13 Best Wedding Favors

October 18, 2021 (0) Comments

It’s true – weddings suck the money out of your bank account. Hey, it’s worth it, right? One thing that most couples invest too much time and money into is wedding favors. 

“What should we give our guests?” “No, that’s too expensive.” “What are the best wedding favors?” “This looks too cheap.” “My mom doesn’t like that so we can’t give those out.” Full stop. Breathe. Wedding favors don’t have to be an over-the-top gift. And to be brutally honest, your guests shouldn’t be expecting that from you. 

You shouldn’t invest too much time or money into wedding favors. Many guests will leave behind the trinkets at the end of the night anyway.

So here’s my one piece of advice: if the wedding favor is putting you over your budget, drop it and don’t look back. You aren’t obligated to get wedding favors for your guests. With that being said, wedding favors are a great addition to your wedding especially when they’re meaningful and personal to the couple. 

Remember, a favor should be a sweet token of appreciation. And don’t confuse them with welcome gifts. Welcome gifts are usually given to out-of-town guests upon their arrival. 

Below are some of the most trendy wedding favor ideas. These all range from cheap wedding favors to unique wedding favors to personalized wedding favors. 

Wedding Favors 

Wedding favors should represent you and your partner. They should represent the love you two share, and something that’s personal. A misconception people have about wedding favors is that they have to be something decorative. But you can choose anything really! 

Chocolates 

Every time I think of chocolates, I think of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Come on, who doesn’t love chocolates? Chocolates are a classic and timeless gift that offers variety. It’s also something most people enjoy. Pick chocolate that relates to your wedding. For example, if you’re having a beach wedding, get starfish or boat-shaped chocolates. Chocolates range in price, so they can definitely be a budget-friendly option. 

Candy

Speaking of sweets, candies are another popular and trendy item for wedding favors. Sweets bring out the inner child in everyone and they’re perfect for the car ride home after the reception. If you have a candy station at your reception, include goodie bags with spoons on the table. This way, guests can fill up their bags and take them home with them. You can personalize the goodie bag with a sticker or get custom-made goodie bags. 

If you are not having a candy station, fill each bag with you and your future partner’s favorite candy. This way, you can limit the portions and know exactly how much is going into your wedding favor. I’m sure you can buy a big bag of candy at Costco and save a lot of money. 

Snacks

If sweets aren’t your thing, you can do small snack bags too! I find that snacks are perfect because they won’t go bad. And everyone can use some snacks after a night of drinking and dancing. 

The snack can be anything but try to make it personal. If you have a family cookie recipe, you could make those and hand them out. Or if you went to the movies for your first date, do a popcorn bag. 

Plants 

Nature-themed weddings are becoming increasingly popular these days. Many couples are deciding on an outdoor wedding venue because of their love for nature. Therefore, succulents and flowers have become popular wedding favors! Couples customize them by writing a message such as “grow with us” as a cute way to thank their guests for coming to the wedding. 

Another great idea is plant seeds. Pick a flower you and your partner like and see if there are any seeds available for purchase. Check out wholesalers or your local florists. If you go local, I’m sure they can work out a package deal for buying in bulk. You can also buy mini plant pots on Amazon. 

Charity Donations

If you’re having a hard time coming up with something that is budget-friendly. Consider donating a portion of your wedding favor budget to the charity of your choice. Charity donations are such a sweet gesture and I’m sure you’ll feel good about doing it. To let your guests know that in lieu of wedding favors you have decided to donate to charity, incorporate it into your ceremony program. This way, if guests would like, they can also donate. Yay for helping out our community! 

Wedding Cake 

A popular wedding tradition is offering the guests a slice of the wedding cake to take home. To save cost on labor and time, place boxes on the cake table so people can help themselves. This one is a great option because you’re already spending money on the wedding cake and there’s no way you and your partner are going to eat all of it. 

However, it is a common tradition that the top tier of the wedding cake is for the bride and groom. Many couples will freeze it and have it on their one-year anniversary. So if you’re having a tiered wedding cake, make sure to save the top tier for yourself! 

Candles 

When people think of candles, they think of relaxation and romance. Candles are a great wedding favor as they are budget-friendly and something everyone enjoys. You can never have too many candles in your home. 

You can do one of two things: if you have purchased a lot of candles for wedding decoration, you can give those out as wedding favors. Have someone collect them all and put them in a box. They can set these at a table near the exit door for people to grab as they leave. 

Otherwise, you can contact a seller or shop around for candles. Etsy is a great place to shop for candles. Because Etsy’s sellers are all individuals, they are more than likely to give you a discount if you purchase a certain quantity. It certainly doesn’t hurt to ask! 

Koozies 

If tailgating, sports games, or drinking is what you do on your weekends, gifting personalized koozies is a perfect wedding favor. Surprisingly enough, you can find great deals that aren’t overly expensive. This is also a great gift for non-alcohol drinkers too! Perfect for spring and summer weddings. 

Coasters 

Similar to koozies, coasters are another great wedding favor! Since customization costs more money, you can buy cute coasters from anywhere! You can keep it simple by having the coaster color the same as your wedding colors or find a simple design that also relates to your wedding. 

Mini Mason Jars 

Okay, I love this idea for wedding favors! They’re so adorable. You can set them on each table at the beginning of the reception, and your guests can fill them up with a drink of choice and take them home! Or if your wedding crowd likes to drink and get rowdy, do a “shot o’clock” during the reception with the mini mason jars! So fun! 

Glass Vials 

Tea vials are another trendy wedding favor in recent years! Pick a few favorite teas, put them in a glass vial, and write a personalized note to tie around it. It’s elegant, simple, and budget-friendly. And it’s not only tea; you can put whatever you’d like in the vial. 

If you’re growing flowers at home and you have a favorite one, you can pick them from your garden and bottle them. Such a simple yet meaningful gesture and gift. 

Mini Maple Syrup, Honey, or Jam Bottles

Are you having a barn wedding? Are you a breakfast lover? This one’s for you! Mini bottles filled with syrup, honey, or jam as wedding favors are cute and useful. After a long night of dancing and drinking, fresh pancakes with maple syrup in the morning sound like a perfect way to start the day! Definitely, a way for your guests to remember your wedding night. If you’re really talented, you could even make your own jam too.

Luggage Tags 

This is on the more pricey side but if you can afford it, it’s definitely a wedding favor your guests will remember forever. Custom luggage tags are especially great for destination weddings. That being said, I’d avoid personalizing them so that people can use it wherever they go without any hesitation. You can keep the wording generic and say “let’s explore together” or “our adventure begins.” This is definitely one of the most useful wedding favors out there.