Wedding favors are small gifts which are given as a gesture of gratitude or appreciation to guests from the groom and bride during the wedding reception or a wedding ceremony. The tradition of distributing wedding favors is very old. The first wedding favor was known as a bonbonniere, common amongst European aristocrats. A bonbonniere is a small box made of porcelain, crystal, and/or precious stones. The contents of these boxes were generally delicate confections or sugar cubes, which symbolize royalty and wealth. (In this period of time, sugar was a very expensive commodity and was treasured only by the wealth people. It was believed that sugar contained medical benefits). As the price decreased during centuries, the tradition of providing a gift to guests was embraced by couples of modest means.