AisleDash

Yes, that title makes me feel a little like a Bond girl ... for about a second. Then reality creeps in and I remember that I'm married with a 19-month-old daughter who loves to throw food at me (sigh).

No, really, I love my family to death. Yet, I also love time to get away and relax on my own or with a friend – maybe have a drink or two (or three). Trust me, I'm getting to the wedding favor part right now.

Gallery: Favor File

Finding the right wedding favor can be extremely nerve-wracking, especially during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Don't you wish sometimes that Santa would magically appear on your doorstep with a bag of wedding goodies perfect for your big day?

Well, seeing how Santa doesn't really "do" weddings, you're stuck with me instead. Like a good elf, I've been scouring the Internet to find the best of what's out there for a winter wedding.

Remember being small and baking homemade holiday sugar cookies with your family? I always had a hard time waiting for them to cool down so that we could decorate them with frosting and tiny sugar crystals.

Winter weddings are the perfect occasion to bring back the nostalgic feeling you get when you think of holiday cookies. And I have a favor with yummy-goodness written all over it.

Gallery: Favor File

On the Today show this morning, three anchors positioned themselves at the ends of the earth: the Arctic Circle, Antarctica, and the Equator. This was all in an effort to showcase global climate changes and how we can help deter further damage to our planet.

Several weeks ago, AisleDash featured a day of "green" wedding ideas that we were proud to share with our readers. Since my husband and I were about to leave the country that week (look out for my future posts on honeymooning in Rome or Florence), I wasn't able to mention a wedding favor idea that's perfect for a "green" wedding.

Something old, something new. Something borrowed, something blue.

Everyone knows that famous poem, but so many people leave off the last line: And a silver sixpence in her shoe. It may not sound comfortable for a bride, but there's a lot of meaning behind the sixpence tradition and I think the lucky coin is a charming wedding gift to your guests.

My mom, an Egypt enthusiast, would have been ecstatic if we would have used this contemporary favor box at our wedding. Alas, I made my own boxes, which worked well for our classic wedding.

However, if you're looking for something different with a modern appeal, a pyramid gift box to hold goodies for your guests could be perfect. And, compared to other boxes, the price isn't bad either.

I used to consider myself a tea drinker until my daughter was born and I found that my body refused to work without a good, super-strong cup of coffee each morning. Now, with a growing trend I've repeatedly read about, I think I may be switching back to the calming brew.

Besides being a traditional Chinese wedding favor, flowering teas bring a sense of wonder to anyone watching the delicate buds blossom while they seep in hot water. Hand-sewn rosettes of different tea leaves make up a blossoming tea, and there are many varieties, all stunning in their own uniqueness.

This time of year, I relish the scent of chimney smoke and hearing the rustling of fallen leaves as I take a walk and soak in all that autumn has to offer. If you're having a fall wedding, I came upon a simple, elegant wedding favor idea that perfectly captures the theme of autumn.

Many sites, including this one I liked, offer leaf-shaped soaps for your wedding guests. I've seen soap rose petals at weddings I've attended, but I haven't seen a leaf-shaped favor, especially not a thin, detailed leaf in a variety of vibrant fall colors.

During this time of year when the holiday spirit is rising and people feel more charitable, I always wonder about ways to give back throughout the year. Let's face it – the holiday season is not the only time of year that people and charitable organizations need assistance.

And I can think of few better ways to give back than by having donations as your wedding favors. Besides lifting your spirits, your guests will feel loved and appreciated when a donation's made in their honor. Here are a few ideas for types of donation favors:

If you love do-it-yourself projects, this is a simple favor idea I created and used for my own wedding. I love to paint, so I tried to come up with something that would allow some creativity without too much hassle. After all, making favors for 100+ guests can be a daunting task for any bride, including those who could be Martha Stewart's successor.

Although I handled this project on my own, it's something that would be great to involve friends and family, and I can see children enjoying it as well. Here's all you need to get started:

Okay, before you start calling me tacky and completely devoid of any sophistication, hear me out first. True, this favor idea may seem like it's coming out of left field, but it's perfect if you're adventuresome and want to try something really different.

A while back, I witnessed a great party where the hosts included a money-blowing machine. Yes, that would be one of those phone booth-like contraptions you normally see at businesses trying to promote a big sale or a grand opening. Well, in a strange way, the idea appealed to me for a wedding reception favor idea.

As you might have read in my other posts, I'm a sucker for mini-anything. Naturally, that includes this favor idea that I absolutely love: mini-lanterns.

If you're having an evening wedding, these wedding favors can double as elegant table lighting for your guests to eat by. Of course, check with your wedding location first to see if they allow burning candles (many do with proper holders being used).

Also, these favors would add a magical quality to any garden or outdoor wedding. Can you imagine seeing one hundred or more tiny lights flickering at your wedding reception, mimicking the canopy of stars above as you dance into the night? Yes, I'm a romantic.

Want to cause your guests to be tickled pink and to laugh with the glee of a five-year-old? It's easy. Offer a candy buffet as your wedding favor.

Who wouldn't want to enter a room and see a long decorated table filled with a wonderful array of candy goodness? Martha Stewart made it a major trend, and many sites indicate that the trend is here to stay. Not only is it cheap to do, it's also completely easy and bound to impress your guests.

Here's how you do it:

With the leaves turning vibrant colors and a crisp coolness to the air, we know that autumn is making herself known. During the cooler seasons, I can think of few things better than sipping a hot cup of cocoa while wrapped in my favorite throw blanket.

One wedding favor trend has been to have personalized favors of hot chocolate mix. It's an idea that's simple and easy to customize for your style of wedding.

If you purchase ready-made favors from sites like this one, be ready to pay quite a bit. It may be worth it to you or maybe not. I prefer to do things myself when at all possible, and this favor idea is definitely one that can be managed if you're having a smaller wedding. It doesn't hurt if you have a few friends or family members willing to help too.

Here's how to make a perfect cocoa wedding favor:

Want to add a little whimsy to your wedding reception? Try having custom fortune cookies as the favor to make your guests stand up and take notice.

Chocolate-dipped and rolled in nuts, candy-coated with sprinkles ... there are endless varieties to choose from to make a big impression. And the sky's the limit to the actual fortune you want to include with your cookies. You could make it a simple "thank you", have a short love poem, or cause a giggle with a joke or humorous line.

And what better way to showcase your funky favors than to pack them in a tiny Chinese "take out" tote. You can also easily customize fortunes to the season. Having a fall wedding? Have your fortunes dipped in rich chocolate and coated with leaf-shaped sprinkles.

Fancier fortunes will run you around $1.65 per fortune not including typesetting costs for your personalized message. Or, if you're budget-conscious like me, you can get plain personalized fortunes for half that price. Confucius says you should give it a try!