wedding favours

Wedding favours are a gift, most commonly, a small one, that is given to each of your guests as a gesture of thanks for attending your wedding and helping to celebrate your special day. Traditionally each guest received five sugared almonds (to represent five wishes: health, wealth, happiness, fertility and longevity) wrapped in a delicate tulle parcel, known in the wedding world as a bomboniere.

It is your choice whether you stick to tradition and have sugared almonds, a quantity of five of your favourites to represent the five wishes, or indeed have favours at all.

Edible wedding favours

Chocolate is a popular choice for favours and many couples go for ease by using for example Thorntons' chocolate duo wrapped and ready to go, which will always go down well.

However, for those of you who have less guests to cater for and a bit of time to get your hands a little messy, why not make your own? Better still, invite your Baking Buddy round and make them together.

I love the beautiful Nigella, who makes creating wonderfully delicious anythings sooooooo easy, not to mention glamorous. I share her passion for chocolate and I'm sure most of your recipients will too when they tuck into these mini indulgences.

Nigella Lawson's Chocolate Truffles covered in pistachios, coconut or nuts

Ooops. I've misplaced the recipe. I will upload it soon.

Nigella Lawson's Chocolate & Pistachio Fudge

Ingredients

350g/12oz dark chocolate, at least 70 per cent cocoa solids, chopped

1 x 397g/14oz can condensed milk

30g/1oz butter

pinch salt

150g/5¼oz unsalted pistachios, shells removed

Method

1. Place the chopped chocolate, condensed milk, butter and salt into a heavy-based pan over a low heat and stir until melted and well combined.

2. Place the nuts into a freezer bag and bash them with a rolling pin, until broken up into some large and some small pieces.

3. Add the nuts to the melted chocolate mixture and stir well.

4. Pour the mixture into a 23cm/9in square tray, smoothing the top with a wet palette knife.

5. Let the fudge cool, then refrigerate until set.

6. Cut into small pieces approximately 3cm x 2cm/1¼in x ¾in. Cutting 7 x 7 lines in the tin to give 64 pieces best achieves this.

7. Once cut, the fudge can be kept in the freezer - there's no need to thaw, just eat straight away.

Making your gifts look pretty

Wrap them in cellophane or even place in a pretty box and tie with a ribbon,

finish with an oversized bow. 

A gift tag with the recipe on creates an instant wow factor as it is then that the recipient realises how special this non-bought gift is.
(As well as encouraging them to have fun making their own).


'A little handmade gift especially for you
to act as a token of thanks, appreciation & mutual celebration.
With love from Mr & Mrs.'


make your own wedding favours

'Star' mince pies

Obviously they don't have to be favours. They make good accompaniments to your welcome drinks and your after meal coffee.

Don't wait until your wedding either. These home-made indulgent goodies are always greatly received at any time of the year, especially when you need a chocolate fix.

Crafty favours

Of course your favours do not have to be edible. I had lots of fun making all sorts of little craft projects before I settled for 'Hanging Hearts'.

I made mine out of clay. All you need is clay, a rolling pin, heart cutter, some gorgeous ribbon and plenty of time, patience and determination when things get a bit repetitive! This is what they looked like before they had dried or been sanded and painted and tied with the gorgeous ribbon. I made the pattern effect by rolling a lacy fabric over the clay. (This idea was pinched from 'Creating your perfect wedding')