In this first article of the blog I would like to talk about the symbol par excellence of the Italian wedding, the wedding favor…’la bomboniera‘.
Synonymous with ancient noble tradition, it was born in Italy at the end of the fifteenth century, a period in which the members of the high aristocracy used to use small glass or porcelain boxes to contain sweets, in French “bon-bon”.

1. Confetti

Until 1800 the favor was therefore simply considered a lucky or auspicious box, to hold candies made of sugar. Once these candies became more commonplace, they were replaced first by almonds and then by modern “confetti” (sugar coated almonds).

In 1896, with the wedding of Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples and future King of Italy, and Elena of Montenegro, the wedding favor officially became a gift to the guests from the spouses; hence the tradition of the “bomboniera” as we know it today.
The favor became in time a precious symbol of thanks, a gift made to remember over time the day of the union of the newly married couple, becoming an integral part of the wedding organization and transforming itself from a traditional object to an original and versatile gift.

2. My idea of bomboniera

Today, when planning the big day for the couples I work with, I channel all my creativity and originality to offer wedding favors that are super-personalized and never banal. Though up until a few decades ago, couples opted for larger objects in silver or other precious materials, I suggest to my couples more ethical and original wedding favors. Some eco-friendly and local food products, such as cheeses, honey or organic jams produced in Italy by many farms scattered throughout the country make really memorable favors. Another alternative could be small bottles of oil or wine, especially from the beautiful regions of Umbria and the Chianti area in Tuscany, which are renowned for these products. Going a little further south, in Campania, we find another typical Italian product – the very tasty limoncello of the Amalfi Coast, a classic end-of-meal liqueur that can never be missing on our tables. If we wanted to deviate from the eno-gastronomic theme, I suggest opting for the other part of Made in Italy, represented by art, local crafts and fashion.

FIVE WISHES FOR THE COUPLE

One thing everyone can agree upon when it comes to the ancient custom of wedding favors: the exact number of almond confetti, which must be strictly five. In fact, each candy represents a wish for the newly married couple: fertility, longevity, health, well-being and happiness.

Give your guests an Italian memory!!!

As you may have guessed then, there are no real rules dictated by etiquette for the creation and presentation of the favors; what matters most is that they are the symbol of thanks of the spouses to their guests and that they are thoughtful, useful and why not, tasty, made to eternalize the memory of a unique, once-in-a-lifetime event.