Bonbonniere - Modern Weddings for Busy Women

These are optional. They are a nice touch though. Very easy to make yourself and even easier if you have some volunteers and bridesmaids to help. Traditionally sugared almonds in tulle, nowadays bonbonniere can be anything small and cute, like chocolates, toffees or even small guest soaps. Not even tulle is necessary, beautiful lace edged handkerchiefs or cellophane can do for wrapping. Objects like crystal boxes, plaster cherubs, miniature wine or liqueur, potpourri sachets, candle holders, china bells or custom coloured cardboard boxes filled with anything, the choice is yours.

If you're going to be wrapping things, do a sample wrap, how many of your chosen items will be in each bundle, and how many guests, to see how much wrapping material you will need. If you are wrapping candy, chocolates, or small round/oval objects an easy way is to find a large round dinner plate and draw around it onto the wrapping material with a light pencil. Cut out the resulting circle and see how many objects fit in that bundle and can still be easily and prettily fastened together. Get your fiancé (although not a good idea to use him if he's a chocoholic) to divide the booty into bundles and draw and cut out the wrapping material circles.

If using the foil curling ribbon from gift shops to tie your bonbonniere with, beware of the dye coming off on your hands. Reels of nylon fabric ribbon can be purchased from dressmaking and craft stores. Another reason not to leave any bundle tying until a few days before the wedding is in case of broken fingernails from knot and bow wrestling!

If you want to put tags on the bonbonniere (the bonbonniere can be used instead of place cards, that way) you can do them yourself with fancy cards or plain cardboard with fancy edged scissors and a hole punch, or get a printer to print them for you (see place cards).