Wedding Favors Your Guests Won't Hate
We’ve all been to weddings where favors are scattered and left behind after the celebration has finished. Couples are constantly battling to know how and if they should incorporate favors into their wedding day.
“Will anyone take this home?!” “Favors are a waste of money!”
If you don’t want to provide favors, I hereby give you my blessing to go that route.
If you DO want to give your guests a little something as a thank you for joining in your celebrations, here are some favorite ideas:
Edible Favors
Personalized Cookie
Monogrammed favors are never the best idea (how many guests will realistically keep a coaster or shot glass with your names on it?) But if it’s EDIBLE, you can do whatever design you want on it! It’s a great addition to each dinner place setting or a fun grab and go item at the end of the night as your guests head home or to the after party.
Jar of Local Honey or Jam
Especially for those with a lot out of town guests, provide your guests with a little taste of something local to take home with them! Make sure it’s small enough they can take it in their carry on and get creative as you reach out to local businesses to find the perfect gift.
Dog Treats
Lots of guests leave pets at home to come and celebrate, why not send them home with a little something for them? Some favorite phrases are “from our dog to yours”; “grab something from the biscuit bar” or “doggie bags to go”.
Practical Favors
Small Candle
Want to add something sensory to your wedding? Small candles are PERFECT for your guests and if you work with a local store or seller they can often customize the scent or packaging for you and your guests.
Chapstick
If you’re feeling budget friendly or love the idea of your initials on something, everyone loves a good chapstick. It’s practical, small, and can be personalized for your day if that’s what you want.
Matchbox
Matchboxes are just a handy thing to have, plus it’s another favor that you can monogram and guests won’t hate you for it.
Memorable Favors
Succulent or a small plant
Plants are happy things- particularly if you have guests traveling from nearby areas (aka they AREN’T flying in. No one wants to carry a plant home on a plane). Live plants can be a fun addition to your aesthetic and decor of the day, or you can provide some seeds for guests to take home and plant themselves.
Books
Is there a local bookstore that you can open a tab at? Maybe you and your partner LOVE reading and want to gift guests some of your favorite books when they arrive. This is one of those favors that doesn’t work for every crowd- so read that guest list and see if it’s the right fit for those invited.
Lottery Ticket
Got a gambling crew? Lottery tickets can be a HUGE hit for guests. Give them a ticket or scratch off and they’ll be thrilled by the idea that they could actually make some money by showing up to your party.
Photo Booth Strip
Guests LOVE photo booths. They provide a fun addition to the evening and a lot of photo booths either print copies for the couple or provide digital files to laugh at after the event. This is a gift that may not last forever, but hopefully guests take it home and put it on their fridge to remember your day.
If you’re local to Utah and looking for a photo booth- check out our favorite Selfie Station for weddings & events.
Meaningful Favors
His/Hers Gift
Can’t decide what favor to do? Have each of you choose something you love and provide his/hers gifts to guests. You can even let them choose which one they want to go home with and provide a little healthy competition between you and your partner on your wedding day.
Donation to a Charity
If you’re in the spirit of giving but don’t want to do favors for guests, donate the money you would’ve used on favors to a charity. If you’d like, you can print out a sign to display or put a little card on each table explaining why you chose that particular charity.
Temporary Tattoos
What’s more fun than having temporary tattoos at each place setting that tell YOUR story and your guests get to put them on for the evening? This is also a fun date night for you and your partner to design, laugh, and create together before the wedding.
Whichever route you go for favors, make sure it fits your budget, matches your vibe, and provides your guests with something they’ll actually take home and enjoy. If you think it’s a waste of money, get clever or provide your guests an experience of some sort instead of an item.
♥ The Everson Events Team