Favour fever

I require an assembly line to package them up!

One thing I thought I'd be able to dispense from my wedding budget was the favours.
To me, favours are dust collectors that you're ashamed to throw out – lest the bride and groom pay you an impromptu visit or something. That is, unless you fork out $20 a pop for them and get something worthwhile, like a beautiful jewellery box or photo frame that people can use in their homes and actually remember you by.

So I thought I'd do something fun instead.Like a pack of matches for each guest with that clever 'Perfect Match' pun on them, and a few sugared almonds to finish the look in a little homage instead. My parents however, could not comprehend that matches were considered "acceptable bonbonniere" and given that a lot of Lebanese weddings were judged on appearance and the effort thrown into them, I could see where they were coming from, at least where their guests were concerned. And so another headache was thrown into the planning mix: brainstorming favours we all liked, and making sure they fit into our budget.

I hate clutter and I am not ashamed to say it.
Somehow, I couldn't see super miniature salt-and-pepper shakers, or teeny weeny frames, making the kind of statement that I feel bomboniere should. Luckily for me, dad was on the same page. Unluckily for me, his ideas were as far removed from reality as time travel and 70% Chanel sales (by the way, I am wishing someone would get onto these ASAP). He insisted we get guests some venetian glass photo frames (starting prices of $15 or so) and engrave each guest's name on it  ($1 per letter anyone?). Eventually, I had to make it clear that with a guest list  of 360 people or so, and a very slim probability of winning the Powerball, his plans were out of the question.

In the end, we met in the middle, and got each lot of invitees a set of coasters.
They were practical, nice and had a purpose. They set us back $6.50 each, and will require an assembly line of family and friends to package them up with the sugared almonds (a tradition I was not prepared to forego considering they symbolised fertility, longevity, happiness, health and wealth) and the little thank you tag that is the favour du jour for all weddings.

Another drama sorted, another cost I couldn't avoid. But at least it is all slowly coming together in a timely fashion, and considering we're entering the three and a half month mark, it's about time.