Put Some South in Your Mouth
Charleston Wedding Favors – How to Tie in History in Your Event
Aside from being the most beautiful Southern city I’ve ever stepped foot on, Charleston, SC is a hot bed of history and culinary delight. So here are a few local items I think may make great wedding favors for guests to take home for my wedding, perhaps they’ll inspire some regional favors for yours as well.
Top Left: Carolina Gold aka rice. South Carolina has a 200 year history with this crop. It’s said in 1685 a merchant ship paid for repairs in Charleston with small sum of rice seed from Madagascar. A Dr. Henry Woodward planted the seed.  Tended to by slaves in the lowcountry marshes, the crop flourished and thus began a culture and cuisine that’s come to shape the entire state. Today only one small farm still grows Carolina Gold in South Carolina.
Top Right:  Silver Rice Spoon. Sold by Drayton Hall Plantation Historical Society, these spoons were said to deliver the perfect size helping of rice and would make a lovely gift to family flying cross country to attend the event.
Bottom Left: Melvin’s BBQ Sauce. According to my fiance there is nothing more delicious in the world than Melvin’s BBQ, a local Charleston chain. For those unfamiliar, each region of the south produces a different variety of BBQ sauce – Charleston area being mustard based (rather than vinegar or tomato based) and it’s this fact that keeps him coming back for more. This is thanks to German families that settled here in the 1750′s who brought with them the common use of mustard. All I can say is Danke!
Bottom Right: Benne Wafers. When over 300 years ago West Africans were taken from their homes and forced into slavery in the South, they brought with them a small amount of sesame seeds (which were considered lucky) called Benne. This was introduced into Charleston cultivation and eventually the recipe for Benne Wafers emerged. They’re a small salty sweet cookie that would look perfect in a bag with a little bow.
What regional treats do you have for guests?
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