Love and Lobster Coastal New England Weddings

Winter weddings offer a double dose of love and togetherness when they coincide with the holiday season. So in the spirit of all that gratitude and gift-giving, check out these ideas for seasonal favors that are sure warm your guests’ hearts while it’s cold outside.

Visit your local bakery to order up a batch of gingerbread cookies, then wrap them in cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon in your wedding colors. Tuck a boy and a girl cookie together in each bag for a romantic touch. Or, assemble dry hot cocoa mix in a mason jar, layering mini marshmallows on top and decorating with a bundle of peppermint or cinnamon sticks for stirring. If you’d rather leave it to the pros, Stonewall Kitchen’s Sugar & Spice gift set includes all of the above and more in a cute gift bag. Mulled cider is another seasonal favorite — take Martha Stewart’s lead and put together personalized mulling spice sachets stored in decorative tins.

Martha’s also got a go-to idea for an equally fragrant (but far less edible) sachet filled with the lovely scent of dried balsam needles. Or give each guest a fun balsam-scented snowball candle that’s sure to remind them of neighborhood snowball fights. If you’re going for more than just the aroma of the season, bestow each guest with an evergreen seedling that comes complete with planting and care instructions. Choose the eco-friendly packaging option and your tiny trees will arrive wrapped in wax paper and tied with twine, table-ready with the simple addition of a gift tag.

For a more delicate aesthetic, these hand-carved snowflake soap favors wrapped in shimmery tulle on Etsy smell as good as they look. To really make your guests feel pampered, add a customized lip balm in a flavor of your choice and labeled with your names and wedding date. Other snowy souvenir ideas for your big day could include these chrome snowflake bottle stoppers from Kate Aspen, which come packaged in a clear box topped with organza ribbon, or these mini Mr. & Mrs. Snowman snow globes.

If your wedding date bumps up against New Year’s Eve, place a noisemaker at each table to get everyone in a celebratory mood. If you’ve got access to an outdoor gathering space (and your venue approves), bundle several sparklers together with ribbon and a matchbook, then invite everyone to join in for a mini fireworks display under the stars.