Today we are joined by the fabulous Maria Vainella of Bomboniere by Maria to discuss all things Bomboniere, and whether you should DIY your favours (*spoiler* you totally can!).

It has been said that couples have been giving favours to their guests since the 16th century. They are considered one of the most important wedding accessory needed to celebrate your big day and are well received by guests. Originally they were only given by people in the upper-class bracket. The French used to give out “Bombonieres” to their guests or “Bomboniera” as they are called in Italy. These were well presented boxes, normally made of crystal or porcelain and would contain bombons. Over time the contents of these boxes have gone from bombons to almonds to sugared almonds and to the fantastic array and choice of presenting them that we have today. Sugared almonds are still very widely used and are a popular choice. Traditionally 5 white sugared almonds represent Health, Wealth, Happiness, Love, and Fertility for the happy couple.

Adding a personal touch to your wedding is a great way to show your guests how much you love and appreciate them. Coming to celebrate your special day and give you good wishes. You want to give them something special to keep.
Making your own favours, adds an even more special touch, adding your personality. People really appreciate something handmade, especially for them.
I want to share with you my tips and take you on a journey, the same journey and process I use with my clients to help me design and create the perfect wedding favours and Bomboniere for them.

Work out your style

When you start planning your wedding, you will probably put together a mood board. Flicking endlessly through the internet is a great source of inspiration for wedding planning. Pinning lots of images of things you like. At first, it’s best to just save everything you are drawn to and this will help you to find the theme, style, and vibe of your wedding. These decisions will play a big part in the design of your favours.

Your venue

One of the first things you book is your venue. You may have been thinking for a while or had a dream growing up of the kind of venue you want. There are so many styles to choose from. From luxury hotels to country barns, and fun and quirky festival style tents. Think about how you want your whole style to tie in, you may fall in love with a luxury hotel with ornate decoration, but you like rustic style decoration and a more casual look, this will not go. Remember the look and feel of your venue will determine the overall look of your wedding. This is also important to help you choose your favours to fit in seamlessly with the rest of the style.

Your Flowers

I always ask my clients what flowers they are having. As wedding favours are often decorated with craft flowers and ribbons to match your theme. My advise is to keep the favour boxes or pouches neutral and add colour with the decoration, this creates a more elegant look and the colours of the ribbon and decoration pop out. 

There are so many flowers which come in craft form in paper or foam and you can find an array online. Pick a flower that you are having in your bouquet and displays and use this on your favours to tie in. When the favours are on your tables and everything ties in, it will look really nice.

Once you have chosen your venue and style of your wedding, it’s easier to choose Wedding favours and other details for your big day. Whether it’s an elegant romantic, rustic, colourful or boho theme, Bomboniere By Maria can design favours to suit, using flowers and ribbons to set the vibe. 

You can see from the images above how all of the favours and Bomboniere sit proudly on the tables, popping out and adding interest, but at the same time blending in with the flowers, the décor and the setting.

I have over 10 years of experience designing and creating for clients and a variety of venues across the UK, constantly learning and keeping up with trends whilst still keeping tradition in mind. 

I understand with our everchanging world that sometimes we have to compromise on the “nice to haves” but not anymore. You can now learn how to make your own favours and present them taught to you by an expert.

I have a FREE challenge coming up. Join me for 3 fun and interactive days to help you on your journey, so you can have beautiful favours. Be in a group with others to share your ideas and your wedding planning journey and win some prizes along the way. Who doesn’t love a prize!!

Get your wedding party together, make a day of it with some prosecco thrown in and enjoy the process.

26^th – 28^th September 2022. See you there!