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A: Favors now are all about being beautiful as well as functional. A favor passes the test if your guests don't toss it on the way to the car. Another thing to keep in mind is to give something that can be enjoyed by both men and women. So what's hot in the world of wedding favors? Here are a few of our favorite things:

Edible Favors. Tempt your guests with tasty favor treats. Personalized chocolate bars, individual truffles, cake-shaped cookies, fresh fruit, or slices of a groom’s cake are sure to be enjoyed by everyone. Who can resist nibbling on delicate homemade sugar cookies cut into wedding-related shapes (bells, rings, flowers, hearts), even after a full meal? The cookies can be wrapped in small glassine bags, put into small tins or beribboned white boxes. Since the cost of favors can add up quickly when you are giving them to 200 or so guests, food favors offer a nice way to stay within your budget.

High Spirits. Think drink when offering gifts to your guests. Personalized wine bottles or beer from a microbrewery are both trendy and practical favor ideas.

Things That Grow. Little plants in antiqued pots at every place setting not only lend a natural feel to your party, but will also live on after the reception. Potted herbs can be accompanied by a favorite herbal recipe. If your wedding features a certain flower, like roses or gardenias, send guests home with some of their own, or a sack of potpourri made from the blossom. Or consider presenting lucky bamboo shoots with personalized labels.

Theme Time. Favors that help express the theme of the wedding are also popular. A couple who had their wedding at the Central Park Zoo in New York City gave boxes of animal crackers to their guests. Another bride and groom gave guests attending their English manor wedding dainty bags of tea.

Funny Favors. Some favors can add a note of levity to a wedding reception, but if you opt for a humorous favor make sure that it's in good taste. One couple offered each guest a snow globe with their engagement photo inside. Another presented each guest with a charming little box covered with seashells. When guests took the lids off, they found TUMS inside.

Presentation Is Everything. The key to making a simple favor elegant and memorable lies in the presentation, so be creative. If you plan to box or bag your favors, consider an unconventional version -- perhaps miniature Chinese take out boxes, or little brown paper lunch sacks tied with raffia and adorned with real daisies. Planning to wrap the favors? Whether you use paper or fabric, go for interesting textures and colors. Tulle is fine (and easy to manipulate), but your favors will be more distinct bundled in an earthy burlap and tied with a creamy ivory ribbon. Another route is to forget the expensive paper; wrap your favors in butcher paper, leftover maps, or even foreign newsprint for a unique feel. Tie with raffia, twine, yarn, or cording instead of ribbon.