Melissa Wallace of Camp Pendleton, California is a tall, wispy woman, with a soft voice and gentle smile. The wife of 25-years to a Sgt. Maj. in the Marine Corps, Melissa and her husband John talk wistfully about the life that is soon to be behind them, as Sgt. Maj. Wallace prepares for retirement.

The wedding favor box carries on the timeless tradition established by the early European upper classes, who provided elaborate gifts to party guests. Initially, the gifts were small fancy boxes known as a bonboniere.

Homemade wedding favors come from a centuries old tradition of brides and grooms providing small gifts to wedding guests. Every culture across time has treated marriage as a wonderful event with the nuptials celebrated throughout the community. In many cultures the bride and groom are associated with good luck. A common thought among these cultures was, that every thing the couple touched would be charmed. By gifting members of the community, the couple would pass blessings to others for the rest of the year.

The rich, smooth texture of chocolate truffles have made them an delicate token of appreciation. The elegant simplicity of a single truffle or a cluster of three, is sufficient for a sophisticated wedding favor.

Cookies as wedding favors, create an unique twist on the time honored tradition of providing small gifts to guests, as a token of appreciation from the bride and groom.

Computer printed labels are a time-saver, but they make the first impression of your formal wedding invitation appear impersonal. If a calligrapher is not in the budget, you can gather handwriting samples from your friends and offer them a fun incentive to assist addressing the envelopes.