Question about favors!! (somewhat LONG)

Leap29 Posted: Apr 18, 2003 09:52 AM

Question about favors!! (somewhat LONG)

hi girls,

as 'newlyweds', you are the experts...

re: Favors
did you give them out at the end of the night or did you have them on everyone's tables?

we are debating b/c someone pointed out to me that when you start handing out favors--everyone will start to form a receiving line (which i have seen many times) and then you lose at least an hour from dancing & having a good time sine you are saying goodnight to everyone...

we are definitely going to go around all the tables & say hello, thankyou for coming, etc....so i think that guests sholdn't be offended if we don't hand out the gifts one by one.
alos, people leave at different times of the night--so i really don't want to have to worry about running to get the gift before they leave if i'm dancing or talking to someone else...

what did you do??? what should i do?

help!!!

Scoop Posted: Apr 18, 2003 09:55 AM

Re: Question about favors!! (somewhat LONG)

I had a receiving line and handed them out then but only because I did not have one at church. I would place them on the table, especially since you are going around to each table.

Diane Posted: Apr 18, 2003 09:57 AM

Re: Question about favors!! (somewhat LONG)

I had them at the table. Because I knew people would all leave at different times, and some people may not say goodbye and just leave. I didnt want to be bothered by going and getting favors for everyone to take home. I put them on the tables acroos their plates, because they were small enough it didnt clutter the table

Shamee Posted: Apr 18, 2003 09:58 AM

Re: Question about favors!! (somewhat LONG)

Put them on the table. I know with the older folks at my wedding (Grandma and her friends) they got a kick out of figuring out what was in the box - shaking it and stuff. It gave them a little something to do while everyone else was dancing. I think the less work you have to do that day, the better. Let the Maitre D's handle putting them out on the table.

JennRenee Posted: Apr 18, 2003 10:02 AM

Re: Question about favors!! (somewhat LONG)

I had them on the tables. My mother wanted me to do what I call the 'Italian tradition of holding the favor hostage until you get your envelope', But I didn't want to because I wanted to dance all night.

It's a personal choice, and I'm sure whatever you do will be fine.

Niecey Posted: Apr 18, 2003 10:02 AM

Re: Question about favors!! (somewhat LONG)

I put them on the table. I had full sized bottles of wine and was afraid they would clutter the table but no way was I handing them out to everyone (for similar reason described by you). I was also doing one per couple so I could just put them our somewhere and have the guests take their own. I didn't think it looked bad at all.

Actually as I think about it, I have only been to one wedding where the bride and groom handed them out and that was like 5 years ago and I have been to at least 25-30 weddings in the last five years.

Leap29 Posted: Apr 18, 2003 10:06 AM

Re: Question about favors!! (somewhat LONG)

thanks girls!!
jennrenee--i'm in a similar 'european' situation!! LOL

i mentioned this to my mom & i think she is understanding my point...so i think we will probably put the favors on the guest tables.

thanks again!!!

bearsbabe_113 Posted: Apr 18, 2003 10:09 AM

Re: Question about favors!! (somewhat LONG)

I did the traditional Italian thing because my relatives are notorious for taking more then one favor!!!! Plus, my boxes were kind of too big for them all to be put on the table!

You do whatever works best for you!!!! Good luck!

Sonicstef Posted: Apr 18, 2003 10:19 AM

Re: Question about favors!! (somewhat LONG)

Table - some people took more than they were supposed to but I really didnt care. There was no way I was doing yet ANOTHER receiving line to give those out. Plus, I think our favors added to the decor of the table.

Niecey Posted: Apr 18, 2003 10:23 AM

Re: Question about favors!! (somewhat LONG)

LOL- I didn't realize it was the traditional Italian thing to do - LOL - I am surprised my MIL never objected to it!

Teri Posted: Apr 18, 2003 10:24 AM

Re: Question about favors!! (somewhat LONG)

I guess it depends on how big the favor is. I like the idea of putting them on the tables, but since we gave out wine bottles, they didn't fit. So instead we put them on the placecard table for guests to take as they left. We purchased enough wine bottles for each guest, and many only took 1 per couple, but at least everyone saw them on their way out for the night.

janatlantica Posted: Apr 18, 2003 10:26 AM

Re: Question about favors!! (somewhat LONG)

Mine were snowflake and icicle glass ornaments hung on a tree by the coat check. The DJ reminded everyone to take them on the way out.

karen32 Posted: Apr 18, 2003 10:34 AM

Re: Question about favors!! (somewhat LONG)

can i ask a question (or five) - if you did one favor per couple, how did you put them on the table? between two place settings? did people know they were one per couple? did you put extras on the table? i'm just afraid if i put them on the table, a couple will take 2 and then someone at the table won't get one.

thanks!!!

februarybride Posted: Apr 18, 2003 10:35 AM

Re: Question about favors!! (somewhat LONG)

We put ours on the table too...I didn't want to be bothered handing them out at the end of the night or whenever someone was leaving. Definitely much better this way!

verdila Posted: Apr 18, 2003 10:46 AM

Re: Question about favors!! (somewhat LONG)

We put them on the tables (ice cream scoops wrapped in tulle with almonds and ribbon) - but a small line formed even though we visited most of the tables to chat. A lot of people didnt offer their envelopes until the end. So, the line was formed which I DID not want. Oh well, alot of the older guests wanted to say goodbye and all of a sudden line formed. I am Italian (half Sicilian- half neopolitan) and my parents said at their wedding it happened too- where you exchange favor for envelope - funny. My dad said it's to prevent anyone from walking out....the father of the bride would usually be with the bride and groom making sure there was a gift given! I had what's called a 'scarfatuni' bag or money bag to hold the envelopes. Anyone ever hear it called that? We got all money gifts and one present.... which i was happy with.

shamma Posted: Apr 18, 2003 11:40 AM

Re: Question about favors!! (somewhat LONG)

What we did was walk around with the cd's in our hand and as we were greeting guests we handed them to them. It worked out nicely. I also assigned my MOH the duty to make sure everyone got a cd

Leap29 Posted: Apr 18, 2003 11:43 AM

Re: Question about favors!! (somewhat LONG)

i totally didn't think about if people take more than one gift per couple. (i have a feeling that will happen knowing some of the 'older generation europeans')......hmmmm.....what should i do???

maybe we can have the waiters tell everyone at the table that it is one per couple???? is that tacky?????

HeatherandNick Posted: Apr 18, 2003 11:49 AM

Re: Question about favors!! (somewhat LONG)

we used picture frames and had everyones placecard placed inside them. So they had them before they went into the reception. We also put life savers - wrapped as 'Love Savers' on each persons plate.