1940s theme party, ideas for favours?

Gazing_On_Sunsets

We're getting married on Monday (eek!) at a registry office, just the two of us, then haring off to Scotland for a few weeks. We didn't keep it as secret as we'd have liked... so we're throwing a big party when we return, to celebrate. It's not exactly a wedding reception (we didn't mention "wedding" when we booked anything..;))

The party will be on Armed Forces day, and a 1940's theme (music, inflatable spitfires, that sort of thing. But not the food!!!) Anyway as it's "sort of" a wedding, I want to give favours/gifts to the guests, but I don't want to just bung a few organza bags of sweets at them. Any quirky, cheap, easy ideas? When we get back from Scotland I'll have about a week to do things, if anyone has some cool craft-based ideas.

Thank you!

RainbowDrops

Why not make a ration card type thing that has an old fashioned recipie on it, and attach it to a biscuit / scone cutter?

Mrs_Huggett

Or you could try and get hold of postcards with the 'dig for victory' campaign on them (usual pic of lovely chap smoking a pipe whilst digging his veg patch) - try the imperial war museum website maybe? you could then give packets of seeds.

jenhug

haveyou considered something from the help for heroes shop or royal british legion? You could do something for charity and stick with your theme.

Gazing_On_Sunsets

jenhug wrote: »

haveyou considered something from the help for heroes shop or royal british legion? You could do something for charity and stick with your theme.

Sort of, in that we've said there's no gift list - but we'll collect for Help for heroes on the night.

Mrs Huggett, The Imperial War Museum had nice postcards but they were a couple of quid EACH...great idea though, and will maybe adapt it.

Thanks everyone, just got a mental block and I'm usually good at ideas!

VfM4meplse

Time to get the Union Jack bunting out again!

One of the best evenings I've been to was a "British" night, I thought it was going to be jingoistic nonsense but it was a real celebration of all things British, with a focus on the WW2 victory. The entertainers were dressed as 40s servicemen / wrens with bright red lipstick, french pleats and lines drawn up the back of their legs, songs were Vera Lynn, "boiled beef and carrots" and My old man's a dustman" etc, there was a pearly king and queen, and we all went home waving union jacks. Everyone had a fantastic night.

mountainofdebt

We went to a wedding last year where the bride has decided to forego wedding favours and give the money to the hospital that had helped her get well after being ill for some time

So, given that wedding favours are a relatively new thing and that this year is the 90th anniversary of the British Legion, why not make a donation to the British Legion ?

Mrs_Huggett

I would get busy with my printer, which scans and copies ......if you catch my drift OP....LOL!!!

Rubynewshoes

I like the idea of a "Dig for Victory" postcard with a packet of seeds. Maybe try ebay for a bulk buy?

How about stockings for the ladies? Not very crafty but would be quite a quirky, fun idea in keeping with you theme. Or a homemade CD with wartime songs on? How about raiding the charity shops in you area for vintage china teacups and filling them with retro sweets, scone mix, a cupcake or turning them into candles?

Hope this helps, sorry if my ideas are totally off!

Gazing_On_Sunsets

Thanks everyone!
We got married yesterday and went hunting with falcons today, off on honeymoon tomorrow.
Me and my mate got together, went over everyone's ideas and this is what we'll do:
(we already have the bunting, inflatable spitfires, posters and so on)
Plain cardboard boxes with 24-hour ration pack stamped on them (many of our family and friends are forces), and inside will be some cheap seeds with the Dig for Victory picture, and some boiled sweets in a plain bag, and a thank you card mocked up to look like a ration card.

Yes,mountainofdebt, good idea: we've already decided there are to be no gifts to us - just a suggested donation to Help for Heroes. Seems appropriate!

Rubynewshoes, great ideas, in fact everyone you've been helpful. Thought I'd post back up what we'd decided in case it sparks off some ideas for anyone else.