Food favors are always a great idea. They’re practical, provide a tasty takeaway, and out-of-town guests appreciate a little something to snack on back at the hotel.  Who needs another knick-knack cluttering up their house? My newest favor finds are these unique confections by Bon Bon Brittle.

Bon Bon Brittle makes classic brittle candies with a twist.  With flavors like Green Tea Brittle made with almonds and Japanese matcha, or  Bacon Chipotle Peanut Brittle, you’re sure to bring a bit of surprise to your favors.  For something more traditional, try their Divine Almond or Crazy Good Chocolate Brittle. Bon Bon Brittle provides custom favor packaging for weddings, personalizing orders with your desired colors, ribbons, and your own message. Check them out at bonbonbrittle.etsy.com.

If you’ve spent any time on wedding blogs, you’ve likely come across photos of a candy bar. Candy bars—referring to containers of colorful sweets guests can munch on and/or bag up as wedding favors—are a great way to move beyond the traditional cake-only reception. Guests can self-serve, freeing your staff and family members up for more important things than passing out rounds of cake slices.

But rather than filling apothecary jars with plain-Jane M&Ms and jordan almonds in your wedding colors, explore candies that are out of the ordinary. Find retro candies online at places like Economy Candy and Dylan’s Candy Bar or, even better, head over to Fiona’s Sweet Shoppe near Union Square in San Francisco.

Shop owner Fiona moved to San Francisco in 2005 and immediately missed her favorite sweets from her native United Kingdom.  She set aside her work in medicine for a career in candy, and she now sources sweets from across the pond and brings them to you via her small Sutter Street sweetery.

Fiona’s Sweet Shoppe’s offerings are unique, with creations like mango licorice, boiled sweets, strawberry bootlaces, and more. Below you’ll see chocolate toffee robin’s eggs, mini Rolos, and brown sugar cube licorice.

To really seal the deal, pick up some authentic metal candy scoops (I’ve found them at Kamei), tie colorful ribbons to the handles, and provide glassine bags your guests can scoop and snack from.

Fiona’s Sweet Shoppe

214 Sutter Street, San Francisco CA 94108

415-399-9992

www.fionassweetshoppe.com

Last weekend I attended a bridal shower.  I, like most people, dread bridal showers because they usually involve playing silly games that make the bride and/or guests look ridiculous and sitting around for hours watching the bride open her presents.  At one shower I went to the bride spent three hours opening presents.  Three hours!!

I have a friend who believes that low expectations breed positive results, and in this particular case he was dead on.  The Disney themed shower I went to last weekend wildly surpassed any expectations I had for bridal showers by providing us with good food, entertaining games, and quick present opening.  Here are some of the things I liked the best about the shower:

The Theme

I think that picking a fun theme is a great idea.  The Disney theme brought a different and fun atmosphere to the shower because it made the shower feel more casual and fun. The decorations were very cute and included Mickey Mouse centerpieces for the table, nametags with a Mickey Mouse outline, and a Mickey and Minnie topper on the cake.

Not every bride is a Disney nut, but when throwing a shower you can think about the bride and some of her favorite things and choose a theme that way.  Some ideas I have come up with include: the beach, Napa (wine and cheese), or old movies.

Games

This shower had some of the most fun bridal shower games I have ever participated in.  My favorite was the “Price Is Right” game.  The groom went to The Home Depot and took pictures with the items he needed for his “honey-do list.”  These photos included him holding a hammer, sitting inside a trash can,  and with a toilet seat around his neck.  Everyone had to guess how much the items cost individually and the person closest to the actual cost, but not over, got a point.  The person with the most right at the end was the winner.  The game was really hard, but that, along with the great pictures of the groom, made it super fun.  My other favorite game was gift BINGO.  We were given blank BINGO cards that we had to fill with items we thought the bride was going to open.  It was awesome because it made the gift-opening more engaging for all the guests.  (Does it count as cheating to have your sister pull up the gift registry on her blackberry and see what items were purchased??)

Party Favor

I love getting favors that I will actually use and appreciate, and this one did not let me down…everyone got a small bottle of wine.  What can be any better than that? They added stickers to the back of each bottle to make them more personalized.  They also found some great ribbon that says “Eat Drink & Be Married!” and wrapped it around the neck of each bottle.  Overall, it was a low cost and personalized favor that everyone loved.

Do you have any other tips you would like to share?  Any horrible, or awesome, shower stories?  I would love to hear them!

If you are looking for extraordinary centerpieces, expect the unexpected from Tina Vietmeier, founder of Urban FarmGirls.  I ran into Tina in 2009 at the Inner Sunset Farmer’s Market.  While one of her specialties is custom container gardens set in amazing handmade pots, I was drawn to one of Tina’s other top sellers—her sustainable wreaths.  Tina weaves together moss, succulents, air plants and more to create one-of-a-kind living wreaths.  I’m in love with the idea of keeping a wreath alive.  It’s so sad to see cut flowers droop, or be limited to dried flowers alone.  Why not place one of Tina’s wreaths on each table at your wedding, and fill the middle with pillar candles of varying heights?  When the festivities are over, these amazing centerpieces would make lovely gifts for the people who’ve helped you most.

Tina has worked with brides in the past to create custom centerpieces and decor for their big day.  She can even create unique bridal bouquets and boutonnieres with succulents and air plants.  Prices for the wreaths start at $45 for 8″ hearts, then go to $75 for 8″ rounds.  10″ rounds are $85, 12″ rounds $95. Larger sizes like 14, 16 or 18 ” wreaths start at $175 and can go up to $350.

Are you looking for a unique favor idea?  Try gifting your guests with a 3″ starter pot filled with a succulent starter plant. Urban FarmGirls has them in a wide variety of shapes, colors, and styles starting at $8.

Rice, or no rice?  Traditionally, rice is thrown at the bride and groom to symbolize fertility, fruitfulness, or other good wishes.  This tradition has been passed down since the Middle Ages and there is no good reason to stop the tradition now.  In recent years, people began spreading the myth that birds would eat the uncooked rice, it would swell in their stomachs, and they would burst.  According to multiple articles, this is untrue, and the uncooked rice thrown outside a church will hurt the birds no more than birds eating rice out in the fields.

Champagne Bubbles From American Bridal

However, due to the popularity of this myth, a number of alternatives to rice throwing have taken hold in the wedding industry.  In addition to the simple option of throwing birdseed, one new alternative is blowing bubbles as the happy couple makes their way out of the church.  American Bridal is one company which offers a number of different keepsake bubble bottles, including these adorable ones shaped like champagne bottles.

Another alternative to rice are flower petals.  I recently went to a wedding where the bride’s mom and aunt dried all of their flowers from their gardens

Rose Petal Cones from Moments of Elegance

during the months leading up to the wedding.  They then rolled paper into cones and decorated them with black bow ties to represent men, and maroon ribbons for women.  They were adorable and everyone had a good time throwing the petals.  You can buy these pre-made cones from Moments of Elegance if you do not have time to make them yourself.

What are you planning to do for your wedding?  If you like the tradition of throwing rice, then I say, let them throw rice!

Secondly, I just love my photographer so much that I have to share them. (once like a spark) photography is named after a line in an ee cummings poem, who happens to be my favorite. It’s a collective of a couple of the freshest, most original wedding photographers on the West Coast, Chicago, Boston, and Atlanta. Everything is online, from payment to profile to print ordering. Our engagement session was amazing, and our photographer Michael was very generous with his time and talent. He was open to suggestions from us and also had some great ideas himself.  Check out their website at http://www.oncelikeaspark.com.

Thirdly, I found a pretty awesome etsy decoration that is cheap, festive, and original. On the etsy.com site, search for “party poms”. They are these amazing paper pom poms that you can order in any color – just tell the artist your colors. They come out to about $4 per pom, are made from recycled paper, and can be recycled (rehearsal dinner – wedding – farewell brunch, anyone?)

Call it “Recession Chic” or “Decor on a Dime.”  A lot of brides are looking for ways to save money on their weddings. This could mean DIY (I was on overly ambitious bride—we did everything from the decor to the food ourselves) or simply some savvy shopping to stay within a budget. When I went looking for inspiration on where to buy unique wedding decor most bridal blogs repeated the same stores:  Ikea, Michaels, Save-On Crafts, Anthropologie (Anthropologie can be very pricey—check the sale section). I love all of these places, and bought from most for my wedding, but here are a few Bay Area locales you might not have spotted that are prime for saving you cash.  Warning: none of these are glamorous places to shop. You have to have a keen eye and creative mind, but when inspiration strikes you can see past the junk and find something terrific.

1) Kamei Restaurant Supply:  Kamei is a restaurant supply store with depth.  Whether you need to outfit your bar, buy water pitchers, tongs, white dishes or serveware, their prices can’t be beat. With a creative eye you can find inexpensive ways to turn restaurant supply staples, like teapots or sake bottles, into beautiful vases and centerpieces. And you can get great prices on white takeout boxes to package homemade favors in. (Kamei: 525-547 Clement Street, San Francisco, (415) 666-3699)

2) Chinatown: Chinatown is terrific for finding favors and decor, if you know what you are looking for.  Best bets are bamboo, vases, lanterns, and favor boxes. I recommend the Far East Flea Market Liquidation Center (729 Grant Avenue, San Francisco), but you have to have a discerning eye to find the right items. The rest of the cheap imports leave much to be desired.

3) San Pablo Flea Market: One woman’s trash is, well, mostly trash but a few real gems. I won’t lead you astray on this one—it’s a junkyard. But if you’re willing to take your time, and deal with the dirt and grime, you can find some great items. With absolutely no digging I found dozens of glass milk bottles, vintage postcards, fun beaker sets for you science buffs, and lovely silver trays that just needed a good polishing. (San Pablo Flea Market: 6100 San Pablo Ave, Emeryville)

4) San Francisco Flower Mart: Many of you must know about the San Francisco Flower Mart, but if you don’t, allow me to blow your mind. The San Francisco Flower Mart is where many of the city’s florists get their blossoms, and after 10am it opens to the public. It has every conceivable type of flower and floral arranging product you need in a warehouse of pop-up shops and permanent storefronts. Some stalls only cater to the wholesale crowd, but catch the retail stalls after 10am (don’t dawdle, many close just an hour or two later) and you’ll be sure to find spectacular blooms. Cultivate a relationship with a seller. Not only will that warm up their sometimes frosty salesmanship, but the seller can tell you when prices will drop, what flowers are in season around your wedding date, and suggest affordable alternatives to create the look you want. Hiring a florist? Make a sample bouquet with flowers from the Mart so you don’t have any surprises on your wedding day. (San Francisco Flower Mart: 640 Brannan Street, San Francisco)

** Everything you see on the table at the top was purchased at one of the above shops. The milk bottles were $1 each at San Pablo Flea, the tall vase is a placemat I got for $1 at Far East Flea Market then wrapped around a vase and filled with 99-cent bamboo from there as well.  The white vases on the right are sake bottles from Kamei, as is the silver votive, all for about $6-$7 total.  The flowers were around $12 at the Flower Mart, but the amount shown is only 1/6th or less of the quantity that bought me.  The rest of the flowers I gave to a neighbor.

If you’re looking for something fun to spice up your wedding reception, give T-Party Photo Booths a call.  Run by Theresa Parilo, T-Party Photo Booths brings a new dynamic to any event by providing an alternative to the traditional guest book and allowing guests to ham it up for the camera.  I had the opportunity to sit down with Theresa and get the scoop on this new company.

T-Party Photo Booths was inspired by Theresa’s friend who had hired a photo booth company for her wedding.  Theresa went back to the booth for photos four, and then five times, and she began chatting with the operator who suggested starting her own photo booth company.  After the seed was planted, Theresa could not get the idea out of her head, and in November, T-Party Photo Booths was born.

The only simple part about setting up her own business was coming up with the name.  T-Party Photo Booths comes from Theresa’s nickname T-Par (a combination of her first and last names).  Theresa says that “the great thing about a photo booth is that it is simple, but unique” with the prints customized to fit your event.

Signing up to have T-Party Photo Booths at your event includes an unlimited number of photos, and guests choose their favorites to give to the bride and groom.  You also have the option of getting a scrapbook made with the photos from your event.  In addition to wedding receptions, this would be a great option for birthday parties or even showers.

One thing she is most looking forward to is having the opportunity to share her new passion with family and friends by bringing her photo booth to their weddings, birthday’s, and Christmas parties.

For more information and samples check out her website at www.tpartyphotobooths.com

When it comes to wedding favors, there is an abundance of choices. The decision becomes much more difficult when trying to find something practical, memorable and eco-friendly! I was thrilled when someone introduced me to WeePlant. Not only is WeePlant a local business, but it is also a very unique gift that serves as a memory of your wedding that can grow with your guests over time.

Weeplant sells miniature plants called Pinky Trees that grow in a 2″ capsule and was founded on the ideal to improve green consciousness through a positive symbol, a real tiny plant that you can take care of.

Valerie Auberger, the founder of Weeplant was kind enough to answer some of my questions regarding her business and green practices.

1)      What was the inspiration for starting WeePlant?

When I was editor-in-chief at MSN France, I launched a green channel with several editorial partners like National Geographic, WWF and others. At that time I thought people (and advertisers) needed something more tangible and entertaining than very “guilt-driven” advice on how to save the environment. I thought that by providing them a living symbol, I would create a more emotional reaction and would possibly give them a living and growing reminder of how fragile mother nature is and how much they would need to take care of it (like they would need to take care of their babyplant).

2) What makes the favor green? How does it contribute to re-forestation?

All the plants are grown in California in full respect of ecological guidelines (no use of chemical pesticides, choice of species that don’t require too much water or heating). Regarding the reforestation, as soon as the company was born, we started a partnership with American Forests to help them planting trees in areas that have been devastated by the human activities. Basically, for each 4 Pinky Trees sold, we donate the necessary fund to plant a tree. American Forests is very happy about this virtual circle and will start sending our Pinky Trees to their donors this springtime as a thank you gift.

3) What is the process for keeping and nurturing the tree once you receive it?

Because all the plants are succulents and cacti selected among the most resistant and little water need species, the Pinky Trees need very little care: cacti will need to be watered once every 3 months and succulents once every month and a half (or every month in summer time). The key requirement for all the plants is being exposed to light. Once the plant has grown too big for its capsule (time really depends on the species and goes from 2 or 3 months for some succulents to 2 years for most of the cacti), the person will just need to open the capsule top and split the base apart (already cut on 2 half for this purpose) and then take the plant with its soil and repot it.

4) Where would someone go to purchase these favors?

Besides selling the Pinky Trees online, we currently sell them in a few eco-boutiques and retailers in SF and across the USA (NY, Boston, LA etc…). Our main distribution is in museum stores like California Academy of Science, Chicago Contemporary Art Museum, Fort Worth Museum of Science and Industry, Walker art center in Minneapolis, Phoenix Zoo Store, and many others.

To learn more about Pinky Tree – visit www.weeplant.com

What do you think? Would you give Pinky Tree as a wedding favor?

How many of you have been to weddings where you leave with a photo of the bride and groom, a mug with their names and the date, or any number of cute, but useless, trinkets?  I definitely have, so I made it my mission to help my friend come up with a useful and cute favor.  During my search I discovered “The Perfect Pair” slogan, and websites went overboard offering different pear shaped items including cookies, candles, salt and pepper shakers, and even soap.  After a while I noticed that the simplest option of them all was missing: an actual pear!

Instead of buying any of the above-mentioned pear shaped items, why not take an actual pear, and tie a tag to the stem?  As a favor, labels could be printed on cardstock with the name of the bride and groom and the date, and the ribbon and cardstock could match the wedding colors.  They could also be turned into a great place card by including the name of the guest.

Pear Place Card From Sunset Magazine

In addition to reducing waste by providing everyone with an edible gift, guests would have a tasty and healthy treat to take home that they will actually use and enjoy.  Now, the trick is to get married while pears are in season!