Weddings are special due to the fact that two people are joining their lives together, but they are also special because of a unique group of people—the guests! Guests make it a point to make your day extra special, and wedding favors have become a fun way to thank guests for being a part of your wedding celebration.
The trick to giving a great wedding favor is to make it something fun, something special, and something that your guests will actually enjoy! Many of us have received a favor as we exited a wedding, only to find it rolling around in our backseat weeks later. The best favors are fun, useful, and thoughtful. Here are five unique ideas that involve all three of these adjectives.
The Candy Bar
The best way to prevent your favor from being banished to the backseat or the bottom of a purse? Give something edible. And who doesn’t love candy? Candy bars are typically set up on a table on the way out of a reception space and include large glass containers filled with different types of candies or other sweets. Guests use small cellophane bags and scoops to create their own mixture of candy to take home and enjoy on the car ride home and well into the next day. Make your candy bar personal by adding favorite candy of the bride and groom or color coordinate the candy to the colors utilized in the wedding. For an extra special touch, use stickers with your names or monogram to seal the bags closed
Frame It
From the single gal, to the married mommy, to the dancing grandpa, everyone loves pictures, which means everyone loves and uses frames. Frames come in countless shapes, sizes and colors, so you can’t go wrong with these memory holders. Though some couples opt for personalized frames with their names or wedding date printed on the frame, your guests will likely get more use out of a favor without your name scrawled across it. Nonetheless, they will still think of you each and every time they look at their frame. This is a great favor option for couples who are considering having a photobooth at their wedding, or for those who want to do individual reserved seating. The frame favor can double as a place card holder!
Think local
Every city has a few special and unique spots scattered about. Perhaps it’s a bakery with cookies to die for or a local brewery that is unmatched by any others. Maybe you are thinking about a destination wedding in a place with a well known specialty fruit. Think about sharing some of these local favorites with your guests, especially if you have lots of guests coming in from out of town. What better way to introduce them to the city than with a local favor? For Chicagoans, this might mean a personal sized serving of Garrett’s Popcorn or a cookie iced with the Cubs logo.
Candles
These lovely lights and scent sharers have become recent favorites in wedding favors. They are pretty, available in bulk, and easy to individually wrap. However, take this popular favor to the next level with three things. First, make it a scent most people like. Just because a certain summer scent is on sale, doesn’t mean all of your guests will like it. So, try to get a somewhat universal, but above all, a pleasant scent. If you utilized a scent during your wedding, use that same scent to remind guests of your special day. Second, even if the candle is already in a votive holder, wrap it in a something pretty so that guests can distinguish it from a candle being used for décor. Tulle is a great wrapping option, and using tulle in your wedding colors will give it a personal touch. Lastly, use a ribbon or tie of some sort to attach a quick note to your guests. “Thanks for lighting up our night,” or “May the light of love shine for you tonight” are both fun options to keep with the candle theme.
Carts, Trucks, or Stands
Maybe the favors so far aren’t quite for you; maybe you want something a little bit more “outside the box.” Think about giving your guests a tasty treat just after they’ve exited the reception site. Take guests back to their childhood with an ice cream truck or snow cone stand outside of the reception site. Not one with a sweet tooth? Take a note from the city of Chicago and find a local vendor serving Chicago dogs or hot pretzels. It’s a fun detail that will be sure to leave your guests with sweet taste in their mouth!
For additional ideas, visit the Music By Design Wedding Store.
1. Candles: Offer guests a practical memento from the wedding with personalized or stamped glass candle holders. Arrange a variety of sizes and shapes across tables to create a beautiful, elegant ambiance during the reception.
4. Fruits/Veggies: Add charm to a rustic wedding with baskets of fresh fruit or vegetables on each table. Adorn baskets with ribbons or bows in wedding colors or pick food in complementary colors.