Laser Engraved Cutting Boardas a Wedding Favor.

Among all the myriad decisions a bride and groom must make, choosing the wedding favor is often last on the list, when they are simply too tired to care. But they are an essential part of the ritual and guests expect one.

Here is a look at the long history of wedding gifts and at some of the worst and the best choices.

History

Favors for guests have been part of the wedding day for centuries. Love knots were the big thing at English ceremonies in the 1500s. Made from lace and ribbon, they were an emblem of the bride’s and groom’s bond of love.

Appropriately enough, in France food was the big thing. Little bonbonnieres contained fancy confections rich in sugar, packaged in special boxes made of crystal, porcelain, or metal and precious stones.

Giving favors, symbolizing the love the marriage couple had for one another, were a way to wish the same for guests at the wedding. Jordon almonds, still a common wedding favor, came to represent good fortune. These favors were made up of five almonds, or later pieces of candy, one each for health, fertility, happiness, longevity and wealth.

Over time the types of gifts varied widely. Sometimes they had personal meaning for the couple, for the time of year, or had to do with current events. Today’s favors come in all shapes and sizes, handmade or store-bought, useful or clutter-makers.

Impractical Favors

As one wedding guest pointed out, anything that creates clutter in her house goes in the category of useless wedding favor. Some online commenters have mentioned things like:

• Three-foot feathered birds from a craft store
• Mauve lipstick, a discontinued color, from a network marketing cosmetic firm
• A coaster with the bride’s baby picture on it—no groom in sight
• A monogrammed can cozy
• Plastic key chains, which break quickly

Choosing a Useful Favor

Wedding guests love two types of favors. One is something they can enjoy immediately, like a bottle of wine.

The other is something they can use for the long term. As a choice for a wedding favor that can be used over and over again, nothing tops a cutting board with the couple’s names and the wedding date laser engraved on the side.

Cutting boards are useful in the kitchen, hobby area and workroom. They can get a daily workout and still last for a lifetime. Each use brings back fond memories of the wedding ceremony and your friendship.

Small Cutting boards are practical, in-demand and attractive. The wood surface just gets better looking with age and use. Instead of another piece of clutter, it is a useful piece of home equipment and an attractive memento that displays well on a counter or hung up on the wall.

They can be used for cutting everything from vegetables to model airplane parts. They make great cutting boards to serve cheese and meat to guests. They are handy for do-it-yourselfers in their workrooms.

When it’s time to choose a wedding favor, choose a practical gift like a cutting board. Your guests will love you for it.