Wedding favors can cause many couples stress. Trying to find the perfect "thank you" for so many different personalities and age groups can be a little difficult. Consider what you would like to receive. What types of items does your theme suggest? Are there local goodies or specialties in your area? Large numbers of small gifts are hard to personalize, but some careful thought will help.
Look at your wedding theme and compare with your wedding favors. Small glitter is now available in many shapes and these can be added to any wrapped candy treat. If your theme is angels, try gold foil chocolate kisses tied up in tulle with angel glitter sprinkled in. For a country wedding, cowboy hats and boots mix nicely with two small chocolate bars. For the traditional almonds and mints, wrap the treats up in netting and overlay those with glitter and tulle. Oriental Trading Company carries all shapes and sizes of cutouts and glitter to spark your creativity. For a fall wedding theme, trial size bags of coffees or specialty teas can be placed in mini bushel baskets for guests. A spring wedding highlighting Easter could offer small speckled eggs or miniature birdhouse ornaments. For destination weddings, consider gift certificates to local attractions, such as tickets to the museum or an art festival.
Another place for ideas is your wedding venue. Barbecuing can be considered a competitive sport in Missouri. If your reception plans include an old-fashioned hog roast or a backyard barbecue, consider offering your guests small bottles of Show Me State sauces. Line up the bottles on a table arranged by flavor or nestle them in baskets and allow guests to choose from tangy, spicy or sweet varieties. Hearty pancake and buckwheat mixes are available, all made by your neighbors. Sorghums and black strap molasses were a tradition in my Missouri childhood and these richly flavored toppings are available in small bottles for guests to try at home. Missouri has a long and storied history with its fruit wines. Traditional blackberry, gooseberry and plum varieties, made from locally grown produce, are widely available. Crown Valley Winery, in Ste. Genevieve, offers all the traditional favorites. You can use their label design service or upload your own clip art image to match your invitations and programs. Seasoning mixes, cookies, and handmade soaps can be found all with Made in Missouri labels.
If your wedding will be hosting a majority of out of state guests, look to the Amish for Missouri accents. From a personal standpoint, nothing says Missouri more than Amish fudge or peanut brittle. The Missouri Mercantile, in Hazelwood, offers a full selection of Amish favorites, including gooseberry jams, rhubarb jellies and maple pecan fudge. The Amish Country store in Branson is another great resource.
When looking for wedding favors, think back to the weddings you have attended. What items did you receive that you enjoyed? Check out the local community surrounding your venue for homemade treats and specialties. Look for favors which convey your appreciation to your guests. Extravagant gift baskets or expensive gifts are not necessary. Missouri wedding favors are about the thought, not the price. Give a token that comes from your hearts and any item you choose will be appreciated.