Let’s be honest: no one really cares about the wedding favors. Most people eat whatever is edible, then toss the rest or shove the favor into a drawer. But couples stress about wedding favors. Yes, you want it to represent you, but you also don’t want it to eat a substantial portion of your budget.
Buy or DIY Favors?
If you have the time and really want to make it personal, you can make the favors yourself. My husband and I made handrolled 4-inch beeswax candle pairs. The cost was around $90 for the wax, purple ribbon, and homemade labels printed on leftover invitation paper. We ended up making so many that we’re still using the candles five years later, and have given my aunt several more batches, too.
My sister’s were sort of DIY and sort of not. She bought cheap small frames, then scanned a photo of herself or the groom with each person attending. Since everyone who attended was on old friend (even the dates), she was able to find photos from other events or occasions. She didn’t spend a lot of money, but the guests really loved those frames.
Another friend bought purple votive holders, dropped in a votive candle, and wrapped ribbon printed with the wedding date and their names around it.
There’s really no right answer to the favor question. If you DIY, you can save money but it will take some time to assemble. If you buy, the favors are less personal and more likely to get stuffed in a drawer.
If you do buy favors, don’t spend a lot. If you make, don’t spend a lot of money on the materials or it defeats the whole purpose.
I once read about a bride who spent $10 on each favor. They were some sort of crystal googaw. I’m going to assume she had a high budget, but really, how many people want some crystal googaw that suits the couple’s taste rather than their own?
How to Choose Favors
Whether you buy or DIY, the wedding favors you choose should go with your theme or colors. For example, if you’re having a fall wedding, consider a small candleholder with leaf details. A packet of seeds is nice for a spring wedding. But before you get there, first you need to establish your budget.
- How many people are you expecting?
- Are you giving a favor to each person or to each couple?
- How much do you want to spend on your favors total?
- Divide that by the number of people/couples.
- That’s how much you can spend per favor.
Don’t go over budget. Keep looking until you can find something you right that fits your budget. When in doubt, choose a simple bag of Jordan almonds or chocolate. No one ever minds these tasty treats, even if they’re not the most creative favors.
