Planning Wedding Bomboniere

Bomboniere are the thank you gifts for guests. With the exception of two weddings, we usually get bombonieres at every other wedding. Thinking back, after a while no-one really remembers what the bombonieres were and when we didn't get any at two weddings, no-one even really missed it that much. So far, I've got about five chopsticks set, two fans, lollies and some fake flowers that have gathered dust as they just sat on the shelves. However some bombonieres were truly memorable because love and thought had gone into them via the gifts themselves or the packaging and design. It's obvious when someone has made an effort to co-ordinate the designs/colours and theme throughout the wedding with personal reflections or momentos of the couples journey to the wedding day.

An edible or useful bomboniere, a display shelf bomboniere or a stuff-it-in-the-drawers bomboniere

I tend to consider gifts belonging in three main categories:  Edible or useful (eg food and winestoppers), something that you place on shelves or in display cupboards that may gather dust and require dusting and some that aren't quite display worthy and people are unsure about what to do with them so they just jam them into their cupboards and drawers until they're suddenly found again when the drawers get cleaned up.

We are thinking of providing small glass jars of jelly belly beans. I want to give something edible(jelly belly beans), something durable and usable/functional(glass jars which can later be used to store herbs/spices/sweets) and something to tie the bomboniere into the wedding theme so they match beautifully via the ribbon and tag attached with a personal message of thanks and wedding details which could be scrap booked or kept as a keepsake by some. The jelly belly beans have around 49 flavours, are really cute and best of all, tasty! Once I attach some ribbons and a label that matches the stationary then it should hopefully look really cute and elegant. After a pile of bombonieres gathering dust on my shelf, I'll stick to the edible gifts which can be enjoyed and munched on in days or weeks after the wedding.

There are thousands of bomboniere gift ideas on the internet. The traditional gift was five sugared almonds however modern bombonieres range from lollies, fortune cookies, candles, chopsticks, fans, name/place card holders in the shape of hearts/fish/birds etc, photo frames, keyrings, cookies, cupcakes, chocolates and truffles,  magnets to more elaborate gifts such as engraved bookmarks and wine bottle stoppers. The price of bombonieres on the internet range from around $1 to $10 per guest.

Adding the personal touch to your bombonieres

It's a great opportunity to have either the bomboniere itself, the packaging or the labelling match your wedding colour theme used in your fabrics, stationaries, invitations etc. The bombonieres should complement the centrepieces, napkins and any floral arrangements. Always have extra bombonieres for the ones that get damaged and you can gift them to other suppliers whom you have appreciated help from and possibly a few for momentos.

Bomboniere timeline

SIX MONTHS
* Analyse your guest list and calculate how many you will need and how much your budget will be
* Ready-made versus DIY bombonieres > you can get ideas from the internet, bridal magazines, craft shops, bridal stores, fairs, other friends' wedding, wedding blogs
* Research your prices on the internet, get quotes from suppliers, try and source wholesalers if possible, ask for bulk buying discounts, as for further discounts if you pay cash, get written quotes which outlines the product and shipping costs

 THREE MONTHS
 * If you're making a DIY bomboniere, buy the supplies you need and set aside spare time to make them, try to enlist other family and friends in the process so that it's not as stressful and it'll be significantly faster
 * If the bombonieres are perishable or edible such as seedlings, cupcakes, jams etc then they will need to be organised closer to the date

TWO WEEKS
 * If the bombonieres are DIY then they will need to be completed if non perishable so that you won't stress over them
 * If you are buying them, call the supplier/stockist to confirm the order, date, time and place for delivery and pay for them
* Organise for your friend, reception manger, wedding coordinator or family member/s to arrange the bombonieres on the tables,  on a main table by the entrance/exit or arrange for a friend to hand them out when guests start leaving. The easiest method is to arrange them on the table beforehand.