"What do you mean, you aren't having wedding favors?"
We hear it a lot, usually from the parents of the bride and groom. The history of the wedding favor isn't really well known, but party favors in general have been around since the 16th century. Think back to your birthday parties as a child - didn't you always give your friends a little sack of goodies to take home?
While there are lots of great wedding favors out there, many couples are choosing instead to donate cash to their favorite charity instead of buying little chocolates or scented candles. There are so many reasons to choose a donation over a physical favor:
- A specific charity or cause is near and dear to your heart.
- It's more environmentally friendly.
- Remember a family member with a memorial donation.
- It's more personal.
So how do you do it?
First, contact the charity (or charities) you would like to donate to. Most charities have websites where you can make a donation via credit card, however if it is a local charity you may need to mail a check.
Next, find a way to let your guests know about your donation. You may chose to have a card placed at each place setting describing your charity of choice, or have two or three placed on each table. If your cause is environmental in nature, consider printing your message on plantable paper - seeds are embedded in the paper, and flowers will bloom when your guests take it home and plant it.
As an alternative, you can make a little framed sign and place it somewhere in the cocktail hour space, rather than having cards on the tables. Most people attending your wedding will know why you chose the charity you did, so long explanations aren't necessary.
(this is me, volunteering at the Brides Against Breast Cancer gown sale in Orlando in 2009!)
Another great idea for your used wedding dress would be to donate the dress to a charity of your choice. One example is the 
nd the tour will soon be in Florida.
