Anita says…

How many times have you been to a wedding and got something that you stuff away at the bottom of a drawer? I can imagine countless times - and then on the rare occasion, you get something delightful that takes pride of place in the home.

Observing over the years the amount of clutter one accumulates from attending weddings as a guest, I thought i’d share some worthy ideas that your guests will certainly cherish long after the wedding. Valued, meaningful and appreciated is the aim of the gesture.

The time and effort to source the right thing and finding appropriate packaging too, should not fall on the wayside of wedding planning. 

Fengshui Eggs

Magic Fengshui eggs are a joy to hold in your hand and placed in the home - held to assist in clearing our living spaces of negativity.

Eggs mean growth, protection, new beginnings and resurrection.

The Vernal Equinox celebrates the coming of spring and the Fengshui egg is an important part of this ancient festival. The March equinox has long been celebrated as a time of rebirth in the Northern Hemisphere. Many cultures celebrate spring festivals and holidays around the March equinox, like Easter and Passover. Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox.

Himalayan Saffron

Saffron, often called as ‘Kesar’ in Hindi. Himalayan Saffron is renown due to its health benefits. It is one of the most expensive spices available and comes from the flower of the saffron crocus. It is used in Mediterranean and Asian cooking and has a strong and intense flavour and aroma, so use it sparingly.

Use saffron threads in both sweet and savoury dishes, and to flavour teas and other drinks. The most direct way to take in saffron orally is by making saffron tea, boiling water, a few strands of saffron with a dash of honey.

Saffron also has several therapeutic and health benefits. It has a variety of chemical components, such as vitamin A, folic acid, copper, potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, selenium, zinc, magnesium, riboflavin and thiamine. This helps digestion, treats Insomnia, improves eyesight, combats hair loss, improves memory, improves heart, combats diabetes, treats asthma, treatment of acne and blemishes, heals wounds and scars and

Health experts link saffron with cancer prevention, energy enhancement, immune strengthening, asthma relief, depression treatment, Alzheimer’s protection, and menstrual cramp relief.

Mother of pearl

Mother-of-pearl is an opaque to translucent gemstone. The iridescence of mother-of-pearl is known as "orient" and is thought to be caused by light interference and dispersion. Mother-of-pearl is believed to encourage prosperity. Some say that mother-of-pearl offers soothing, motherly protection from negative energy and love - and is also thought to promote intuition and imagination.

Himalayan Pink Salt

Himalayan crystal salt comes from salt mines 5,000 feet deep below the Himalayan Mountain Range, containing 80+ nourishing and skin-friendly minerals. Pink Himalayan salt is often said to be the most beneficial as well as the cleanest salt available on this planet today. It has all kinds of nutritional and therapeutic properties, not to mention culinary uses. You can use it as a healthier option to processed salt. Enjoy a detoxifying Himalayan salt bath. Its nutrients will stimulate your circulation and soothe sore muscles. This bath will provide a healing and amazingly therapeutic experience for both body and soul.

· Aids in vascular health

· Supports healthy lungs and respiratory function

· Promotes a stable pH balance within the cells

· Reduces the signs of aging

· Promotes healthy sleep patterns

· Increases libido

· Prevents muscle cramps

· Increases hydration

· Strengthen bones

· Lowers blood pressure

· Improves circulation

· Detoxifies the body of heavy metals

As with any salt, you don’t want to overdo it.

The Luck of Horse Shoes

There are ancient pre-Christian supernatural powers attributed to the horseshoe. For the Greeks, it symbolised the crescent moon which was regarded as a symbol of fertility. The Romans believed that the “U” shape afforded protection from evil.

Horseshoes have long been regarded as a symbol of good luck. A horsehoe should never be turned upside down or the good luck for your home is likely to fall out. The "luckiest" horseshoes are cast from iron to form the perfect marriage of fire and earth.

It has been known for centuries that a used horseshoe brings good luck and protects against evil. Therefore, there is no better gift imaginable than a Lucky Horseshoe.

Handmade Welcome Letters

A beautiful personal way to welcome your guests to your wedding is by designing a Welcome Letter that they will adore, left in their bedrooms if it’s a destination wedding or given to them as part of a parting gift pack which thanks them personally. Something they will treasure as a lot of thought will go into the wording.

With today’s weddings being much smaller and more intimate, this expression will be the icing on the cake!

The list could be endless, just think of things you’d use yourself…