By Alice Warren.
Wedding Favours
What is a wedding favour??
Wedding favours are small gifts given by the couple to their guests as a token of gratitude for attending their special day. Originally sugared almonds were given as a thank you, but they aren’t as popular a gift nowadays. Traditionally, you’ll leave your little gift on the place setting for each person at their table.
Selecting what to do for your wedding favours can be a minefield… do you go for something homemade, something to eat or drink? How much do you spend on your favours? So, with this blog I will hopefully get you thinking outside the box to enable you choose the perfect wedding favour for your day!
On a budget
If you are on a tight budget and are wanting to have something special but not break the bank, then the below ideas are useful and none of them will cost you more than £1 each!
*Little ‘hangover kits’ with paracetamol etc in which you can put together yourself
*A sparkler with a little ribbon for each guest and that can be used for an amazing photo opportunity later on in the evening!
*Cellophane Bags/cones filled with sweets/chocolate, yours or the guests favourite flavours – you can even use the type of sweets as your table names
*You could get a range of different temporary tattoos for your guests to adorn throughout your wedding day, people will love mixing and matching with their neighbours
*Brown paper bags filled with popcorn
*Little boxes of pot potpourri/confetti – you can buy a big bag or make it yourself!
*Photobooth props for later (if you are having any kind of photobooth), fake glasses, moustaches, paper hats etc
*Filled balloons – just buy a load of balloons in whatever colour to suit your theme and fill with confetti etc and tie to the back of each chair
*Badge for each person with your names and wedding date on
Image references: WVSA Suppliers Martin Cheung Photography, Chris Smith Photography, Field Photographic
Favours that double as a name place
If you wanted to double up your favours and use them as the guest’s name card too, these are some great ideas for that!
*Little laser cut names for each guest
*If you are having a winter wedding, then an acorn with each person’s name engraved or you could get some spray paint and decorate some pinecone’s and pop each person’s name sticking out of it
*Little log slices that you can cut yourself and simply write the guest names on in pen – people will love to keep these!
*You could buy lot of lollies and just tie a little tag with the name on
*Little cookies or biscuits with each name piped on (can be brought or homemade)
Image reference: WVSA Suppliers Chris Smith Photography, Martin Cheung Photography, Field Photographic
Something homemade
If you are the kind of person who likes to add a touch of something homemade, then to spend time and effort on your favours is a great outlet for that! Also, your guests are guaranteed to give you plenty of compliments when they find out that you have gone to all the hard work yourself!
*Bath salts in little glass tubes – nice and easy to make and you can choose the flavours yourself to suit each individual guest!
*Chocolates/truffles/fudge – so simple to make and when placed in a little carboard box will look so professional with a little ribbon around to match your theme!
*Cupcakes – again you can match the colours and styles to suit your theme and pick flavours that can be suited to your particular guest (also when people know its homemade then it doesn’t look perfect, a rustic look is just as good!)
*Little bottles of sloe gin – now you would need to think of this beforehand as some mixes take a few months of sitting, but there are those such as rhubarb gin which can be made in a month. If you don’t like gin, simply swap for Rum or Vodka etc
*Homemade olive oil or any kind of vinegars etc – people love a homemade condiment!
*Handpicked Posy – You could grow some flowers for the occasion and tie a simple brown ribbon or hessian around them for a lovely rustic feel.
Image reference: WVSA Suppliers Marting Cheung Photography, Food Goodness Cake, Cathlene’s Cakes
Something a bit different
If you really wanted to ‘wow’ your guests, then giving them something a little different as a favour that will keep them talking about it for months!
*If you have a favourite flower, then a small cutting for each guest or a little packet of seed with a little message on it then is a really nice idea as the guests can watch them grow and think of you and your wedding! ‘let love grow’
*Scratch cards – a nice and simple idea but your guests will have fun scratching and it will become a talking point on each table
*Custom shot glasses – you can have these made professionally, or you can buy plain ones and paint each name on yourself on they will also double as a name place! – they are sure to keep these in their cupboards for years to come.
*Lucky sixpence for each guest – Something that goes hand in hand with old wedding traditions (In Great Britain, the bride traditionally wears ‘Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. ‘ But what is less well known is that the rhyme ends ‘and a silver sixpence in her shoe. … The sixpence stood for good luck, and to show that the father wished his daughter prosperity in her marriage) – so it’s a nice idea to give all your guest’s some ‘good luck’ from an old tradition.
*Krispy Kreme Donuts – everyone will love these and there’s so many flavours to choose from!
*Write each guest a small poem – This is such a lovely idea, it may take up quite a lot of your time before the day, but if you are a sentimental person then you will have as much fun writing these as each guest will do reading them. Get ready for some tears if they are emotional!
*Polaroid picture with you and the guest on for them to keep – this again may take some getting ready and looking through old photo albums, but such a nice personal touch!
*Fortune cookies – Now you can buy a big bag of these and write a little fortune for each guest, you can have complete artistic licence here to be as sentimental or funny as you would like!
*You can get little pots of Nutella with each guest’s name printed on it (also use for name cards) I mean, who doesn’t love Nutella??
Items to match your theme
If you have got an obvious theme to do the day, then you can easily find a cute little favour to match!
*If your wedding is at Christmas, then a homemade cracker with a small personalised gift inside quite special (you also can make hilarious jokes up yourself), or a Christmas decoration such a bauble with a special message or the guests name on it. Or chocolate coins or a sachet of mulled wine with a cinnamon stick
*If your wedding is at Easter/spring-time then something as simple as a cadburys crème egg or a little cellophane pouch with some mini-eggs in is always a winner
*If you love books/reading then you could have a batch of bookmarks made up! Even with the details of your wedding on for people to keep
*Autumn wedding – something as simple a toffee apple, or a pair of magic gloves for people to wear outside if it’s cold
Rustic Wedding
If you are a little more rustic minded, these are some nice ideas for you too 😊
*Little jars of jam/chutney – these can be homemade or bought, either way everyone loves a jam!
*Little candles – you will be able to get a good bulk discount, especially if you find a local candle maker and speak to them about what you would like. They will be able to help you choose a fragrance to suit and may even make them up with your names and wedding date on the outside!
*Little organic homemade soaps – again if you can find a local merchant for these then you might get a good discount, and so many flavours to choose from!
*Little succulent for each guest – This is a little more extravagant, but such a nice idea as a present for each guest
*Little sample of a tea bag – something nice and simple but something that they are guaranteed to use and enjoy!
*Little drinks token – if you can arrange a cheap drink deal with your venue, then you can just design and print these out yourself!
*Mini Bottles of Henderson’s Relish – nice little gift for all guests and especially great if you or your venue is close to Leicester!
To sum up, there are so many ways in which to showcase your gratitude to your wedding guests! Obviously in the age we live in, you don’t necessarily have to provide each guest with a present for attending. If you wanted to maybe help someone less fortunate than yourselves, you could use the money that you might of for favours on a charitable donation for your chosen cause. I hope you have all found this helpful and that you all find the perfect favour to suit the two of you for your special day!
Alice x