What about wedding favors? Someone believes that they are unnecessary; someone else says that they should enrich and conclude every wedding reception worthy of its name, just like the term “The End” in the fairytales. You are not obliged to offer wedding favors to your guests; but we, at Apulia wedding and more, want to give you some original ideas in the event you opt for them. Rather than wedding favors, they are beautiful tales. Are you ready to be told them?
Olive oil: a very old scented and liquid story
Puglia’s unique landscape is characterized by endless olive trees, which stretch across the whole region. While driving along a county road, the white border of the carriageway will accompany you into that landscape. But, please, watch out for narrow side streets; a Fiat’s Uno or 126 car, dating from the Eighties, or an Ape (the typical three-wheeled vehicle of most Puglia’s farmers) can pop out suddenly, driven by one of the owners of the many side plots of land stretching all around.
Along the country roads, please drive at the speed limit (50 km/h), so that you can glimpse, between the branches, a ladder and then the head of a farmer deep in his pruning work. Driving at a slow pace, beside being safer, will allow you to enjoy Puglia’s olive harvesting, which usually takes place in October and November (we talked about it in an another article), with the big green nets laid at the foot of the trees, the olive shaker machines in action and people busy at picking off leaves from the harvested olives. A few olives will be destined for preserves (the salt-cured olives that add great flavor to salads, focaccias and puccia bread), while the majority will be pressed to produce extra virgin olive oil.
This is an old and scented story. In Puglia, olive oil making is a ritual; each family has its own product, and it is served on the table to season dishes such as tomato bread or fava bean purée. Be assured that, every time that people from Puglia move in another city to attend university or for work, they will bring at least one bottle of it with them.
Those who decide to organize their wedding in Puglia – maybe in the olive grove of a masseria farm, surrounded by a romantic, bucolic scenery, with a naked wedding cake adorned with olive leaves – can opt for giving their guests a proper “happy end”: small size bottles of olive oil. This excellent, tasty condiment is a great wedding favor, which tells a lot about this land.
Artistic handicrafts. Pottery: stories molded with the hands
In the town of Cutrofiano, Lecce, I’ve met a man who works as a potter and ceramist, one of those artists whose hands tell so many stories. He let me kindly discover the world of his handcrafts.
What about handcrafted wedding favors? It is a great idea, isn’t it?
Puglia’s design ideas: tradition and new visions
It’s not infrequent that I wander around in search of inspiration (I’ve already told you about my passion for vintage street markets and antique stores, do you remember?). That’s why I’m pleased to recommend a beautiful place, which offers a glimpse of Puglia and its dynamic life: the Artego handicraft shop in Lecce, where modern design draws inspiration from ancient and local handicraft traditions and gives them new life. It is worthy a visit! I especially love their knitted cactus shoots, known as “Yes, we Knit”: an imaginative wedding favor that tells the story of Puglia’s wild nature.
Lighting and luminarie. The traditional local festivals
In Puglia, patron saint feasts are taken very seriously, with their marching bands, processions, “luminarie” (illuminations) and skillful artisans that have been employing ever more cutting-edge techniques. Many modern illuminations now work to the sound of music! Which is the most representative event? Undoubtedly, the feast held in honor of Santa Domenica in Scorrano, Lecce.
When I first saw the Luminterra collection, I fell in love with it: they are amazing lamps, which blend Puglia’s local festivals and unique landscape suggestions together. Look at these white-painted wood prickly pear blades, adorned with small light bulbs (like those of the luminarie mounted during the local feasts). What about finishing your big day in this way? A wedding favor the likes of this one is not only a souvenir, but also a design item that tells us a beautiful story through its lights and shapes.
