In my endless quest to find new and exciting new ideas for wedding gifts and wedding favors I turned to the gift ideas available in my own land, Egypt. The long history of Egypt from Ancient Egyptian civilization going through Byzantine, Roman, Christian and Arab influences has created a unique mix of culture in Egypt that reflected on its arts and crafts. Egyptians are long known for their advanced skills as skilled artisans and the handmade crafts they produce are marked by subtle variations in shape, color and details to ensure that each piece is unique and different. The mix of skilled workmanship and cultural influences make gifts from Egypt a brilliant idea for many occasions. In this article I will explore three ideas for wedding favors and gifts with tips on how to make a good informed purchase.

Glass perfume bottles made of the highest quality Pyrex glass with transparent twisted-style stoppers that fit perfectly to the bottle. They come with different brilliant colors and most bottles are embellished with golden rings. If you buy in bulk (150-200 pieces) you can get a huge discount from the retailer, ask before you buy. The bottles will be shipped mostly by air from Egypt directly to you. Glass is very fragile and some of the bottles may break regardless of how carefully packed they are. Make sure you buy insurance for your bottles, check the refund policy of the retailer, and order a few more to cover any breakage. It is always a good idea to order about a month in advance.

Another idea is personalized Egyptian Papyrus paintings. These are great gifts that carry paintings from Ancient Egyptian history (King Tut, Nefertiti, ...) and can be personalized with any name. Names can be painted in English or Hieroglyphics. The can be framed for a long lasting memory of the special event. You can also print your wedding invitations on papyrus papers (without the Egyptian art). The invitation can be printed in English with the bride and grooms names in English and Hieroglyphics. Check with different retailers to get a good price quote. Make sure you communicate all the details of size, font and design of your invitation. Order a few samples first to make sure that this is what you want. Expect the whole process to take one to two months so start early.

Mother of Pearl Jewelry boxes are another great idea. These are wooden boxes where the top is covered with inlaid mother of pearl. The boxes come in various shapes and sizes, round, rectangular, flat or rounded top. The inside is red velvet usually. You can give these boxes as gifts to the mademoiselle d'honore [bridesmaid] to keep their jewelry. Also, the wedding bands can be presented in one of these boxes, possibilities are endless. They are also a good place to keep sentimental gifts from family members. Make sure you buy quality boxes only. The cheap ones use a kind of glue that deteriorate over time and will start to smell real bad after a while.