The tradition of giving small thank you gifts to goes back along way, but sentiment remains the same. Wedding favors may be traditional and simple like a tulle bag filled with candy-covered almonds, or as creative as the couple' s imaginations and the market selection provide.

Splits of champagne with custom-designed labels are especially popular and appropriate for couples whose wedding location is in a vineyard. Tiny picture frames, which double as table cards, make nice giveaways, as do fragrant candles, small porcelain items, crystal objects and candy baskets. Environmentally conscientious couples may choose to offer guests a seedling, plant or seed packet.

For the couple celebrating a theme or ethnic wedding, a little extra research may be involved. At some Danish wedding, marzipan medallions bearing portraits of the bride and groom, "imitating" those on the traditional wedding cake, are used as favors. At some Italian weddings, guests toss confetti, made of sugared almonds, at the newlyweds. The sugared almonds may also be used for decoration at each place setting or may be placed into small porcelain boxes or tulle bags, personalized with names and date of the wedding couple and the wedding date. At an onboard ship or cruise ship wedding celebration, any nautical item would carry across the theme.

Manufacturers of wedding favors have been busy thinking up new and innovative gifts. One such company offers to personalize any photograph or theme design onto creamy white chocolate. Yet another makes floral bouquets, single stems and other favors out of chocolate candies.

Even charities have gotten into the party favor "business," offering a charitable alternative. In lieu of wedding favors, couples can purchase Plate or Tent Cards, which indicate to their guests that a donation has been made in their honor to a worthy cause. Some couples have gone so far as to create their own scrolls indicating the charity to which they have made a donation instead of offering party favors.

The nice thing about party favors is they can not only run the gamut of price, but also of imagination. The more thought that the couple puts into the party guest favors, the more likely that the gifts will be kept by their guests, a treasured memento of a wonderful celebration.

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