The idea of giving wedding favors or bomboniere is a very old tradition, traditionally crystal, silver or porcelain or precious stones were given to guests as a momento of the couples special day.
In the thirteenth century the idea of giving out confetti, sugared almonds (not the paper confetti that we know and love in the UK) were given to guests during the wedding feast to symbolize the good wishes for the happy couple. The bitterness of the almonds and the sweetness of the sugared coating is also said to represent the bitter sweetness of a marriage.
The two were then married together so that a small gift would be adorned with a tulle sack tied with ribbon with 5 sugared almonds, representing the wishes for the couple inside: health, wealth, happiness, long life and fertility.
For a wedding the sugared almonds should be white although many different colours are also available today, Italians however have these colour coded for other special events blue for a boy, pink for a girl, red for graduation, silver for a silver wedding anniversary and gold for a golden wedding anniversary, so if you don't want to upset the locals then white it is!
Today in Italy lots of Italian couples now have a confetti corner, where their guests can help themselves to a selection of sugared almonds and there are so many different delicious mouth watering flavours to choose from: ricotta & pear, orange, strawberry, lemon, coconut, chocolate, champagne, tiramisu the list is endless... and you can find them all in the little specialist stores here in Italy and I'm sure that it's something that will catch on for destination weddings here too.
Nowadays there are wealth of ideas for wedding favours, photo frames, alcohol, olive oil, fans, candles to name but a few but if your looking for something that won't break the bank but will bring a bit of sparkle to your table then how about these lovely bomboniere?
With prices starting from £1.50 for the basic bomboniere in any colour which will compliment your wedding theme and for a little extra you can add flowers, feathers, butterflies, jewels and anything else that is in keeping with your wedding theme. These Bombonieres are made by Rhoda and English lady living in Tuscany and if you'd like some more information about them drop me a line and I'll put you in touch with her.
Thanks for the info on Italian wedding traditions. And those bombonieres would be so pretty in all-white, too!
Would you give me Rhoda's contact / website as I'm getting married in Tuscany in June & would love something like these traditional favours. Many thanks, jo