Brewing Bonbonnieres

You just recently bought tiny burlap bags for your favors. Knowing how much you both love coffee, you have decided to make your wedding favors bags of coffee beans with the note "Love is brewing." I love that these are so personal to you both.

Wedding favors date back to at least the 16th century, when guests were sent home with something representative of the couples love, like a knot of rope ... a love knot. Later, guests believed weddings were lucky, so to receive a gift from the wedding couple was seen as passing on the luck. Guests were given fives pieces of candy or almonds to represent health, fertility, wealth, a long life and happiness. The candies or almonds (or even a combination of the two: almonds dipped in a sugary candy coating) were placed in tiny boxes were called "bonbonnieres (think "box of bonbons" ... yum). Some were pretty fancy, made of precious metals, porcelain or crystal and covered in gemstones.

Today wedding favors are more about thank yous to guests for attending the wedding and typically reflect the personalities of the bride and groom. I honestly cannot remember what our wedding favors were. When I asked your Daddy if he remembered what ours were he said, "What are wedding favors?" I think we may have given out the candy coated almonds. Gonna have to look that up to see if I can find out. Were we to give out something today, I would imagine it would have something to do with writing or our love of the Father. I love that flavors are so personal now.

There is no doubt your love is brewing. While you both are passionately in love now, let us tell you, that your love will only grow and grow. The love we have for each other is probably 100 times what it was when we first professed it 31+ years ago. It is the core of who we are. Your love, like coffee, will energize you, comfort you, fill your life with flavor, be warm and toasty (and even have its iced moments), and percolate throughout the years to the perfect cup. Love is brewing indeed.

Discussion: do remember any wedding or party favors you have received? What are some that have
 meant something to you?

Prayer: Father, we thank you in advance for the sweet souls who will come to Rob and Ayla's wedding. We pray in advance for their safe journey to Florida and that they will enjoy witnessing their vows and celebrating. We also pray they will not only enjoy brewing their cup of coffee from the favors but also delight in this young couple's love. We love you, Father. In Jesus, Amen.