nice post…

It’s not so much dumping everything that doesn’t make the wedding legal that is the gist of the post. I am a strong advocate of not selling dreams and puffery, but I am also a big advocate of nixing superfluous things and wasting money as well.

Non-Edible favors vs. Edible Favors, to each his own, kwim? Some brides love the candy bars, dessert sushi, custom popcorn bars, etc. We’re not talking the rinky dink swans and pastel dinner mints. Edible favors have come a long way in both creativity and design. Some brides go overboard with NEF and start putting their names and wedding dates on everything. That, a lot of people abhorr and have no use for at all. There are some non-edible favors that are great…but if you don’t have the money for them…I wouldn’t be out putting my kidneys on eBay to get them.
Perhaps you misunderstood– I said bathroom baskets WERE unnecessary.

Thanks for your thoughts! You make some very good points and they are much appreciated.

Most edible wedding favors shout, “No thought put into this!” That’s a lousy way to try to express your gratitude for the support your guests have been over the years.

Your donation idea works though.

That being said, it is true that not all favors are useful and as a result will often be left behind. You mentioned most of them, but sets of coasters, sun catchers, wine glass charms, many candles, bookmarks, and decorative (but not too cutsie) bottle stoppers make very useful favors that a bride is likely to see in her guests homes for months or even years to come.

Bathroom Baskets? The idea has merits, but you are celebrating with adults are you not? We should all be responsible for ourselves. The opera is roughly just as long and does not offer them - except sometimes behind the counter and at greatly inflated prices. This seems like kind of a stretch.

Champagne: we’re only going to supply it to the head table at the wedding. Why go broke over it, there will already be enough alcohol at the bar!

The bathroom baskets are also not necessary, but a very nice gesture. You don’t have to go broke over them if you have one. Just hit the dollar store or bargain store for some hair spray, body spray, tampons, panty liners, safety pins, and bobby pins.

And as for the programs, they’re very nice to have for people to follow along. They don’t need to be expensive or extravagant. But they’re very nice if there is a lot going on in your ceremony, especially if the guests need to respond to anything.