Wedding Favors: Necessary or Not?
Favors can be a great way to thank guests, but are they really necessary? Here are a few things to consider when deciding to include them or not.
Among all the decor, the perfectly catered food, and the scrumptious cake, sometimes the wedding favor is forgotten. Not only by brides and grooms who have a lot on their plate, but also by the wedding guests. Consider the last couple weddings you’ve attended; what wedding favor did they hand out?
If you’re having a hard time remembering, you aren’t alone. While there are some great favors out there, most guests will take their favor home and most likely give it a toss in their next round of spring cleaning. Hosting a wedding can be expensive, and if you have a lot of guests, having favors could easily be adding a rather large line item to your budget.
So what can you do that is memorable, rather than just a waste of money? Here are a few things to consider when it comes to favors:
- Can you afford it? In other words, could the money be spent better elsewhere? Perhaps you can bump up the food and drink budget—a favor in itself, really. Guests might forget a plastic tchotchke, but they will remember if you served savory beef tips for dinner.
- Make it fun! Why not spend the money on a photo booth? Many companies will print your names and wedding date on the photo strip, so your guests have a reminder of your big day they can enjoy. Photo booths are also a great way to get guests who aren’t keen on the dance floor out of their chairs and having a good time. Click here for local photo booth vendors.
- Give them something useful. Koozies are a popular option, especially if you’re having an outdoor summer wedding. Bottle openers, personalized candles, sunglasses, even classy coasters are great. Just go easy on the personalization. Your parents may love a holiday ornament with your engagement picture on it, but they might be the only ones.
- Make them edible. This doesn’t necessarily mean make them yourself—goodness knows you have enough going on in the days before the wedding. Placing extra treats on tables or having a basket of goodie bags at the door are tasty favors to thank your guests with.
- Think outside the box. Rather than giving guests something to take home, consider donating to charity that’s meaningful to you as a couple. Simply place a card on the tables explaining to guests your charity of choice, and why it’s important to you.
No matter what you decide, your guests will remember the experience of your day more than a cheap token to take home. If you have the time to put thought and meaning into a favor, go for it! If you find that you feel obligated to have them, or just can’t think of anything that means something to you as a couple, your money might be better spent elsewhere.
FEATURED PHOTO COURTESY OF INDIGO BLUE PHOTOGRAPHY
WORDS: ASHLEY JOHNSON
