Coffee Wedding Favors For Fall

Today, many popular wedding colors come from our favorite foods. Think of dark chocolate and espresso, tangerines and cherries, cream and butter yellow, mocha and latte. In fall, we especially like rich hues that remind us of complex flavors.

Given these intimate ties between colors and tastes, and the long-standing love affair many of us have with coffee (even if you don't drink it yourself, you probably have fond memories of an aromatic Mr. Coffee in your parents' kitchen), it's no surprise that loved-up couples like to tip their hat to the noble bean. And that goes double when it's fall.

After all, let's not forget that more than one couple got their start when an adventurous young student spied the girl or guy of their dreams edging up to the coffee bar. Java might give Cupid quite a run for his money! Personally, I know of a recent case where an enterprising girl chatted up an adorable boy in a just-off-campus cafe, leading to a lifetime (well, at least so far) of true love!

So, how to give this aromatic liquid its pride of place? Well, brides have been known to drape their 'maids in toasty brown gowns or pashminas, for one. Then, there's the ever-popular mocha-flavored wedding cakes. You might even attend a reception where white pillar candles sit in clear glass cylinders heaped with coffee beans -- a gorgeous effect.

Then, there are receptions glammed up with latte art -- lovely heart shapes, stars and ferns swirled into cups by talented barristas when dessert hour rolls around. Want to be wowed? Check out "coffee wedding cake" on flickr for an amazing homage to one of the world's favorite coffee joints!

Of course, you'll find clever little coffee-themed favors: heart-shaped coffee scoops, or coffee-scented candles poured into tiny demitasse cups. At some weddings, the lucky guests have found themselves graced with coffee mugs painted by hand, one-of-a-kind works of art labored over by someone ultra-close to the bride. And then, young hipsters have served up chocolate coated espresso beans in favor boxes or tins.

But far and away, most couples go with personalized coffee wedding favors, whether you start with folder-over coffee bags and print your own labels, tuck fresh beans in mini burlap bags, or just go with the personalized foil packs found at wedding favor sites.

No matter which way, it's a thrill to the bride and groom to see their names and date neatly printed out across a hundred little favor bags. And this is one of those cases where guests can really use these little gifts -- whether to indulge in a fresh pot the next morning in their hotel room, or save for a quiet moment at home.

So regardless of how coffee makes a showing at your wedding, your guests are bound to get a sense of your personal passion. And let's face it -- there's no other food or beverage that better celebrates the cool afternoons and many flavors of fall.