Wedding Favours Your Guests Will Actually Love

I'm aware, as I begin this post, that for some of you, wedding favours represent an unnecessary waste of a precious wedding budget that could really be more wisely spent elsewhere or donated to charity. For others though, these small gifts are a sweet way of demonstrating your thanks to your guests as well as continuing/supporting your wider wedding theme. I can appreciate both sides of the argument. Honestly, I really can. I chose to give my guests favours at my own wedding because in short, I wanted to. I enjoyed the process of sourcing the etched glass champagne saucers from car boots, village hall sales and eBay which I gave to the girls complete with shimmering metallic pouches filled with sugared almonds (yes I'm such a cliché) as well as seeing the boys have an awesome time smoking the cigar favours outside on the terrace in the evening. You can see more of my wedding here and here if you're so inclined. There's nothing worse though than spending time, effort and precious pennies on unwanted wedding favours that get left behind on the tables as guests move off to the evening reception festivities. I've seen it happen in my time and it makes me really sad to see all the hard work invested by the happy couple disregarded in this way. This afternoon's post then is all about giving you lovely lot some ideas for wedding favours that your guests will really love, enjoy and perhaps find useful too.

Luxury

Ok so this isn't going to be to everyone's budget or liking but I couldn't not include the two super duper luxury ideas I came across on my Pinterest travels recently. Firstly the miniature bottles of champagne complete with silk bows and calligraphy adorned labels. They look immense and frankly I wouldn't have minded being a guest at this wedding. Whilst they might be a tad on the pricey side, it's worth investigating if you can take advantage of purchasing in bulk so that you get a bit of a discount or perhaps weigh up the costs of providing your guests with a mini bottle of fizz for the toasts versus the venue providing them. The kids could even get involved too with bottles of old-fashioned lemonade instead of alcohol. If you're really looking to push the budget then I point you towards the luggage labels in the slider above. How flipping awesome are they! You can actually pick up leather luggage labels or even shapes of leather (like hearts and stars) for not too crazy prices which you can then customise yourself using a leather stamping kit like this one. It's worth investigating if you're someone that enjoys a crafty DIY project.

Novelty

Ahhhhh the novelty favour. We're definitely seeing more and more quirky and wonderful wedding favours that double up as part of the decor too. Be it vintage hankies to mop up guests' damp eyes, sparklers to help send the happy couple off on their honeymoon or specially made up hangover packs to soothe parched throats and throbbing heads. I particularly like the latter but am yet to be the lucky recipient of such a gift. The beauty of going down this route is that you can really create something that is personal to you and reflects your shared interests as a couple. Only last week, a bride on RMW revealed that they had provided Bloody Mary kits to their guests because they were such fans of the cocktail themselves. If your wedding budget doesn’t quite stretch to providing a little something to each and every attendee why not assemble bespoke welcome packs for your most treasured guests particularly if they have travelled a long way. You could include edible treats, a map of the venue, a bottle of something special and a list of recommended places to visit/ things to do all bundled together in a customised cotton bag and leave it in their hotel room for them to discover on their arrival.

Foodie Heaven

The majority of wedding favours that I’ve been the lucky recipient of have been food-related. You name it, I’ve had it – we’re talking macarons, sweets, jam, even homemade sloe gin. All utterly delicious and universally loved by guests and happy couples alike. Lately I’ve seen more unusual takes on this theme from flavoured salts, old-fashioned popcorn, cookies and milk, gold-leafed pears and even specially picked tea. If you’re having your nuptials at Christmas, why not provide your nearest and dearest with a tin of a mulled wine mix and a homemade mince pie. Alternatively if you’re having a summer affair, a tiny punnet of fresh wild strawberries would look adorable in a customised paper bag. Foodie wedding favours look particularly striking when stored en mass and can actually help form part of your overall wedding decor - like a display of jars of jam for example. Don’t feel that you are obliged to place these treats at guests’ place settings, instead showcase them wherever you feel they will be shown off to their maximum advantage. Add the final flourish to your treats by customising them with your names and your wedding date. For jars of jam or pickles it's worth investing in some bespoke labels or go down the sweet treat route and have your very own customised Love Hearts - how adorable is that?

Plants & Seeds

Modern brides on the whole are more socially conscious than their forebears. And with this interest in more sustainable living, we've seen a massive surge in the popularity of eco-friendly wedding favour ideas that use recycled materials and natural components. For example gifts of seeds in brown paper packages customised with a sweet message from the couple themselves or actual plants that the newlyweds have sown from seed at the start of their wedding planning journey. My favourite variation on this theme has got to be little plants that have been bedded in terracotta or antiqued pots, lovingly placed at each table setting. They are the perfect example in my opinion of double duty wedding favours: personalised treats for guests that double up as a place name too whilst adding interest and vibrancy to the tablescape at the reception itself. Killing all the birds with a teeny tiny stone. Not only is this kind on the pocket but folks then feel honoured that you’ve taken the time and effort to really provide something special for them on your big day. So there we have it... Are you giving your guests wedding favours? Will they be food related or a DIY affair? Or are you completely non-plussed by the favour agenda? Perhaps you think it’s all a waste of time. As always lovelies, we want to hear your opinions on the matter.