I simply had to share this with you. After reading the article below, written by Chris Chase at sports.yahoo.com, I pondered the wedding favors this couple might have chosen, and I’m leaning toward heart-shaped coin banks with instructions for it to be filled and returned to the happy (weird) couple. Without further ado…

What do you get a millionaire quarterback and a former pageant queen for their wedding? If you were invited to the Memorial Day weekend nuptials of  Tony Romo and Candice Crawford, the question was easily answered on the two online registries the couple created at Macy’s and Crate & Barrel.

Shutdown Corner has looked through the gift requests, from the Martha Stewart Cupcake Tree to the Double Dip Dish to the Kate Spade New York dessert knife set and jotted down a few of our thoughts:

As if forcing people to make the trip to Dallas on a three-day weekend wasn’t bad enough, the Romos then ask folks to buy them various home knick-knacks that they’ll never use and easily could have afforded for themselves? I suppose you have to get a rich guy something when he gets married, I just never figured it would be a six-dollar gravy boat.

Me, again. Sorry, but any couple with their kind of money should put “No Gifts, Please” on their invitation. Unless, of course, they think they’re being kind to underprivileged family and friends who wouldn’t be able to afford to buy them more costly presents. Either way, it’s pretty classless to me. What do YOU think?

I’m sure you’ve heard about the royal wedding favors the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (Will and Kate!) gave to their guests–pricey scarves with a British flag design. Very nice, right? The company in India that manufactures the scarves produces high-end scarves costing as much as 300 pounds (which is about $495.) Will you be spending that much for wedding party favors?

If you have the bucks to give your guests lavish favors, good for you! But if you’re like me and have to budget for big events, you just might be interested in a way to sneak some royal elegance into your wedding at a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of the cost for an extravagant scarf. Find a fleur-de-lis favor!

What’s a Fleur-de-Lis?

For starters, it’s a symbol of royalty. When you examine the coat of arms of the House of Windsor (Will’s last name!), you’ll notice a crown of red and gold above the shield, with a lion standing above the crown. Inside the crown are two gold fleur-de-lis (right photo)—a centuries-old symbol of royalty and honor.  Designers have used the “lily flower” (fleur-de-lis in English) to create a stunning collection of favors to give your tables the royal touch.

And now, here are a few of our favors with a fleur-de-lis motif!

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Of all the pre-wedding parties you can have, a wedding prep party will, by far, mean the most to you where it counts most! The catch phrase “Do It Yourself” doesn’t mean you can’t have help in creating…

Invitations, Decorations, Centerpieces, Wedding Favors!

In this economy, no one is surprised when engaged couples look for viable ways to save money. And you, as the bride-to-be, will be as busy as…well, a bride-to-be! Don’t just be the party planner—party while you’re planning! Look around you. There are bridesmaids, family and friends who would be happy to be part of a party with a purpose—making your wedding beautiful and meaningful!

Your Own Design or Kits?

If you’re imaginative, crafty and computer-savvy, you can design  your  invitations, decorations, centerpieces and unique wedding favors. You’ll need extra hands to address and stamp the invitation envelopes, as well as assemble the decorations, centerpieces and favors.  For those of you who are creatively challenged, a kit is probably the way to go. You get everything you need, but you still need to put everything together, so extra hands do help.

Step One:  Create the designs or purchase the kits for everything you want to do “yourself.”  If you create your own designs, purchase everything you need for assembly and have it ready for your party.

Step Two:  Choose a day or evening for the prep party, and invite family and friends based on how many do-it-yourself projects you want to accomplish in 3-4 hours.

Step Three:  If you’re doing more than one project, set up different “stations” in your home so groups of people can focus on a single project.  Make sure each project table has everything required for the task at hand (materials, scissors, pens, rulers, glue gun, etc.)

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Step Four: Make it a party! Have plenty of snacks, like pizza, chips and dip, sandwiches and cookies on hand, along with a variety of beverages. Some upbeat music in the background is helpful, too.

Step Five:  Before the party, make one prototype for each project and place it on the project table so everyone will know how the centerpiece, wedding favor, envelope, etc. should look. When everyone’s ready to go to work, demonstrate how to assemble the item at each table.  If you have more than one table, check each group early on to make sure they’re putting your items together correctly.  Before you know it, you’ll have everything assembled for your wedding! You might want to send a short thank-you note to everyone who helped.

Think of it as “frugal fun!”

Well, at least one person says yes!  Contributing to the demise of marriage in general and sending inappropriate messages about what’s most important, Samantha Brett says that these shows are making a mockery of marriage!  Accenting the superficial parts of marriage, she feels that the focus has shifted from the commitment being made and the love being shared to the frenzy, the fluff and the fair-weather friends.

Part of an Evil Plan?

Brett is not alone in her view.  According to human behavior expert Patrick Wanis, PhD, “The danger of all these reality shows is that they reinforce the message that if you aren’t perfect and the wedding isn’t perfect, you aren’t good enough,” Wanis explained. “These shows damage average American men and women by brainwashing them into believing that fulfillment can only be attained via the perfect wedding.”

So, what they’re saying is that viewers may not be aware that they are picking up on the subliminal messages coming through their TV, which I guess could be a part of the network’s “evil plan” to destroy the moral fabric of America.  Hmmm.  I’m not sure I’d go that far because I think that most watch these shows purely for entertainment.  But, whether intentional or not, do you think these wedding shows really have an affect on how society views marriage?  Funny, outrageous, and even sad in some cases that someone would go to those lengths to get the perfect wedding day, there is one thing I can say about the brides.  In a time when more than 55% of folks don’t believe in marriage or that you need to be married before having children, at least these women still believe in marriage and are willing to make that lifetime commitment…and that puts them on the plus side of my ledger anytime ( no matter how crazy they may act on TV:-)

Blame the bride not the broadcaster!

It seems to me that getting all worked up for one’s wedding day is nothing new.  Brides have always tried to lose weight, got makeovers, stressed over every detail right down to matching the toasting flutes to the cake topper and did everything within their power to live out their dream wedding.  The pressure, the frustration, and the fears have always been there.  The broadcasters are now just bringing the bride’s personal struggles front and center in our living rooms week after week.  Instead of pondering whether these shows are making a mockery of marriage, the question should be, what does it take for a bride to get to that point of exposure and embarrassment to agree to participate in one of these reality shows in the first place?   The real “reality” is that if someone wanted to have plastic surgery, like the ladies in Bridal Plasty, chances are they’ve been wanting to do it for some time.  The program only shows what’s already there.

So, I say, that if some correction is needed, it needs to be with the brides and not the broadcasters.  Maybe we need to be talking to the bride about her insecurities instead of exploiting them–helping her to find peace with herself and the one she intends to marry.  After all, HE proposed to her just the way she was, so I think that means he’s pretty cool with how she looks.  She just needs to be cool with it, too.

Why do we go to such extremes?

Although some of the shows may be considered helpful (”Shedding for the Wedding” and “Say Yes To The Dress” come to mind) in preparing for the big day, other shows seem to have pushed to boundaries a bit (i.e. Bridal Plasty) in my opinion.  Whether or not they truly affect the bride is still out for debate, but one thing’s for sure…they do make for “good television” from the broadcaster’s point of view since the ratings on these shows are through the roof.  Who knows, maybe there are some brides who look at these shows and think, “Wow! Watching “Bridezilla” makes me more aware of my behavior so I don’t ever want to act like that!”  Maybe television and these reality shows can have a negative-positive affect, showing brides the extreme so that they can pull back from the edge.  One can only hope!

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The other day, I answered a personalization question on a wedding forum. The couple were wondering what to put on the back of their brand-name soda bottle favors to make them personalized wedding favors (the front of the soda bottles are also personalized with a favorite photo of the couple.) Most of the answers were the typical “Thanks for sharing our day,” or simply “your names and wedding date.” Out of several suggestions, mine was chosen by the “asker” as the best one. Here’s why…

Follow the Favor

What do I mean by “follow the favor”? As I wrote in response, think of something short and relevant to the favor itself. For their soda-bottle favors, I offered these three personalization ideas:

• We’re Bubbling Over with Happiness!
• So Happy, We’re About to Pop!
• The Drinks Are On Us Today!

Sometimes it depends on the number of personalization lines or characters allowed. I recommended using something other than names and wedding date because 1) guests already know whom they’re celebrating and 2) the likelihood that guests will hold onto a sticky soda bottle as a memento is remote. Why not dazzle them with your wit instead?

More Personalization Messages!

To get your mind moving in this direction, I thought I’d give you some message ideas for a few different favor categories. Here goes:

Candles/Tea Light Holders—Our Love Shines Brighter Every Day; Love’s Glow is All Around You; We’re the Hottest Couple in Town!

Favor Boxes/Jars—It’s the Sweetest Day of Our Lives!, It’s a Treat to Have You With Us Today! Sweet Memories Especially for You.

Photo Frames—We’re Giving Marriage Our Best Shot!; Just How We Pictured This Day–With You!

Salt & Pepper Shakers—Thanks for Spicing Things Up Today!; Celebrating Our Seasons of Love!

Wine-Themed Favors—Thanks for The Vintage Memories!; Popping the Cork on a Happy Marriage!; We’re Drunk on Love!

Heart-Themed Favors—Two Hearts. One Love.; With Our Love and Heartfelt Thanks; A Day “Heart” to Forget!

Coasters—Happily Coasting Toward the Future!; The Drinks Are On Us Today!

Now you’ve got the hang of it! And I’ve decided to make  FREE PERSONALIZATION MESSAGES an ongoing offer. If you’re looking for a unique personalization message for your favors, let me know, and I’ll put my creativity to work for you! Have fun today!

If you’re gonna go green at the wedding, you might as well do the same with your bridesmaid gifts.  Always mindful of ways to protect and preserve the earth, we here at Favors In The City have lots of ways to help you and your favorite girls look out for their “Mother.”  Think environmentally conscious with a sense of style!

Garden of Eden

There’s no better way to bring out their eco side than with a gardening gift.  It’s a great way to save money on groceries by planting fruits and vegetables, or they can beautify the earth by planting beautiful blossoms for spring.  Either way, it’s a gift that will grow on them, for sure!  Create a thoughtful gift basket with a mixture of garden tools, plants, seeds, gardening gloves, watering cans, knee pads and the like.  You could even throw in a super cute gardening hat to keep her cool and shaded while working outdoors.

Less In The Landfill

When you think about all the bottles of water we consume each day and the fact that so few of them actually get recycled, that adds up to a ton of plastic in the landfill–not to mention all the disposable plastic and paper cups we go through in the blink of an eye.  One way to reduce the effect of all that waste in our landfills is to encourage family and friends to go BYOC (Bring Your Own Cup) whether they go.  Traveling with one of these adorable insulated tumblers will let everyone know that they are doing their part to help the environment.  And, because this personalized bridesmaid gift features their initial, we’ll also know who to thank for the kind deed.

Get Cooking!

Not only is this adorable ruffled apron made of 100% Cotton, it also encourages your girls to get cooking in the kitchen.  Saving them money vs. dining out, eating at home allows them to prepare healthy meals with organic foods that are made “fresh to order.”  Plus, you don’t have those pesky carbon deposits associated with driving to and from the restaurant.

When it comes to appreciating your bridesmaids with a gift that they–and Mother Nature–will appreciate, give a gift that will make a difference and hopefullyleave the world a little better than we found it.

Like any other kind of party, a bridal shower can be deadly boring—or a spirited, unforgettable bash! If your friends are like mine, they’d much prefer the latter. As the host, you’re in control. What’s the best way to up the ante on your party planning? I have the recipe, and here it is!

4 oz. Vodka
2 oz. Triple Sec
2 oz. Cranberry Juice
1 oz. Lime Juice
1 Orange Slice
A Twist of Lime

Shake vodka, triple sec, lime and cranberry juice vigorously in a shaker with ice. Strain into a martini glass, garnish with a lime wedge on the rim, and serve.

That’s the basic recipe for a Cosmopolitan—one of the tastiest, little libations on the planet–and guaranteed to make those obligatory bridal shower games you’ll play ever so much more fun!

And since we’re here to talk about bridal shower favors, let’s see what favors are out there that will coordinate perfectly with a Cosmopolitan Bridal Bash! Here are my two favorites:

Every guest can go home with a bit of bright-pink beverage knowledge with the “Oh, So Cosmopolitan!” Reversible Recipe Coaster (left). Cute, right? On one side is the image of a glass filled to the brim with a tantalizing Cosmopolitan. Flip it over, and you’ve got the basic recipe for the luscious cosmo concoction. And on the right is a Cosmopolitan starter kit, so guests can continue the cosmo party when they get home. The “Bottoms Up!” Cosmopolitan Cocktail Mix comes adorably packaged (a great color scheme you might even consider for your event!) with a white-satin bow and a lime-slice accent.  Either one is a terrific way to fill your party with cheers!

What a wonderful discovery I made this week, and I know my multicultural brides will absolutely love it!  Because finding a wedding invitation that speaks volumes about your heritage and culture can sometimes be a challenge in our cookie-cutter world.  But, the good folks at ImbueYou.com understand that every bride–and every wedding–isn’t the same.  That’s why they have a beautiful collection of elegant wedding invitations that span all sorts of cultures and continents! Pair them with our cultural wedding favors, and you’ve got a perfect match from start to finish.

Asian Influences

A dramatic duo indeed!  Red and black play a leading role on the invitation as well as our Double Happiness bottle stopper.

Indian Elegance

A variety of fabulous floral patterns blossom on the invitation and in our popular personalized mint tins.

Persian Perfection

Make a bold statement of color with this striking invitation inspired by Persian wall tiles, and keep the mood going at the wedding with our vibrant orchid gel candles.

Isn’t it great how our wedding favor speak so many different languages?!

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I know you’re out there! This is for all those thousands (okay, maybe dozens) of engaged couples whose love of the thinking-person’s game of chess brought you together. Maybe you met at a high-school chess club or a chess tournament.  Or did you check each other out on a dating site, where you both put “chess” in your list of passions or likes? Now that you’re going to mate for life, here are a few ideas to move you toward a chess-themed wedding–from your color scheme right down to your unique wedding favors!

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Made for Each Other!

Black-and-white weddings have always been the height of elegance, so your love of chess lends itself perfectly to a time-honored wedding palette. If you want to create some eye-popping accents, add touches of red or silver in your flowers, your centerpieces, your gown—whatever suits you.

I’m not suggesting you overwhelm your event with chess references—maybe just something in the save-the-date cards (Checkmate! He Made a Great Move! He Captured His Queen!), the reception table centerpieces and the favors. When you choose black and white for your wedding colors, you made your planning fairly simple.

There’s an abundance of white wedding gowns with touches of black, and your bridesmaids will look smashing in black dresses with black accents.  Same with the groomsmen, whose red-rose boutonnieres dazzle on those black tuxedos with white shirts.

Of course, you can really go all out and request that your guests wear formal black or white—it will make for some stunning wedding photos, but some of the guests might not be smiling, like poor Aunt Irene, who was just dying to wear her new lavender-satin pants suit. Oh, well. At least the rest of your event will be stunning. Before I show you your perfect favors, take a look at some ideas:

I promised you chess-themed wedding favors, and here they are.  The “Check Mate!” King and Queen Place Card/Photo Holders are the perfect touch for your reception tables. When guests take them home and add their favorite photos, they’ll be pleasantly reminded of your perfect match—and the winning move you made in planning your wedding!

Race car sets, model trains and Legos!  One look at any one of them will send you straight down memory lane.

If your love affair with these childhood favorites never ended, why not incorporate them into your wedding day?  A unique theme if I ever saw one, having a Lego wedding will certainly build some excitement.

Inspired by Eric Harshbarger’s wonderfully creative wedding cake made entirely out of Legos, I couldn’t help but wonder what else you could do with this theme.  Would it be classy or cheesy?  Would your guests really get it?  I don’t know, but it would definitely be fun.  If you’re looking for a unique way to celebrate building your new lives together, incorporate these Lego wedding ideas into your special day.

Cake Toppers: Although commissioning Mr. Harshbarger to make this one-of-a-kind cake might be a little out of your budget, you can definitely use minifigs as a cake topper.  Made to be customized, you can select your hair, clothes, head and just about everything else to make it uniquely you.  Some have even created Lego hearts with initials inside or some other figure that’s near and dear to the couple.

Centerpieces: For a fun centerpiece and a way to pass the time before the reception actually starts, place a bowl of random Lego pieces in the center of the table.  They’ll definitely add color to the reception and guests can build some “wedding presents” for you while they’re waiting on the buffet line to go down.

Place card holders: One couple with a Lego fetish even used them as personalized place card holders (pictured here.)  Choose the larger size in the color of your wedding and place the guest’s name on the side using clear, printable labels.  Simply attach their seating assignment and you’ve got an escort “card” and a wedding keepsake.  (See, Legos can be classy!)

Favors: Are those edible Legos pictured below?!  Not quite.  They’re actually compressed sugar candy building blocks called “Blox” that look just like Legos.  Place them in a bag for a cute reception favor or give them as bridal shower favors.

Vows: When you think about it, Legos have some great symbolism for marriage.  They’re built to fit together perfectly, you can take something small and seemingly insignificant and build something wonderful and they’re built to last–sturdy (have you ever stepped on one of those things by accident–hard as a rock, I tell you!)  Incorporating some of those elements into your vows will tie the ceremony to your theme in a wonderful way.  For some ideas, take a look at one person’s Lego vows at http://www.livingroom.org.au/blog/archives/a_lego_wedding.php.

As you can see, there are all sorts of ways to really bring out the Lego wedding theme.  Just don’t let guests throw them like rice as you leave the reception.  Ouch!

From Lego cuff links for the guys to ice trays to make building block ice for the drinks, you can add these blocks just about anywhere.  If this Lego trend continues, we’ll have to add some to our collection of unique wedding favors!