashionable rustic style and themed celebrations. They look very cute and touching and match any color scheme chosen for the wedding. Plus, bags made from these natural materials can later be used by housewives to store some small items. Lace, ribbons, buttons, etc. are ideal for decoration.
Bonbonniere box
The most economical option is to purchase cardboard bonbonniere boxes. Or make them yourself. There are plenty of simple patterns, as well as tips for making them, on the Internet (below you will find several interesting options). Ready-made cardboard boxes can look very stylish and unusual: they are decorated with embossing, figured perforation, partially or fully laminated, and made from designer paper. But, of course, their cost is higher than simple bonbonnieres.
You can also find plastic bonbonnieres on sale. They are made both transparent and colored and come in a variety of shapes, sizes and types. There are also expensive, exclusive glass bonbonnieres - they look the most unusual, attractive and elegant.
What to put in the bonbonniere?
If previously only sweets, candied fruits and other sweets were placed in bonbonnieres, today there are no such restrictions. Guests are also given:
- Commemorative magnets with the wedding date and names (photos) of the newlyweds;
- Handmade shaped soap;
- Bath bombs;
- Small notebooks;
- Mini versions of cosmetics;
- Baking;
- Mini versions of expensive alcohol;
- Decorative candles, etc.
In a word, you can give your guests anything, the main thing is that the gift pleases them!
Simple recipes
We can recommend several jam recipes if you want to make a surprise yourself:
- From heavenly apples. For 1 kg of apples you need 1.3 kg of sugar and 2 glasses of water. The apples are washed, keeping the tails (they will make the jam viscous and give it an unusual taste). Pour in the prepared syrup and leave for a day. Then the syrup is drained, brought to a boil, and the apples are poured again. This is done again a day later. Then the jam is boiled over low heat, collecting the foam, until it thickens.
- From melon and watermelon. You will need 1 kg of melons, 1.2 kg of sugar, lemon and a glass of water. The peeled pulp of watermelon and seedless melon is cut into small cubes and sprinkled with 400 g of sugar. Leave in the cold for 2 hours. Then add lemon cut into strips. A syrup is boiled from the remaining sugar and water and added to the candied pulp. Cook until thickened.
How to give
The way a gift is given is no less important than the gift itself. So, you can present your jam to guests in the following situations:
- During competitions, this is how you prepare the guests, and everything will be fun and relaxed. Organize, for example, a game: who can find their soul mate the fastest. To do this, prepare cards in advance with the names of famous lovers: Romeo and Juliet, Adam and Eve and distribute them to the guests. Those who find their soul mates will receive a prize - a jar of sweets.
- You can present a prepared surprise when guests give a gift to the newlyweds. You will present yours in response.
- The traditional way is to place gifts for guests near their plates. Then, when they leave, they can take them with them.
- The tradition of organizing a “candy bar”, where various sweets are laid out, has become fashionable. Here you can beautifully arrange jars of sweets and announce to guests that they can pick them up when it is convenient for them. And the table can be decorated with candles or flowers.
- You can pleasantly surprise everyone at the end of the celebration, when everyone starts going home. This method is more suitable for small weddings. After all, the bride and groom will have to do everything personally. The main thing here is not to miss anyone and give everyone a little attention; the guests will be so pleased.
The method of delivery must be thought out in advance. The main thing is to prepare your guests and make sure that no one leaves empty-handed.
In jars
An interesting idea instead of a standard candy dish is to use a jar.
It can be used to pack spices, seasonings, honey, jam, candies, marshmallows, marmalade and seasonal berries. Jars can be round, square, rectangular. You can’t make them with your own hands, so they choose from the assortment available in stores.
The material can be glass or plastic.
Decoration: inscriptions, stickers, ribbons, lace, and more
They are purchased in a store and decorated with ribbons, artistic painting, and the initials of the newlyweds.
Jars decorated with lace or fabric look original. The lid looks beautiful with fabric glued to it and the neck tied with a bow of braid or ribbon. The jar decorated with lace looks delicate.
The young couple's initials are painted on the lid or decorated with their photograph. An original wish to the guests is written on the label on the side. A jar painted with acrylic paints will be a good memory. You can draw a cake, large initials of the bride and groom, or any other wedding accessory.
Jars of spices covered with a cork lid look original.
What can you put in a bonbonniere jar?
You can put any gift in the jar. It could be a chocolate covered almond, it is considered a symbol of love. Five nuts symbolize health, longevity, fertility, happiness, and prosperity.
As a symbol of the honeymoon, the container is filled with aromatic honey or jam. A jar filled with colored lollipops, candies, marshmallows, marmalade, and marshmallows will look beautiful.
An interesting idea is to fill the gift with spices that can be added to tea: turmeric, coriander, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, etc.
This video will tell you what you can put in a wedding bonbonniere:
Gifts should not be too expensive - it is a sign of attention and gratitude to the guests. When choosing a gift, it is important to emphasize the individuality of the couple and the originality of the wedding celebration and present a surprise that will be remembered for a long time.
