Bombonieres

If you want to keep with tradition, then you can't go far wrong by following our European ancestors. Centuries ago, wealthy and aristocratic Europeans (especially Italians and Greeks) would give their wedding guests gifts called bombonieres. Originally bombonieres were a small trinket box made of crystal, porcelain and/or precious stones and generally contained sugar cubes or other delicate confections which symbolised wealth and royalty. Over the years, however, as sugar decreased in value, the giving of gifts to guests at weddings spread out to the masses and bombonieres became popular with those on more modest means to give to their guests. One of the most popular bombonieres was one containing five sugared almonds, symbolising health, wealth, happiness, long life and fertility.

Nowadays bombonieres can be found in many forms, including edible ones such as the traditional almonds, chocolate dragees, mint imperials, whisky fudge and jellied sweets. Pot-pourri, freeze dried rosebuds and lavender can be used for a non-edible but beautifully fragranced bomboniere.

You have a free rein with packaging too; no longer are you restricted to a box but you can put your bombonieres in whatever packaging you choose. A popular choice is netting, which comes in a wide range of sizes and colours and can be matched to the colour of the wedding flowers, table settings and so on and you can further personalise them by adding ribbons, bows and dried flowers.

All in all bombonieres make a lovely keepsake to remind your wedding guests of your special day.