Here at the Big Fat Indian Wedding, we’ve covered our fair share of East meets West style fusion weddings. And they’ve always been a treat to look at. No matter how diverse their backgrounds, couples seem to find a way to showcase the best of both cultures.
There are many creative ways to include both the bride and groom’s traditions in the celebrations. Although wedding favors are traditionally Western, they have become an integral part of most fusion weddings.
A beautifully packaged present can be a thoughtful way of thanking your guests for being a part of your celebrations. We’re happy to have Thorntons Chocolates of the United Kingdom come up with some brilliant fusion ideas for wedding favor eats for your guests.
Traditional chocolate truffles
You can’t really go wrong with chocolate as a wedding favour and a fine selection of beautifully packaged luxurious chocolate truffles can be a thoughtful parting present for guests. These Viennese truffle hearts from Thorntons come in heart-shaped boxes, so you needn’t worry about individually wrapping the chocolates.
If you don’t mind putting in a little more effort, why not pair the delicious chocolate wedding favours with a couple of traditional South Asian mithai (milk-based) sweets? The truffles and mithai can be packaged together in pretty sari gift pouches for a truly multi-ethnic memento.
Spiced {Gingerbread} Cookies
You may not think of the humble cookie as an ideal candidate for a wedding favour, but with a South Asian makeover, it can really rise to the occasion. Fusion inspired cookies are making waves on the baking circuit, and there’s no reason why they should be left out of wedding menus either.
Typical spiced cookies contain traditional Asian spices such as nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon and cardamom. They are not exotic but a step up from the Christmas gingerbread cookies people love. With a variety of ethnic patterns used on the icing, think peacocks, butterflies and rangoli, these cookies will be wholely Indian.
Henna Lounge, based in San Francisco, is known for gorgeous henna patterns on cookies.
Fusion Macarons
Macarons make for delicate and delectable fusion wedding favours. They can also be decorated in bright and colourful South Asian patterns to highlight the fusion theme.
Paisleys and henna designs can add a delightful ethnic twist to this traditional French confection. Look up specialist confectioners in your area and find out if they can customise macarons in this style. For a little inspiration, take a look at what NYC based confectioner Creme Delicious is doing with its macarons.
Indian Chai Mix
India is the largest producer and consumer of tea in the world. So if you’re looking to add a taste of India to your wedding favors, a blend of Indian tea or chai can be an ideal choice.
For a fun twist, why not create your own blend by combining Indian black tea leaves with tropical spices such as vanilla, cardamom and even the odd rosebud? The aromatic blend can be packaged in an organza drawstring gift bag for a beautiful and fragrant favor.
Fennel/Cardamon Candy
Fennel candy is the South Asian answer to an After Eight mint. It usually arrives at the end of a restaurant meal and is typically eaten in heaped spoonfuls. This multi-coloured rice-shaped sweetmeat combines a fragrant aniseed-like flavour with the sweet taste of candy.
If you want to keep on the safer side but still bring out the Indianness in your chocolate, try an orange cardamon chocolate. You will get the bright, crispy notes of orange blended with the spice of cardamon.
We hope these ideas get you inspired to create your own Indian fusion wedding treat.