Guest writer: Marcella Fouce
COVID has brought so much uncertainty to our world. Everything has changed - how our children learn, working from home, wearing masks in public, limited contact with the people we love – in that same vein,
planning a wedding amidst a pandemic is going to be different as well. How can you give people enough space to socially distance while still maintaining an intimate atmosphere? What types of entertainment are going to lend themselves to social distancing? Can you still have a dance floor and dancing all night or will guests be too worried to party? These are questions couples before you never had to consider while planning their weddings; but that doesn’t mean it has to be more stressful! Have some fun with the things you can control.
You’ll never be able to please everybody all the time, but this day is yours, so you are the only ones who need to be pleased with the outcome! That being said, you still want to show your wedding attendees how much they mean to you (and maybe take their minds off the pandemic for a little while in the process). You can do that by incorporating some small, meaningful acts of gratitude into your wedding favors. There are a plethora of wedding favors that you could choose from.
Choose favors that will show gratitude to the guests who braved this pandemic to join you on your special day. It will all depend on your personalities, of course, but here are some ideas that would be extra special keepsakes for your loved ones to remember your day .
Because...COVID - Because COVID has changed so many things, why wouldn’t it change wedding favors, too? Place individual hand sanitizers on each guest’s chair. You could even do personalized labels with your wedding details for each bottle. Instead of robes for your bridal party, personalized masks could become the new normal! Now everyone has their PPE and it’s time to party.
Personalize it - Personalized notes are always wonderful, not just for weddings! Who doesn’t love receiving a note written especially for you?! If you’ve had to narrow down the guest list thanks to COVID, this is a
perfect way to let your guests know just what they mean to you. If the ceremony doesn’t make them cry, just wait until they find their way to the reception table only to be greeted by your personal thank you
incorporated into their place setting.
Another, more personal memory for smaller weddings would be coasters with photos of the bride and groom with each guest instead of place cards. You can have all your wedding details printed on the backs so they’ll never forget your anniversary!
Maybe a DIY hot cocoa kit with personalized labels is your style (or more suited for that winter wonderland wedding). It could be as simple as a few homemade chocolate chip cookies in small personalized gift boxes or as extravagant as gourmet goodies in small mason jars to eat after all the alcohol consumption.
Adult beverages - Speaking of alcohol... grab some wine glasses from the dollar store and dip the bases in chalkboard paint for your guests to write their name on, or mason jars with chalkboard labels if you’re going for a more rustic theme.You could send guests home with a mini beverage bottle of your favorite champagne with personalized labels from your special day, too. If wine is more your speed, make each guest a wine cork keychain!
Nature lovers - If you’re nature lovers, send your guests off with small seed packets to plant at home. One couple I adore (Britny and her hubs) sent their guests home with their own succulents! Maybe you want them to have flowers that will never die. Another wedding I attended had paper flowers (just like the paper flowers in the bride’s bouquet) sprinkled in the center of each table.
Favors aside, make sure your guests will never forget how much it meant to you that they were able to join you on your most special day! Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you said, they’ll forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” Making sure your guests feel extra special on YOUR special day will definitely leave them feeling loved.