Destination Wedding Favor Ideas

Approximately 10% of the couples getting married will have a destination wedding. A destination wedding is a wedding ceremony or celebration typically outside of the couples state of residence.

The most popular destination wedding locations are:

1. Las Vegas
2. Hawaii
3. U.S. Virgin Islands
4. Jamaica
5. Bahamas

Many couples travel to areas within the united states that offer beautiful scenery for the purpose of ambiance or to a destination where they may have first met.

With destination weddings becoming more popular, another item added to a brides agenda my be ensuring their out-of-town guests are provided with all the comfort items necessary to make their overnight stay a pleasant one.

One way to make your guests' stay enjoyable and memorable is to have a wedding guest thank you gift or care package in a personalized 8" x 5" x 10" gift bag, displayed on the vanity or night stand of each hotel room, welcoming them to your city and your wedding weekend.

Fill each custom printed gift bag with bottled water and snacks or homemade treats. Maybe you want to add a little romance to your guests' wedding weekend. Try a scented candle, a small bottle of champagne with a couple of glasses and some fresh strawberries or other non-perishable fruit or snack. Use your imagination and be creative.

Assemble you guest welcome bags and box them up before you leave for you destination. This will make it easy to transport and deliver to your hotel. In some cases, you may want to wait until you have arrived at your wedding location to assemble your gift bags. Your may want to add items found locally or, in the case of fresh food favors, it is always best to add to your welcome gifts no more than 24 hours before your guests arrival.

Once you have created your guest welcome bags, your hotel management will be happy to place a bag in each of your guests' hotel rooms prior to their arrival.

Your wedding guests will be delighted to find such a treasure when they check in to their hotel rooms and nothing will make them feel more at home and appreciated than a personal message from the bride and groom.

Best Wishes Always,

Ray

My Wedding Reception Ideas

Pinching Pennies on Wedding Favors Can Cost You A Lot!

In 2005, it is estimated that couples will spend between $2,000.00 and $250,000.00 on their wedding with the average being $25,000.00.

Major wedding expenses include, the honeymoon, wedding dress, invitations and wedding reception. After the major expenses have been appropriated, many couples find themselves "pinching pennies" for wedding details including bridal accessories, wedding favors and wedding party gifts to accomodate their remaining wedding budget.

Brides and Grooms sift through the internet, looking for the "best deal" to finalize their wedding accessory and favor details. Too often, they realized the hard way "you get what you pay for".

Here are a few tips to ensure your get exactly what you pay for, regardless of cost.

Make A List

Before you go looking for accessories, favors or gifts for your wedding, set down and make a list. Write it down! If you don't write it down, you will be a target for indecisiveness and sales pressure.

Your list should include the following outline:

1. Your Wedding Theme
2. Wedding Colors
3. Weddnig Location
4. Number of Expected Guests
5. Members of Your Wedding Party (Maid of Honor, Bridesmaids, Flower Girl, Best Man, Groomsmen, Ring Bearer, Mother and Father of the Bride/Groom
6. Accessory and Favor items needed

With this list, you now an have a deliberate path to pursue.

Compare Products

Your are now ready to go shopping. Before you start comparing prices, compare products! Too often, couples purchase items based on price, not what they really want. Quality

Compare Service

Also paramount to pricing is service quality. Finding a great price but receiving poor customer service can be stressful and disappointing! Availability of shipping is also a factor.

Compare Prices

You've compared products for quality, styles, options and colors to suite your needs. You have also compared companies for service quality and availability. It is now time to compare prices.

If two or more companies offer the same quality products and services, pricing is a no-brainer. Go with the best price.

But, let's say Company A offers a lower price than Company B but company A does not provide a contact number or has no customer reviews. Company B's prices are a bit higher but you can speak to a live person and their website offers satisfied customer reviews. Save yourself potential stress or disaster and pay a little more.

Make Your Purchase

The steps and preparation listed above will make you an "informed consumer" with a deliberate agenda to purchase the items you need for your wedding with the best quality, service and prices.

Remember, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is" and "You get what you pay for"

Health, Happiness and Prosperity to you in your new journey together.

Ray,

My Wedding Reception Ideas

What Are Wedding Favors?

Wedding favors are the fifth most popular item searched for on the internet by brides and grooms looking for information, ideas and supplies for their wedding day. (I'll tell you the most popular wedding item searched for at the end of this article)
What are wedding favors? Webster's Dictionary defines wedding as” a marriage ceremony usually with its accompanying festivities" and favor as "a small gift or decorative item given out at a party". From these two definitions we can conclude that wedding favors are small gifts or decorative items given to guests during a wedding celebration.

Small Gifts as Wedding Favors
Let's look at "small gifts" as wedding favors. Small gifts in the traditional sense could include chocolates, candies, cookies or other sweet treats. Just about everyone enjoys a sweet treat to tie them over to the main course or as an after-dinner dessert. Pillow mints and Jordan almonds are very popular at wedding receptions. Consider giving your guests a candy bar wrapped with a personalized wrapper or grandma's special cookies packaged in a personalized favor box or candy bag.

An instant lottery ticket neatly concealed in an envelope or custom printed favor box makes a unique wedding favor with a surprise twist. Wouldn't it be exciting if on of the wedding guests scratched their lotto ticket and won $100.00 or even $10,000.00!

What about a long term gift wedding guests can enjoy long after your wedding is over? Wedding placecard picture frames and personalized votive candle holders are inexpensive and can be used over and over. Personalized glassware including champagne flutes and wine glasses are more expensive but will be cherished for years to come as a collectible keepsake of the joyous occasion.

Inviting over-night guests from out-of-town? Scented soaps, lotions and candles neatly presented in a gift bag with a personal thank you message make great gifts for overnight guests to use in their hotel rooms. One of our favorite gift ideas for overnight guests is a personalized gift bag containing a small bottle of champagne, two toasting glasses and a romantic treat like chocolate-covered strawberries. After all, this is a very romantic event!
Let's not forget the children. With an attention span as long as a New York minute, it is always a good idea to provide a wedding favor just for the kids. How about a miniature puzzle or some crayons and a small coloring book to occupy their time? Wedding bubbles are a traditional favor and great fun for the kids!

These are just a few ideas when considering favors for your wedding reception. The possibilities for unique wedding favor ideas are limited only to your imagination.

Decorative Items as Wedding Favors

Next, let's explore "decorative items" as wedding favors. A decorative item could be anything from personalized napkins on the reception tables to the cake topper on the wedding cake or a wedding collection including a guest book and pen set for guests to sign as they enter the reception hall. How about the cake server set or place cards and holders? Many couples like to add personalized swizzles and coasters or plastic tumblers to the cocktail or juice bar.

The question running through every bride and groom's mind is "what kind of favor do we want to give to our wedding guests to show our appreciation for their attendance?" Again, the possibilities are limited only to the imagination. Many wedding couples already have some wedding favor ideas based on weddings they have attended previously for a friend or family member. Based on conversations I have with brides on a daily basis, the most common theme is presenting their guests with unique wedding favors.

Personalized Wedding Favors

Looking for a unique idea for your wedding favors? Let me suggest personalized printing. Yes, I'm sure you may have been to other weddings that used personalized wedding gifts or decorative items; but I'll bet they didn't have your names, wedding date or special thank you message printed on them, did they?
Your wedding is unique! Not other wedding will be quite like yours. Celebrate your uniqueness with personalized wedding favors including gifts and decorative items. Print your names and wedding date on decorative items including wedding napkins for the cocktail bar, buffet, dinner tables or cake table. Your guests will admire them and they will be a nice addition to your scrapbook.

Personalized votive candles with matchbooks make a wonderful decoration and a nice thank you gift for your guests to take home. Place card picture frames will be used for favorite pictures of the wedding couple, children or grandchildren for years to follow.

Choose a wedding favor theme that reflects you and your spouse's interests or hobbies. Your family and friends know your likes and dislikes better than you think and will admire favors reflecting those unique qualities that make you a perfect couple.

Hopefully you are preparing for your wedding day months in advance and have time to set back and discuss every detail of your wedding day. Don't Rush! Take your time and know that you are making the right choices. Above all, remember this is your day. It belongs to you and no one else.

Oh yeah.. at the beginning of this article I said I would tell you the number one most popular wedding item searched for on the internet. Drumroll please... The number on wedding item searched for on the internet today is "wedding dresses".

Best wishes on your new and exciting journey together! May you be blessed with health, happiness and prosperity always.

RayMy Wedding Reception Ideas