While wedding favors are optional, if you give out favors, choose something your guests will want. If you’re not sure what to give, read on for some handy tips on choosing wedding favors.
Choose Something Theme-Related
If your wedding has a theme, the wedding favors should relate to this theme. If your theme is Paris, use a box of macarons for a favor or a French chocolate bar. You wouldn’t want to use a mini bottle of sriracha, which better suits a Thailand theme.
Pick Something Personal
The big trend in weddings is for a more personalized experience. This means the couple should choose items that have personal meaning to them. The favors could be bags with their favorite snack foods, something related to their favorite place, or hobbies. If you love to garden, consider giving seed packets or a tiny succulent as wedding favors.
Keep Your Budget in Mind
No matter how much you like a particular item, you’ll be buying a lot of wedding favors. Keep your budget in mind. Most people try to limit wedding favors to about $1 per person. Buy favors in bulk to save you money if your guest list is large.
Opt for Something Useful
Try to find something guests can use after the wedding. Options include bottle openers, plants, picture frames, luggage tags, soaps, shot glasses, matches, lip balm, water bottles, and candles. Think about what your guests might like. Put your wedding information on the packaging, tag, or label instead of having it printed on the item. Guests will be more likely to use the favor after the wedding. If you opt for picture frames, put in funny photos of guests and use them for escort cards. On a hot and sunny day, consider sunglasses or hand-held fans for guests. In the winter, consider blankets as wedding favors. Flip-flops can be a good choice to get people dancing, but you’ll need various sizes.
Consider Something Edible
Guests may not need another candle but will enjoy something delicious to eat. Examples include candies, cookies, cupcakes, mini bottles of alcohol, donuts, coffee beans, jam, or a s’mores kit. Regional specialties offer a good starting place for ideas. You could choose a traditional food item from your culture. You can even make something yourself to give the wedding favors a more personal touch. Test out the project to see if you can create the desired effect. Give the recipe along with the goodies as part of the favor. Another alternative is to have a cookie, popcorn, or candy bar. People can fill their own favor bags with their favorite treats to take home with them.
Be Charitable
Another trend is for couples to make charitable donations instead of favors. Place cards announcing this on the tables. There’s no need to determine what guests want and guests won’t leave favors behind.
Use the Budget for Out-of-Town Guest Bags
If a significant number of people attending the wedding come from out of town, consider making them welcome bags with fun and useful items instead of giving everyone a small favor at the wedding.
Take Care With the Presentation
Even if the wedding favors are just small little items, like a container of mints, take time to make the presentation special. A label that says “Mint to Be” with your wedding date and names, for example, will make the wedding favor more personalized and memorable. Wrap or box the wedding favors nicely to make them stand out.
Make Sure the Wedding Favors Are Noticeable
Have them handed out by the servers at a set time, placed on a highly visible table near the exit door in an eye-catching display, or placed on the table in such a way that people won’t accidentally leave them behind after you’ve gone to so much trouble to choose something most people will like.