Eco-Friendly Favors

Encourage loved ones to dig in -- literally. For cute place settings that will grow and grow on your guests, fill tiny packets with the seeds of your favorite flower, and stitch them onto simply printed seating cards; then watch the happiness blossom. Sweet pea seeds, Flower Art & Soul. Glassine envelopes (G7), ClearBags.

Create a boundless field of tulips with these sweet favors. We placed bulbs (you can buy them online in the fall) in votive candleholders with enough water to cover the roots, then added paper blooms and a vellum seat assignment to each one. Bulbs, John Scheeper's. Candleholders, Jamali Garden Supplies.

Invigorate table arrangements with a flavor infusion. Farmers'-market greenery, like oregano, basil, and tarragon, gives this modern setting an organic feel; planted in sleek pots, the herbs double as inventive displays for a wraparound menu of foods that put the plants' virtues to good use. Stainless cubes, Jamali Garden Supplies.

"A host, of golden daffodils/beside the lake, beneath the trees/fluttering and dancing in the breeze." We love daffodils as much as William Wordsworth did -- they herald spring's arrival. Here, budding bulbs bought from a local nursery are nestled into sake cups beneath beds of rocks. To turn them into take-home favors, use a rubber stamp to imprint planting instructions onto wooden posts. If you prefer dormant bulbs, buy them online in the fall. Bulbs, John Scheeper's. Large wooden sake cup (OMS -100), Buy4AsianLife.com. Wood-veneer paper, New York Central Art Supply, 800-950-6111. Rubber stamp, Stampworx.

Sure, matchbooks have become a go-to wedding favor, but there's more to these clever versions than meets the eye. Give away a surprising something to remember in the form of a cheery, charming pack of forget-me-not seeds. The best part: Long after the big day, guests will watch the dainty blossoms -- and the memories -- spring to life. Forget-me-not seeds, Flower Art & Soul. Glassine envelopes (G7), ClearBags.

There's nothing more romantic than the rose -- it's a symbol of love and affection that has stood the test of time. Miniature rose bushes make for especially adorable favors that, once planted, will produce blooms for years to come. These Lilliputian pots don't even require a green thumb -- underneath the scalloped band of decorative paper is a completely plantable container. 4" rose plants, Nurserymen's Exchange, bloomrite.com. Standard coir pots (CN-CRS), Greenhouse Megastore.

It may not be dahlia season just yet, but that doesn't mean you can't channel this flower's intense color and festive attitude here and now. For these eye-catching favor pouches, we used bright tissue paper to create a pattern that mimics that bold beauty, then tied on a tag bearing planting instructions, and verdant ribbon to pose as leaves. At home, guests will peel back the petals to reveal a dormant dahlia bulb brimming with potential and just waiting to take root. Bulbs, Swan Island Dahlias. Tissue paper (CT1AP), Nashville Wraps. 1 1/2" Paper Shapers circle craft punch, EK Success, from Scrapbook.com.

Punched leaves of all-natural paper hold the seeds guests need to produce a patch of wildflowers. All that's required is dirt, water, and, of course, sunshine. Seed paper, Tender Seed Company, favorswithseeds.com. Seed paper in green garden, Botanical PaperWorks. Melamine cups (DRW-22), Buy4AsianLife.com.

These seed-filled tins make it possible for each of your guests to take home a pop-up garden. We affixed labels to each one -- names and date on the front, and simple planting instructions on the back. Wedding seed mix, Flower Art & Soul. Clear-top favor tins (1099), Beau-coup.

For a takeaway centerpiece that's anything but garden variety, decorate reception tables with an array of plants that guests can gaze at while they dine, then take home with them at evening's end. The vessels holding these miniature orchids are wrapped in fabric for more exotic appeal. Mini phalaenopsis, McLellan Botanicals, orchidexperts.com. Calligraphy, Primele.

Cymbidium orchids in assorted colors are tucked into handmade paper cones, then affixed by ribbon to a board covered in pink linen to create a garden of floral favors. Each blossom is anchored in a tiny vial of water to ensure that it will bloom for a full week.

A cluster of potted zinnias adds charm to the table at a country or casual wedding. A sign next to the display asks guests to "Please pick one." The theme that inspires the favor continues at each place setting: Seeds packaged in glassine bags are attached to each of the tented place cards with yellow twine that is inserted through two small punched holes, then tied in a bow.

Lush floral centerpiece blooms double as favors when you provide guests with waterproof bags to take flowers home in. Have cellophane ones custom-printed with a message asking guests to pick a few flowers. Set them out with twist ties to cinch bags closed, and at party's end your guests can carry on (and carry off) a bit of the celebration.

Boxes topped with flowers make a beautiful centerpiece; a table number is embroidered onto ribbon encircling the largest box. Inside, the stems sit in water bottles stabilized by crumpled paper. Favor boxes, which contain nonpareils, double as place cards.

This place-card favor blooms with tiny paper flowers.

These favors are made using just four different flower punches.

Give guests sprightly bouquets of their own: Choose arrangements of 'Ping Pong' mums, chamomile, and lady's mantle (or other blooms to fit your color scheme). The flowers are held in small plastic floral tubes filled with water. Cones of decorative green paper hide the tubes.

Perfect as a centerpiece for the party or as individual guest favors (perhaps at a shower), stunning orchids emerge from terra-cotta pots painted white and arranged on saucers; a butterfly-shaped tag on a thin wire holder hovers over each plant.

Wrap favors in brightly colored tissue paper and top them off with a paper flower -- a low-cost alternative to the real thing.

Painted metal buckets brimming with blooms call to mind a French flower market. But these bunches, wrapped in colored waxed tissue paper, are not for sale; they're meant to be given as wedding favors. Display them near a doorway or throughout a reception hall on tiered metal stands painted to match the buckets. At day's end, post a card inviting guests to pick a bunch.

Demure and delicate, African violets are pretty little packages and, with minimal effort, can make a dazzling display. Simply slip the potted plants into panettone molds, cluster on three-tiered plate stands or let stand solo, and tuck a handwritten note inside.

Hexagonal favor boxes wrapped with colored satin ribbons make a bold statement when arranged on a table to form graphic, flowerlike designs. Stash little treats such as a few Jordan almonds inside, and let guests pluck one from the field.

Give petite flowers a larger presence by arranging them in the form of a heart. With this centerpiece there are enough blooms for every guest to take a cluster or two home. To ensure that the design stands out, use short, small vessels, such as eggcups. We combined a vibrant collection of ranunculuses with all-white details. Candles placed inside the heart will showcase the flowers into the evening.