Wedding favors have evolved over time. Wedding favors today combine the traditional with the modern and elegant design with great functionality. Here are some of the hot new trends in wedding favors:

1. Wedding favors that reflect the wedding theme: even as theme weddings are gaining in popularity, so are theme wedding favors. A wedding favor may seem like a small element of the theme, but it is what your guests will take home with them finally. A wedding favor that reflects the theme of your wedding serves to remind your guests about your wedding for a long time. If you are having a theme wedding but are at a loss for wedding favor ideas, think of motifs that reflect the theme. For instance, if you are having a Mexican theme wedding, you may want to give out bottles of salsa or pots of flowering cactus. Use your imagination, and you are bound to come up with something unique and memorable.

2. Wedding favors that reflect cultural heritage: this is a great way to acquaint your guests with your roots and thus with yourself. For ideas, think back to your childhood or ask your relatives about things that are associated with your culture. For instance, chopsticks are a popular wedding favor idea at Chinese weddings. Similarly an Indian couple can give their guests boxes filled with spices like cardamoms, cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon for a wedding favor that is immediately evocative of their home country.

3. Wedding favors that reflect the personality of the bride and groom: what better keepsake for your guests than something that always reminds them of the two of you and your shared interests? Are both of you interested in sports? Give your guests baseball caps! Alternatively, are you both interested in books and reading? A bookmark is sure to symbolize that perfectly!

4. Wedding favors with personalized messages: this could be something as simple as the names of your guests to something as poignant as a line from your favorite poem - maybe even your vows if you wrote them yourself.

5. Wedding favors that are experiences: this is the latest trend in wedding favors. These favors are not just things - instead they have the potential to turn into complete experiences. You could have your wedding at a bird sanctuary, for example, and leave guests their very own binoculars.

6. Wedding favors that are useful: the best way to ensure that your guests don't leave their wedding favors behind is to pick something that they are bound to find useful in their own homes. There are a whole range of unique wedding favors available that combine great design with functionality. Some of the great wedding favor gift ideas that we came across include picture frames, key-rings, measuring spoons, bottle stoppers, bottle openers, pens, cookie cutters, coffee and ice-cream scoops, bookmarks, candles, handmade soaps and even coasters.