I think the book’s a cute idea and better than most I’ve seen. On the other hand, I’ll join the chorus of those who are saying you don’t have to provide favors, and you may find you’ve got more than enough to think about as the day draws closer. If you want to give people the book, great, but please don’t feel like you’re obligated to give people something.
At the last wedding I went to, the favours were seeds - chilli, or strawberry. Chilli said ‘a reminder of our day from the hottest couple in town’, and strawberry said similar, but ‘sweetest couple’. I thought that was cute, inexpensive, and people could actually use them.
Not me though. I don’t have a garden.:smack:
You should give out Straight Dope books. 
I like the idea of books as favors, though I’d probably be just as happy with something edible, as long as it’s tasty. I’m really not too fond of Peanuts any longer. I’ve read and reread the strips so often that they are stale to me. YMMV.
I think it’s very sweet, much better than stale, hard butter mints, or a plastic or cheap metal mini picture frame, or bubbles.
I’d like it.
I like the book idea. As you’re seeing from the responses here, though, you basically have to please yourself, because no matter what you do, you’re almost guaranteed to not please everyone with it (for example, while DoperChic’s coasters are really nice, I don’t like glass coasters!). We used glass votive holders with hearts on the side of them and our names and wedding date written on them with gold ink as our favours - we used them as decorations on the tables with small candles lit inside them, and told people to take them home if they wanted to. Some people did, some didn’t.
I think a book is a better idea than most but I really like books. If you have leftovers maybe you can give them to a charity or something.
IMO, most of the “stuff” type favours I’ve received have been tchotkes that clutter up my home. Picture frames, mugs, little notebooks…oh the randomness. Even when you give something expensive, like my parents did for my sister’s wedding, you run the risk that it isn’t to your guests’ taste. I know my mom and dad felt really bad that the Indians at the wedding made out like bandits on the silver and the Americans just left the stuff behind. They would have preferred to give a gift that most people recognised as useful or whatever.
Besides, I don’t think that edible necessarily has to mean candy. See Hello Again’s lovely favours above. I think my mom and dad are talking about giving out spices at my wedding-probably saffron. That way they can keep with the Indian theme but give out something a solid portion of people would find worth keeping.
Honestly? I’d rather most couples save the money they spent on tchotcke-esque favours for themselves (however they see fit to spend it) or donate it to charity (though keep in mind you run the risk of offending someone with your choice of charity even if it is landmine maimed puppies). I feel like if you’ve invited me to your wedding and fed me it’s gift enough, ya know?
I love it too.
In fact we used this George Winston CDof Peanuts songs for our wedding. Our processional music was, “Cast your fate to the wind”, and our recessional music was the classic, “Linus and Lucy” song. Some thought it was odd…well mostly the step-MIL, but we loved it!
We didn’t have favors per say. Just some bubble bottles with ribbons and the date on them.
Don’t mean to be a killjoy, but I adore Peanuts and I wouldn’t want this book as a favor. I’ve seen it before and I’d be happier with an actual comic digest (provided I didn’t alreaady have it); these are more generalized and glurgy (Yes, I prefer edible favors because of the reasons already mentioned), and available enough that I’d probably already have it if I wanted it.
On the other hand, I’ve never seen or heard of a wedding favor I’ve though of as amazingly wonderful in my entire life (take this thread - I don’t really drink wine, I don’t have the light or space to plant anything, I don’t use picture frames unless they’re custom tailored to specific art, I don’t really like stuff with hearts or “love” - I actually love Vince Guaraldi Peanuts songs, but own them all already), but it should be the newlyweds who are pleased on their wedding day, more than me or anyone else, and I figure favors are more symbolic than meant to please and delight. So if you feel like this represents you, then go for it and be happy.
We weren’t going to have any at all - seemed extravagant what with everything else.
Then, my future mother-in-law offered to pay, and suggested small bars of soap. I successfully vetoed that one (half the guests would think it was chocolate and try to eat it, the other half would get drunk and then eat it whether they knew what it was or not).
The superb solution she hit on in the end - miniature bottles of gin from the fairly well-known local distillery. Guaranteed not to have any left lying around at the end of the night. Top idea.
Edible is popular for this reason: Since it is traditional for the food not to be served until the bride and groom are at the reception and seated and since it is also traditional for the bride and groom to take forever getting pictures taken at the chapel it is therefore traditional for the guests to starve to death while waiting. Small little food favors, candy or Jordan Almonds (popular because they also provide needed protein) can keep you guests alive until they are allowed to eat the wedding feast. It also helps to soak up all the alcohol which they are imbibing because that is all they can access.
I really like the book, and would be pleased to receive it as a wedding favour. I think it would do especially well for the young demographic if you have children at your wedding, but also with those who remember it from their childhood. Also, well, happiness really is a warm puppy!
Do whatever makes you happy.
I think it’s sweet and original. Good idea!
We gave violas (the flower) planted in little miniature terracotta pots and little tins with a couple pieces of salt water taffy in them (our wedding was outside in a coastal town). A few people left their plants, but my dad just planted them in his garden. They made the tables pretty, though.
I don’t think five Jordan almonds are going to soak up any alcohol…
I like the book idea, it’s cute. If some can’t be bothered to clutter their house with such a thing then that’s really their problem. I think you should do what makes you and the little otter happy.
If you need one more reason to kill the inscription idea, think of the logistics of getting the right book home with the right recipient. By the end of a (good) wedding reception, people have moved to different tables, carried things with them, set some down, picked up someone else’s, etc. Favors get forgotten not always out of rejection, but because sometimes you haven’t been at your seat for two hours and you just forget it’s there. Most of the time, I’m one of the women helping tidy up at the end, and we gather the favors and put them on a table near the exit. If they’re all identical favors, it doesn’t matter if you grab “yours” or not. But with inscribed books, your intoximicated guests will have to keep track of something they didn’t bring. Recipe for (well-meant) disaster, IMHO.
This is my favorite genre of favors - favors that double as table decorations. Saves space and clutter on the tables, get taken by only those who really want them, and whatever’s left over can be taken home by whomever wants extra flowers/balloons/pretty stones, whatever.
I personally think the idea of wedding favors, edible ones in particular, are ridiculouis. I paid over $100 a plate for you to be here, I fed you appetizers, main courses, side dishes, dessert, and you drank from the open bar for 4-5 hours. I need to give you a mint on your way out?
I usually just leave the favor on the table, but it’s a cute book so I’d bring it home. I just don’t think it’s really necessary.
Missed the edit window, but I’m really not the cranky prick that I sound like. Promise!
(and I misspelled ‘ridiculous’. grrr.)
For the love of god, anything but another wine stopper or corkscrew or candle accessory. I’ve been to 10 weddings in the last 7 years and I have more decorative drinking implements than I know what to do with.
I also agree with corkboard. I think wedding favors and thank-you cards for any non-huge gift (ie., $1k and up) are stupid.
Would you at least insist on some sort of recognition of the gift? When I spent tens of hours on a handmade quilt for you it would be nice to know it arrived. (And I would expect a hand-written card, even though I couldn’t sell it for >$1K.)