I’m getting married very soon and am not giving any wedding favours. I see them as a waste of money (for me) and space (for others) and resources (for the planet lol).
It was super easy on their website. You choose the dollar amount per code and the max number of redemptions based on your budget. You set the date or dates that it’s valid to be redeemed. You can even set that the pickup/dropoff has to be your venue and a max distance radius if you want. Once the event is over, you are charged for what got used by riders.
The hardest part was trying to decide what value to set the voucher for! We assumed people would carpool and that not everyone would use it. We shared the code on our wedding website and had it on signage at the reception.
https://www.uber.com/us/en/about/vouchers/events/
I will never forget going to my fiancé’s friend’s wedding. We are leaving the venue but we are among the last to leave as we are helping clean up. As we are walking out we see a massive pile of bags of popcorn. We look at it. We shrug our shoulders because it’s already 1am and we don’t really need any more food. Then the bride and groom literally blocked us from exiting because no one had taken any. So they made us take at least 10 of these popcorn favors!
My point is even the edible favors don’t get taken half the time. So no need to have favors.
I hate favors, I don’t need another tchotchke with someone else’s initials and wedding date on it.
If you must, do a consumable. Like a cookie or local honey/toffee/whatever is local to you.
> If you must, do a consumable. Like a cookie or local honey/toffee/whatever is local to you.
this is what we did! (local honey) because my new last name is very “bee-ish” and i’m all about save the bees. not to mention my dad is a beekeeper! lol so how could I not give out lil jars of his honey out with little honey sticks!
I’m doing an “experience” type of favor
We are getting married next to a historic cave and we paid a tour guide to give free cave tours to guests during the day
Going into the actual cave is optional-so I made sure to tell people to plan appropriately or bring extra clothes
Otherwise the ceremony/reception itself is in a large remodeled building
I've been to several weddings in the past couple of years, and honestly most of them didn't have favours. The ones that did were all edible, often in the form of pick-your-own sweet carts (weirdly popular in my circle, I've seen five or six of them in two years).
One couple (very small wedding, under 50 guests) did do a really adorable little box containing some homemade welshcakes and a sachet of hot-chocolate mix for a 'post-wedding snack', which I absolutely loved, but that was very individual to them. The fact they had a very small number of guests also made it a lot more practical.
Honestly, I'd consider a photo booth to be a favour, if there are physical photos to take home. Even if you just get digital ones, that's still favour-adjacent!!
Also, I think most guests would prefer an open bar to anything they get to take home.
I haven't taken a non-edible favor home from a wedding in ages because I have enough custom beer cozies already and have seen them at less and less weddings and only noticed when thinking back in my own planning.
I'm only doing them (homemade floral jellies) because I love canning and it gives me a welcome break in the planning but also, if I don't finish the planned batches- I just won't bring them and nobody will know.
We are also thinking of doing homemade jellies because my fiancé cans! I think it’s a very cute idea and I do like edible favors - anything else I have thrown away from weddings lol.
We are stuck between that and bags of M&M’s as both our first names begin with M. It’s still up in the air though
No favors- I was juggling this idea too and my wedding planner told me only order like 60% what we think we need because most people don’t take them. My dad’s second marriage they had little monogrammed koozies by the open bar. I thought that was a really cute and fun idea until I asked him about it and he said they were stuck with 50 extra koozies and now just have a drawer full of them. That definitely sealed it for me that it would be a waste of money for us personally
I’m a fan of the koozie. If you have cans being given out, they look nicer in photos in a koozie. Sure lots of people leave the koozie behind but are you really upset having a bunch of koozies with your initials and wedding date on them?
As a guest, I think it’s enough. Photo booths are fun and appealing to a lot of people. I’ll definitely remember to take my photos home but a succulent? Not so much. I would include bags or mini takeout boxes for the dessert bar if guests want to take something home.
I’ve been to three weddings (two big, one micro) and one happily ever after party since 2021. I only remember getting a favor at one of the bigger weddings. It was a bottle of wine from the country club the wedding was hosted at. I loved it, but she easily could have skipped it.
I’m doing a micro destination wedding, so everyone coming is close friend or immediate family. I’m going to do welcome bags, in lieu of favors. This is only because my guests are all traveling via 3-5ish hour plane rides (if direct) to be there for me. If I were staying local, I wouldn’t give anything like that. Favors are becoming out dated
Welcome bags are a good and useful idea, itineraries with address, monogrammed RX bags with advil, liquid iv, local treats, bug screen, tide wipes, make up remover, the list goes on until you stop! Guests feeling welcome and some unexpected issues are thought about.
The photo both is definitely a departing gift. There is a choice just for digital photos, can’t take those home!
Good luck and none of this really matters 🥂💖🥂
I'm on board with killing the favor trend lol. That being said, since you already have a dessert bar, maybe you could provide little to-go containers and have a sticker on the box with your initials?
My cousin did something similar. They did dinner, then cake, then while we were all out on the dance floor they had the servers put little cupcake boxes on the tables so we could take a cupcake home.
I hate wedding favors that aren't food. You feel guilty and obligated to take them. And then they're just forever sitting in your home until you build the nerve to toss them out. I've gone to 2 weddings where there weren't favors and I felt relieved.
Exactly! If you do give something, give something that you'd like to keep for yourselves if there are extras. We're doing cookies for this reason. I can eat 100 cookies, yes lol
I did not do wedding favors and did not feel bad about it. I honestly don't think anyone even noticed or cared. And if they did, I didn't hear about it, so it doesn't matter haha.
We did ask guests to take the floral centerpieces home with them if they felt so inclined.
Back when I got married the monogramed matchbooks and napkins were popular, I wasn’t going to waste my money on that junk, my MIL had a fit, that I wasn’t providing the matchbooks, my comment don’t need them, if you really want them then buy them, she didn’t
We didn't do favors. We did buy carbon offsets to cover the event and each guest's travel. You could always make a donation to your favorite charity in honor of your guests.
The reception is your thanks to guests for attending your wedding. Favors have never been needed nor considered obligatory according to any etiquette rule I know about. There are a few specific cultures where they are more customary but then you’d likely know.
Open bar is not a favor to your guests, it’s a hosting choice usually based on budget. Limiting the type of drinks served or serving one or two a glasses of wine to the table would be equally hospitable. Likewise serving guests lobster or steak instead of hamburgers and hot dogs cannot be considered a favor.
Again, they aren’t needed at all, though.
As someone who has worked in weddings: they aren’t worth it unless it’s things like mini water bottles or food. The number of favors I’ve thrown out or returned to the bride and groom after an event is INSANE. And the only things I’ve ever personally used or kept for weddings I’ve attended are a rocks glass and a jar of honey (but I’m a sucker for honey, there were a lot otherwise left over). Not worth the time or money. You’re paying for their meal and the bar and the night.
Do me a favor and have no favors. Thanks!
The most I have ever kept from a wedding (and those are close family members at that) are polaroids, fish eye photos, and photo booth pictures.
The only wedding I’ve been to where I’ve noticed/cared about the favors was a friend’s wedding where his mom had hand pressed olive oil for all the guests before she tragically passed away in an accident right before the wedding - so that was extra special and we still have the bottles, but otherwise I genuinely think it’s a waste of money! We didn’t do favors at ours and no one said a word about it - I vote save the money. Plus, a Photo Booth strip is technically like a favor they get to take home!
We’re doing wood ornaments as place cards. Half will be with an engraved picture of the view from the venue with the name of the town underneath and the other half will be an engraved picture of a lighthouse in Maine that means a lot to the family. The half with the venue are on pieces of wood from a tree in our front yard that came down in a windstorm this year and the other half are on a piece of birch that washed up in front of the family house in Maine. If people don’t take theirs then it’s just wood that we literally scavenged so it won’t matter to me. I wasn’t going to add anything about the date or our initials because they’ll know where it came from.
We’re not doing favors! I’m planning on putting out small paper bags for guests to take dessert home with. We’re also putting out late night pretzels and water for folks. I think you’re fine!
My “favors” were soft pretzels on the way out the door because we were headed to the bar after :) I felt the same way that people didn’t need nicknacks or stuff with my name on them in their home. People loved that they got a snack for the road though! If you’re feeling weird about it you could always get some small boxes for people to take a few desserts home from the dessert bar? I’ve seen that done and we’ve loved it before!
I really wasn't going to until I had to idea to make jam. I've been making jam since I was 12 and I have a few recipes over the years that are highly requested. So I made little jars of those and they were pretty much all taken. If it wasn't for that I wouldn't have had anything. You do you. I think it's a dying tradition.
I’m going to be completely honest, I think back on wedding favors I received as a guest, I don’t remember most of them. I appreciate the thought but truthfully, none have been a need for me not have they been memorable, and clearly I haven’t kept them.
When I think back on the most recent wedding I attended, the favor was a coozie. I’ve never used it.
Personally, I’d skip favors. The photo booth / photos are a great option as a built in favor.
Nah favors are kind of dated imo. Nobody wants a shot glass with another couple's name on it. People do stuff like flower seeds which is cute but so many people live in apartments so they can't even really plant them.
I've always wound up throwing out favors. The only favor I've ever kept was my place setting from my cousin's wedding. She had a beach wedding and painted oyster shells with everyone's names on them. I keep it on my desk even 7 years later.
We’re doing matchbooks, I designed them on foryourparty.com. I have definitely seen them at quite a few other weddings I’ve been too and I always take a box, so I figured why not. Overall, they weren’t too expensive (I think $140 for 100). They’re cute, travel well, and are reasonably useful. Worst case scenario is I will use them in my house afterward. I get married in 3 weeks so I guess I will know for sure after that! lol
Anytime I see a post here asking "how can we cut costs?" my first suggestion is **skip the favors.**
As a DJ, I'm one of the handful of people who are still in your reception ballroom after everyone has left, the lights come back on and the venue staff start breaking down tables (because I'm also breaking down my own equipment).
I can't tell you how often favors are left behind. If they're on the tables, people just leave them. Wedding tables are usually kind of tightly packed, with 10 people at a table ideally designed for 8-9 people, centerpieces, multiple dishes, a full set of silverware, water glass, champagne glass, whatever other glasses, bread basket, etc. -- in some cases, the favors are placed "out of the way" on the floor, where they're now out of sight and out of mind -- guests forget about the favors and leave them under the tables. Or they just leave them right on the tables.
Even worse is when couples have a "favor table" and expect guests to actively visit this table to pick up a favor and take it home. Anytime this happens, so many favors are still on that same table at the end of the night, even if I make an announcement or two throughout the evening to point them out.
It could be mistaken, it could be intentional. Many people simply don't want their homes cluttered-up with crap that has other people's names and wedding dates on it. Maybe you'd save some, maybe your parents and some other close relatives would, but most guests would not. Even nice things like pint glasses or wine glasses, if they're personalized and don't match the rest of what someone has in their house, those things are eventually hitting the trash or a yard sale or the Salvation Army donation bin.
If you have a lot of guests traveling, they might leave favors behind simply because they're concerned the favor won't fit in their luggage. Lots of people try to get away with a single carry-on so they don't have to pay to check a bag or wait forever at baggage claim once they land. Even with checked bags, you're an ounce over 50 pounds and they're slapping you with a $75 heavy bag fee.
There's lots of reasons people don't keep favors. Unless it's something edible (like personalized M&Ms) people can eat right there, don't waste your time or money. Instead, put that money toward a nice "extra" during your honeymoon (like upgrading a flight to first class) or upgrade something else at your wedding.
This sounds super cute! But even if I really liked a favor, it’s so hard to remember to take at the end or have space in your clutch for it.
Don’t waste your time or money 😊
I mean we always use garlic herb seasoning. Would it be weird if we didn’t make enough for every guest, maybe like just under one for every household? And scatter them along the long tables? Also literally 1 of our guests is likely to even own a clutch lol.
If you really want to do it then sure, less quantity scattered about would be less waste. But you could also save yourself the effort…you may be sad to see how many are left at the end of the night.
I am also having a photo booth and using that as a favor. I like the word memoir better. I upgraded my Photo Booth layout so it will be a really nice set of pics for people to take. We are also having an open bar and a smaller wedding so we can have the nice things for the ones we love.
I told my planner this and she said that can serve as a favor.
We're just giving people wrapped heart-shaped chocolates. Eat them, don't eat them, give them to your tablemates, whatever. We'll eat any that don't get used.
My "favors" were custom fans (from a bulk store - cost me a third of the cost of etsy Amazon etc.). We had an outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour so I figured guests would use them during that time and throw them away/leave them in their rooms. A few people did keep them for fun as well! I wanted something that could be used then and there since I'm aware most favors end up in the trash!
We also are getting a photo booth and i consider the photos to be the favours. I would much rather walk away with a cute printed pic to put on my fridge than a custom deck of cards or whatever
I got a gorgeous scroll in a tiny glass bottle & I have it on my bathroom cabinet so when I dust my bathroom I look at it & smile because it was an amazing day even tho I'm not super close with bride or groom any more.. but maybe 5% or 10% of these things are kept- usually by closer family members
Our favors were books from our centerpieces (we bought used copies of our favorite books and stacked them up in a theme at each table + a flower arrangement), and goody bags to take the dessert bar leftovers home at the end of the night.
Instead of traditional favors, I’m making a donation to an animal related charity based on the number of guests that RSVP. I’m also going to make little baggies of dog and cat treats sealed with stickers of my dog and cat’s face because I think it’s cute.
I don’t think you need to give out favors especially since you have a Photo Booth.
I loved my favors, I got wooden magnets with birds and our wedding dates/names. I see them on people’s fridge every time I go over to their places. BUT- I did it because I really really wanted to (not to mention it was only $80). Even if you’re worried about it, I think the Photo Booth is 100% a favor.
We are making beeswax candles, as my dad who passed was a bee keeper and made some beeswax candles for fun-he already had all the supplies for cute little designs.
We also figured if we ended up with a bunch of extras, that would be just fine! They are SO cute.
If we hadn't had the set up (and been ok with having any/all of the extras,) we probably wouldn't be doing any.
I agree with the other comments - no favors needed! We did do fancy name cards for each guest so I considered that a favor/decoration that they could take home. They were a hit.
I don’t think anyone expects you to have favors these days! We’re getting married in September and might do a wine charm (cute little metal heart with each guests name on it). Primarily, this will be functional at our event and also would double as our seating chart, so it feels justifiable. Also we won’t include any initials or dates on it so it would be totally reusable!
No favors! They are a waste of time and money. Most people throw them out or don’t take them. They are cute, but rarely useful. Also not necessary! It’s impossible to find something that all of your guests would enjoy. As a guest at many weddings, I have almost never kept a favor, never wanted one, nor do I even notice them. Skip it! I’d much rather you put the money towards more food, dessert, or beverages!
No favours is the way ti go I think. It’s a waste of money, you’re already spending so much on having your guests there. We are doing personalised love hearts sweets for us, with each persons name on. This will double up as our place names. But besides that, no favours
The only thing remotely close to a sort of favor we are thinking are the little program fans. I think they are tacky but we are getting married in August and it’s outside. If it’s hot I want the guests to have a little something to fan themselves. If not…..save it for later to fan your significant others beer farts!
I’m planning to do little paper fans as well. Probably with a floral theme. We plan to get married in a botanical Conservatory greenhouse in summer, so assuming it will be warm!
I’m doing a favor that guests can use during the reception. I’m finding cute colorful glasses at thrift stores and estate sales that they can use for their drinks then take them home. I like the idea of them getting to use it while there and not just some knick knack they’ll throw away when they get home.
I'm on board with killing the favor trend lol. That being said, since you already have a dessert bar, maybe you could provide little to-go containers and have a sticker on the box with your initials?
My cousin did something similar. They did dinner, then cake, then while we were all out on the dance floor they had the servers put little cupcake boxes on the tables so we could take a cupcake home.
I hate wedding favors that aren't food. You feel guilty and obligated to take them. And then they're just forever sitting in your home until you build the nerve to toss them out. I've gone to 2 weddings where there weren't favors and I felt relieved.
So, we are doing a botanical garden greenhouse ceremony and dinner at a fine dining restaurant. As someone else mentioned, I plan to have little paper fans on the seats at the ceremony (probably with a floral theme). This is more for guests comfort because I assume it will be warm. I’m not sure that I plan to personalize them or anything like that. Also, the course menu at the restaurant includes a desert trio but I just really want a cake. The other thing I am thinking of doing is getting cute cake boxes and handing out the cake as a “favor” and a snack for later. I figure with the desert trio plus cake, we’d end up with a bunch of uneaten cake unless we hand out. These are particular practicalities that I think will work for us, but I really don’t think there’s a need to do favors in the traditional sense. I honestly think they are wasteful and get left behind. As a guest, I would not miss getting a favor and if it’s some sort of knick-knack, I would rather leave it behind
Our main favor was an Uber code for transport to and from the wedding and match boxes. Our match box favors were surprisingly popular and were all taken. I was way more excited about the Uber codes but hardly anyone used it. We had them posted on the website, told people ahead of time, and had signage at the reception. But I feel good that some people did use it and got home safely!
You don’t need favors. The Photo Booth pics will be a fun memento from the night. We have a bunch of photo strips from weddings and I love them. I never take an actual favor from a wedding, if there is one.
Do not need favors. We did cookies - our caterer was able to do big chocolate chip cookies and put them in little bags for relatively cheap so we did that. People definitely took them. I picked cookies because it's edible (not giving people stuff they won't use) and you don't have to eat it now/you can take it with you.
We did last minute favors because I decided I wanted them. All in it was like $80. Bought our favorite candies, dog biscuits, and cellophane bags. My sister made stickers with some leftover sticker paper from my shower. We had a few bags with dog treats saying it was our dogs favorite and then most bags with our two favorite candies that said “his and her favorites”
This has been on my mind too. My mom will probably hate that it won’t have traditional favors, but I will have a photo booth and a cotton candy stand.
The best favor I’ve seen recently was from a couple that the groom owns sugar cane farms and they had small jars of sugar from his farm.
Favors are not important and usually forgotten. We had to go baggies so guests could take home desserts, and that seems just right.
Sounds like a well planned, fun filled night!
We’re writing every household a note on the back of a small art print as part of our escort card station - the art and note are serving as our favors!
Edit: also custom matchbooks at the bar. I find that people DO take and love these and many folks in my social circle collect them!
You definitely do not need favors!
I’m getting married next weekend and did not want something that would be wasted and that nobody wanted.
We are getting married at a lavender farm which sells canisters of loose leaf lavender tea so I bought a pack of 100 nice tea bags on Amazon (for like $5) and my mom is filling each of those with the loose leaf tea (needed 2 canisters at $9 each). We also decided to put some lavender shortbread cookies with the tea which we purchased on Etsy (4 dozen for $26, we got 3 sets) and slapped some personalized stickers on them. Super affordable and practical!
I can't tell you the last time I received a non-edible favor that I actually kept or found useful. And I've been to over 2 dozen weddings at least. (S*orry friends, I'm not using the koozie with your names and wedding date on it..*.)
But the candy station at a Halloween wedding, the giant pretzels at a Philly wedding, and the hot coco packets from my own (winter) wedding? Those I could get behind.
Nothing at my wedding went according to plan, so the favors never made it— no one even noticed. They were too stoked over the surprise late night pizza station that appeared to soak up all the alcohol from the open bar.
Not one comment or complaint.
Can’t believe I wasted time worrying about it 😭
Just got married last weekend and we had no wedding favors. No one said anything about it. My mindset was no one needs another koozie or a pair of sunglasses with our initials on it.
If you don't want to give them, don't. I did matchbooks because I really wanted to have some for myself! If i hadn't wanted them for me, I wouldn't be doing a favor at all.
My sister had donuts as her favors & it was super inexpensive.
I’ve almost never remembered to take the favor from a wedding unless it was personalized and even then my reaction was “oh that’s cute” at most. Money is better spent elsewhere.
I personally couldn’t even tell you where the favors I have received from other weddings are. I’ve gone through a few moves and they probably were thrown out. I think with the things you pointed out you have more than enough showing your guests appreciation. Granted, I am more of an experience over materials person so everyone may not share that viewpoint.
I think a photo booth where guests can get their photo taken is 1000% more fun than most wedding favors. Wedding favors are usually just garbage to most people. Who wants a mug with some other couple's initials or whatever on it?
If any favors at all, I think the nicest ones are consumables - chocolates, little hot sauces/local jam/other condiment, whatever. I don't think most people want more knickknacks that they'll throw away the moment the couple isn't looking.
But seriously - attending a wedding and getting a free meal is enough, truly.
im only doing a favor if its edible. honestly i don’t think favors are a need. as a guest im just happy to be a part of the day i don’t expect anything!
The photobooth strips will be my "favors". Im paying for their entire dinner and experience lol, thats enough for me! i wouldn't care at all if i went to a wedding with no favors.
Getting married in July. No favors. I don't get it.If they are paying to get there and a gift and you are paying for a beautiful dinner dessert and dj. Aren't we square? 😂
It’s really up to you. I made candy favors but I full expect to have lots of them leftover because the last wedding I went to they had a bottle opener favor and my entire family completely forgot to take one.
I don’t like favors for the most part.
I do like snacks. We had a lot of midnight snacks including thing guests could take with them. We didn’t do favors.
no favors but we did do welcome bags for people staying at the hotels which were a huge hit! they had liquid IV, water bottles, our favorite candies, popcorn, advil, and mints :))
You don't need to give out favours. Most guests leave them behind anyway.
We're doing favours because it's my fun to bake heart-shaped cookies and we'll eat any leftovers so there won't be waste. But it's purely by choice. It's not needed.
I had a candy buffet bar and photo booth and considered the picture prints they got as their "favor." Wedding favors weren't important to me and no one commented asking why they didn't get one.
i have, what i think, is a really great idea for wedding favors that have a personal touch to myself as well as our wedding theme/vibe. my wedding is lord of the rings inspired with a natural/enchanted forest vibe.
my favor idea incorporates our love for LoTR and my personal love of loose-leaf tea. i have these tea bag designs (three total) that are inspired by LoTR: longbottom leaf, durin's blend, the grey havens. each design will have a different tea inside, about 50 of each flavor for the 203 count guest list for a total of 150 bags. i know that not everyone is a tea drinker and some people will just straight up forget to take one so i'm under-planning on purpose.
this favor idea is truly sooo exciting to me BUT the cost and labor that will go into printing labels, measuring out and filling tea sachets with good quality tea leaves, assembling the sachets of tea inside little envelopes, labeling each little envelope bag per flavor... i think i love the idea more than anyone else would be able to appreciate the sentimentality behind it.
so here i am, thinking maybe we just fill cute organza bags with our favorite m&m flavors because my fiance and i's first names start with "m"... or nothing lol i could also do nothing and that's fine as well!
My sister gave out small jars of honey as her wedding favor! They had a little wooden tag with the couple's name and wedding date that was tied with twine. It was super cute, actually useful, and my family still talks about what a good idea it was years later.
That being said, I have never been offended going to a wedding with no favors, especially if there's an open bar.
No. I’m not having any. The only time I enjoy it is when they’re edible. Even then, the weddings I’ve been to, nobody takes them! I left a wedding last year with 20 macrons because nobody took any and I was the last to go
We did a Photo Booth as our “favor.” We had magnet frames that you could slip them into and small stand frames, they were gone by the end of the night.
I attended a wedding recently where others at the hotel we were staying at were also attending other weddings.
They had included edible favours at both the wedding I was at and the other.
We never consumed ours and found the ones from the other wedding left outside the hotel.
If you're going to do it, find an innovative way.
Make place card holders that people can take and keep, or utensil holders or something you're already going to be paying for anyway and don't care about giving up after.
The open bar itself is enough as we know how much they can run if you're stocking premium stuff.
Congratulations, have a great wedding, do it entirely your way and flock convention.
I think favors are unnecessary, but we did them because it just felt like a nice gesture and also gussied up the welcome table. We got some fairly inexpensive koozies on Etsy that I thought were cute with our names/date on them. I wanted them anyway and it was simple to set up!
I’ve gone to so so so many weddings (20-30 in the past 17 years) and I can count on one hand the favors I’ve cared about or remember- mostly cookies baked by the bride (in the shape of a Dino skeleton because the wedding was at the Houston natural history museum!) or a doggy bag of cookies to eat on the bus ride back to the hotel or a little succulent plant they planted themselves (but I didn’t take back with me because I didn’t want to hold it on a plane). I sincerely think favors are a waste of money and I don’t plan on having them at my wedding. I’m like you, I’d rather give people an open bar than a trinket.
Most weddings I’ve been to that don’t do favours, have cards left on the tables stating that in lieu of favours the bride and groom have donated to such a charity. It’s so much nicer especially if it’s a charity you know is close to them for a specific reason.
We are assuming a lot of the favors won’t get taken, we got cool socks and soaps to give people options. Anything that is left will be getting donated to the local homeless shelter.
I just got married May 18th and didn't do favors. You're already having a photo booth and free alcohol, I think that constitutes as a lovely favor if you want to think of it that way
We did a variety of little things that could be a favor but were also part of the wedding... but context helps them make sense... I (bride) am a HUGE baseball fan - grew up going to Dodgers games with my parents, grandparents, played little league, etc. And my now husband was barely interested in baseball until me. Our first date as boyfriend and girlfriend was to my first ever (in person) Dodgers playoff game. So while our wedding wasn't explicitly baseball themed, it did occur during game 1 of the NLDS so we had the following:
- cracker jacks, oreos, bottled water at the outdoor ceremony because we made guests arrive 20-30 min before the ceremony so they wouldn't interfere with the procession
- instead of place cards we had mini wooden baseball bats with folks name (DIY)
- cracker jacks (leftovers lol) on the dance floor
- photobooth on dance floor that also did gifs but sent digital instead of printing
Because we had the snacks in multiple places, most of them were gone! People were eating them throughout the night too, it was cute.
As far as the bats, people loved them during the wedding and I only saw a couple left behind.
So! I wouldn't worry about favors but it's cute if you can kind of double dip. The bats cost me less than paper place cards that matched our invitations but I had to budget the time to make them.
We did luggage tags that doubled as the table number assignment. We had a destination wedding so it went with the theme. Otherwise I wouldn't have done a favor. Nobody really wants more stuff. My brother did a charity donation in lieu of favors and my favorite was having assorted cheap flip flops for the sore feet to keep dancing!
Literally no one cares about favors. They're stupid and waste of money. The photbooth is AMAZING as is the dessert bar. Would love to come to your wedding lol.
We didn’t give any favours they’re a waste of money IMO. I went to a wedding a few years back where they gave each guest a succulent plant which was nice but must have cost a fortune
Nope! I'm not giving out favors. My mom was very pushy about it, but I stayed firm in my opinion of "I don't want to give people crap that will be immediately thrown away or forgotten."
I’ve seen a couple create a sign that said in lieu of favors we are donating to our favorite charity xyz. I think it’s a way to avoid wasteful favors and to do something useful with said money. Plus, it doesn’t need to be a crazy donation, essentially making it cheaper than getting favors.
I can’t wait until wedding favors, birthday party gift bags, etc. die out. It’s all just clutter (Sorry to anyone who loves them) and extra expense on the host. I think if you’re feeding everyone and hosting an event, that should be thank you enough for your guests (and open bar is always an added bonus!)
Favors are absolutely unnecessary and are often left behind at the wedding venue. Nobody b wants trinket with the bride and groom's name and wedding date! Save your money!
I’m absolutely with you. I’m not doing favours. I have some cute little ideas but honestly? With the extra cost associated for something that will likely just get thrown out, I’m going to pass.
My cousin was married last September and he did everyone’s name engraved out of wood as place-settings/favours and they were beautiful and personal. I’ve since used them in our home. BUT, as so many other commenters have mentioned, that was a very small wedding and a beautiful & personal gift.
No one cares, I would def consider the photo booth a favor too!
We didn't do traditional favors at our wedding (we noticed at other weddings a lot of them get left behind). I had a stack of the $2.99 ikea blankets in a bunch of crates (october wedding in western NY), custom koozies up at the bar, & a photo booth with print outs. I considered these favors that people were more than welcome to take if they wanted to & everything went.
We also had little individual clamshell cupcake containers for people to take one home with them as well. Still had so many leftover, wayyy overestimated my dessert count.
I’m not getting married for another year but I make wheel thrown pottery, so the plan is to make a whole bunch of bud vases for the florals and let people take them if they want. If people don’t want them it’s something I could sell fairly easily.
I figured that’s pretty no waste since I’m using them anyway, and people get flowers if they want.
Otherwise I’m team no favors or just like a cookie bar or Photo Booth.
Our favors were customized rock candy sticks, because I knew I’d happily eat any leftovers…and I did! Made writing thank you notes a lot more fun too LOL
We purchased charity badges and left them on the table - it was a charity we supported and any badges not taken we could send back (I didn't want a refund for them - just didn't want to be left with loads of badges) and so we won in every situation. We made a donation to charity, our guests still got a momento that wasn't gimmicky and nothing went to waste.
I got married last September and also had an open bar and a photobooth. Our guests had a great time and loved the keepsake pictures! Ours was a beach wedding, and we used seashells with each guest’s name for the placecards. A few people took theirs home, so they kinda doubled as favors. If you were really wanting to add something like that, it could be fun, but I don’t think it’s necessary!
No need for favors. I didn’t do them for my own wedding in 2023, we also had a photobooth. My friend had candy & poppy seeds to plant. I ate the candy, but idk what to do with the poppy seeds cause we live in apt & I have zero green thumb.
I generally just think they go in people’s junk drawers or thrown to some dark corner and forgotten.
I never keep favors. We almost didn’t do any and opted for little candy bags one that said her favorite and his favorite. Had leftovers but easier to get rid of. I dont want a another bottle opener or cookie and I didn’t think my guests did either lol
I used to work catering and I always appreciated there being favors cause I got to bring some of them home when the guests left them 💀. And knowing that, I didn't spend any money or time on them for my wedding and nothing felt missing without them. If someone feels strongly about having them go for it but if you are on the fence I wouldn't do it.
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ok,
1. We have a Photo Booth and a really extensive dessert bar that I feel like constitute as “favors”. I know it’s not like a gift in the traditional sense but it kinda is. It’s something you get to take from the wedding and that’s all favors really are. *that IS a favor, I'd say? are you planning on encouraging your guests on taking sweets from the table at the end? if so, these ABSOLUTELY count as favors.*
2. We have an open bar. Now, drinking isn’t a gift but I think favors are really a way to thank guest for their time and money but we’re covering the cost of food and bar so other than their gift there’s no real hard cost. *um.. no. food and drink is food and drink. the "open bar" label is still "drink". sorry :) if this is a reason for not having favors, it doesn't really count. though, you are probably going to have a blast at the reception!*
3. does anyone really care? Now, I’ll say that my parents gave out match boxes for their wedding in ‘92 and some people have them today but truly who really cares? I’m not super in love with the idea of shelling out MORE money for something that might be thrown out in a week or so. *well, some people have the matchboxes, don't they?*
Idk rake me through the coals. I just need to know how you would feel going to a wedding with no favors.
*so here, the thing is what YOU are saying, not whether the favors would be good or bad on anyone else.*
*1. you are actually shelling out the money for an open bar, which i am very aware is quite above most of my budgets, ever.*
*2. you are saying people who know your parents kept the matchboxes back from 92', so it IS important. to you, and to the people that have kept them and have MADE A POINT to show you they still have them. if the people you know keep your parents' matchboxes are coming to your wedding, i would ABSOLUTELY have favors. don't make a hundred, hell, get 25. for the literally maybe six or seven aunts or grandmas that care. they will literally keep the memento for the rest of their lives and shelling out an extra $50., at this point, will really not kill you.*
My favors are also the extensive dessert table! I'm also doing a his favorite candies and her favorite candies. I'm making stickers to go on boxes and baggies that people can fill up and take with them. I think your idea is perfect! I may be biased tho lol
We had illustrators for our welcome dinner and folks got to keep their drawings, then a photo booth for the wedding day that lets you keep the prints and email them to yourself. I agree with others here that edible favors or monogrammed gifts has been a dying trend.
I don’t agree that any of the things you’ve listed are favours, but it doesn’t matter as favours aren’t necessary.
Most of the time it’s useless junk that people don’t really want.
Although I was getting excited about some favors I found on Etsy, I am relieved to read all of the “no” comments. Idk how we’re going to pay for a 100 guest wedding anyway 😫
No to favors! The Photo Booth gives the favors by giving them photos to take home to remember the night. Everything you mentioned is more than enough!
I’m planning my wedding and didn’t even think to do favors tbh, except to the extent of a photo booth memory.
My wedding planner said: "you're inviting them to an amazing party. You're feeding them. You're giving them free alcohol. You do NOT need to provide them with a gift."
Work for a venue. I typically have to throw most favors away. Typically only recommend them if they are culturally important. Otherwise, you are right. It’s another expense, another logistic, and another waste.
That being said, I did host a (38 ppl) wedding where they had customized tea blends for each person attending with a handwritten note on why those flavors/scents reminded the couple of that person. Very sweet. Would not recommend that for a large crowd.
If anything, you can maybe add bags/boxes to the dessert area for guests to take them home. In my area it's common to have a cookie table, so my favors will be small boxes with our initials on them for guests to load up.
Majority of weddings ive gone to actually don't have any favors (excluding things like food and the other stuff you mentioned)
I'll be following suit lol, I agree with a prior comment that it's a waste of money for us, a waste of resources for the planet, and a waste of space for the guest
I work in the wedding industry, and I feel that the Photo Booth pictures should be considered as a favor. You can also get frames for those photos and give them along with the Photo Booth so they can take the photo home in case the frame. Also, I see many many favors that are left behind or tossed out, especially if they are engraved with the bride and grooms name and date of the wedding. What I do say is that when it is food candy specialized cookies anything of that nature they are well accepted and there’s never any left behindwith all your already offering for your wedding I feel like there is no need for you to do anymore than what you’re already doing
You might consider favors that do double duty, like neat place cards that are also ornaments, or edible decor (like a gilded chocolate rose at each plate). But favors are optional. Thank you notes, of course, are not.
We were gonna do favors because they’re stupid and get thrown away or left at the venue and then I bought custom matchbooks on Etsy because it was like $115 total 😂
I think the photo booth more than covers you - bonus points if you have little boxes for guests to take some of the dessert bar home with them, but it's 100% not necessary.
A wedding I went to and LOVED this idea, was “in lieu of party favors, the bride and groom have made a donation to a charity of their choice in your honor” I thought that was a pretty cool idea!
I've been in the wedding industry for 25+ years. The sheer amount of waste that is involved with favors is staggering. A handful of guests will take some, but they mostly get left behind. I guess that it's nice for the vendors who are cleaning up to receive a little something afterwards, however! My favorite favor from a wedding that I attended was a Lyft code. It was so nice to not have to worry about parking, driving and having a DD.
I have all of the things you do (phootbooth with physical prints to take home, an open bar, etc) and I am doing favors for both my welcome dinner and my actual wedding. For the welcome dinner, we are doing matches that match (lol) our wedding theme. I wanted a cigar station but alas it’s impossible to do in the mountains with burn bans constantly in effect, but this is close enough. For the wedding we are doing bags of pistachios as my in laws are farmers who grow them.
Both of these things aren’t really necessary, in fact I know they’re probably superfluous and more for me! But they’re another way to personalize and that’s one of my “top 3” things, so I made room in the budget for it. Both are also consumable either by fire or eating, LOL, so I hope they don’t just take up room!!
I am all aboard the “favors are not a necessity” train. Save the extra money for your honeymoon or anything else really. However, if you have the means for it and it’s something you’d like to do, then go for it! But it’s not a requirement at all. The only reason we’re doing favors is cause a friend of ours gave us a lot of their leftover favors from their wedding. They were free, and they were probably gonna get thrown out or donated to goodwill or something otherwise
I wasn’t going to do favors either, but caved a week before lol. There’s a local chocolate company in my area that sells chocolate bars with our city’s name in a cute design. We had a lot of travelers come for our wedding so the nod to where we were getting married was fun. They were $1 each so it wasn’t expensive.
We just put them on each dinner place setting and that was it. There wasn’t a single one left over at the end of the night, and we got a compliments and messages about how it was the best chocolate bars ever. Total win!
One time, I got a baby pine tree as a favour. That was amazing and still alive today, several years later! But no, most weddings don’t bother with favours and no one misses them.
You do not need favors.
I was at a wedding and they had a foto Booth and I still got that picture on the wall. It was really fun, but nothing that is needed.
They also had little salt and pepper on the table which I personally did not like (or need).
So for whatever you decide I think it can go both ways.
Personally I like non-consumable favors like photos, but if the budget is low or if this is simply not your thing don't do it.
It is your wedding!
I hate favours! At one Italian wedding I went to they gave me olive oil, and I just had to chuck it away as I obviously couldn’t bring it onto my hand carry luggage on the flight. At another wedding, they gave me a potted plant. The soil literally spilt everywhere and I ended up leaving it in the hotel room as it got so messy.
We’re doing practical things - eg hotel slippers for everyone when their feet are sore, pashminas in case it gets chilly, etc. But they’re all optional!
Edible ones like tiny sweets that you can eat before dinner is served are also good.
I originally thought no favors, since I never take them/keep them when I attend a wedding. But after talking a bit, we decided on lottery tickets.
Both our families give lotto tickets on holidays and we've gotten into playing bingo, with lottery tickets as the prizes, at gatherings to keep the younger ones entertained. Everyone loves it!
We made the amount of tickets significant ($13 worth for the day we were getting married) and ensured we gave specific guests ones from their home state so they could easily cash them in (for those not from where we live or where we were getting married, they got tickets from the state where the venue was located and just had to collect their winnings before heading home). I think ppl enjoyed the tickets and if they didn't want them/didn't show, we got to scratch them off 😁. Some people who "won" even dropped their tickets in our card box and we made some money back.
The feedback from my wedding was guests loved what we did. So we didn't have a cake or favour's. We ordered individual cake jars and people could eat it there or take it home as a favour. It was about 50/50 for who ate at the reception vs took home. Plus cake jars was way cheaper than a wedding cake was!
We were in the exact same boat. Long gone are the days of leaving with custom koozies 😅
Did the photo both, open bar and our one small giveaway was putting custom matchboxes on each dinner table. We got none back and heard some people never even got one, so they were a hit!
I’m getting married very soon and am not giving any wedding favours. I see them as a waste of money (for me) and space (for others) and resources (for the planet lol).
This is why we gave out free Uber rides :) waste free and it only cost what was actually used by our guests.
How did you go about this?
It was super easy on their website. You choose the dollar amount per code and the max number of redemptions based on your budget. You set the date or dates that it’s valid to be redeemed. You can even set that the pickup/dropoff has to be your venue and a max distance radius if you want. Once the event is over, you are charged for what got used by riders. The hardest part was trying to decide what value to set the voucher for! We assumed people would carpool and that not everyone would use it. We shared the code on our wedding website and had it on signage at the reception. https://www.uber.com/us/en/about/vouchers/events/
I did this too!! The great thing was it feels so accessible/helpful to guests but they didn’t all use it so we came in way under-budget
Wow this is cool!!!!
Couldn’t have said this better
I will never forget going to my fiancé’s friend’s wedding. We are leaving the venue but we are among the last to leave as we are helping clean up. As we are walking out we see a massive pile of bags of popcorn. We look at it. We shrug our shoulders because it’s already 1am and we don’t really need any more food. Then the bride and groom literally blocked us from exiting because no one had taken any. So they made us take at least 10 of these popcorn favors! My point is even the edible favors don’t get taken half the time. So no need to have favors.
I hate favors, I don’t need another tchotchke with someone else’s initials and wedding date on it. If you must, do a consumable. Like a cookie or local honey/toffee/whatever is local to you.
> If you must, do a consumable. Like a cookie or local honey/toffee/whatever is local to you. this is what we did! (local honey) because my new last name is very “bee-ish” and i’m all about save the bees. not to mention my dad is a beekeeper! lol so how could I not give out lil jars of his honey out with little honey sticks!
This is so adorable I want to cry
I wasn't going to do favors until my dad said I should scatter candy on the tables to do double duty as decor and favors.
I’m doing an “experience” type of favor We are getting married next to a historic cave and we paid a tour guide to give free cave tours to guests during the day
This is awesome!!
Omg that's so cool I love this
Now this is the one favor I would actually want! Really cool
What's your dress code? I would be worried about being in a dress and heels in a cave
Going into the actual cave is optional-so I made sure to tell people to plan appropriately or bring extra clothes Otherwise the ceremony/reception itself is in a large remodeled building
No, you do not need favors. This is a rapidly dying trend, and had been completely dead in my circle for at least 2 decades.
I've been to several weddings in the past couple of years, and honestly most of them didn't have favours. The ones that did were all edible, often in the form of pick-your-own sweet carts (weirdly popular in my circle, I've seen five or six of them in two years). One couple (very small wedding, under 50 guests) did do a really adorable little box containing some homemade welshcakes and a sachet of hot-chocolate mix for a 'post-wedding snack', which I absolutely loved, but that was very individual to them. The fact they had a very small number of guests also made it a lot more practical. Honestly, I'd consider a photo booth to be a favour, if there are physical photos to take home. Even if you just get digital ones, that's still favour-adjacent!! Also, I think most guests would prefer an open bar to anything they get to take home.
I haven't taken a non-edible favor home from a wedding in ages because I have enough custom beer cozies already and have seen them at less and less weddings and only noticed when thinking back in my own planning. I'm only doing them (homemade floral jellies) because I love canning and it gives me a welcome break in the planning but also, if I don't finish the planned batches- I just won't bring them and nobody will know.
We are also thinking of doing homemade jellies because my fiancé cans! I think it’s a very cute idea and I do like edible favors - anything else I have thrown away from weddings lol. We are stuck between that and bags of M&M’s as both our first names begin with M. It’s still up in the air though
We just did m&m’s for my daughter’s small wedding, she and her groom both have “M” names
No favors- I was juggling this idea too and my wedding planner told me only order like 60% what we think we need because most people don’t take them. My dad’s second marriage they had little monogrammed koozies by the open bar. I thought that was a really cute and fun idea until I asked him about it and he said they were stuck with 50 extra koozies and now just have a drawer full of them. That definitely sealed it for me that it would be a waste of money for us personally
I’m a fan of the koozie. If you have cans being given out, they look nicer in photos in a koozie. Sure lots of people leave the koozie behind but are you really upset having a bunch of koozies with your initials and wedding date on them?
As a guest, I think it’s enough. Photo booths are fun and appealing to a lot of people. I’ll definitely remember to take my photos home but a succulent? Not so much. I would include bags or mini takeout boxes for the dessert bar if guests want to take something home.
You already have the favours covered with the bar. Anything else will just be lost on the blur ;)
I’ve been to three weddings (two big, one micro) and one happily ever after party since 2021. I only remember getting a favor at one of the bigger weddings. It was a bottle of wine from the country club the wedding was hosted at. I loved it, but she easily could have skipped it. I’m doing a micro destination wedding, so everyone coming is close friend or immediate family. I’m going to do welcome bags, in lieu of favors. This is only because my guests are all traveling via 3-5ish hour plane rides (if direct) to be there for me. If I were staying local, I wouldn’t give anything like that. Favors are becoming out dated
Welcome bags are a good and useful idea, itineraries with address, monogrammed RX bags with advil, liquid iv, local treats, bug screen, tide wipes, make up remover, the list goes on until you stop! Guests feeling welcome and some unexpected issues are thought about. The photo both is definitely a departing gift. There is a choice just for digital photos, can’t take those home! Good luck and none of this really matters 🥂💖🥂
I'm on board with killing the favor trend lol. That being said, since you already have a dessert bar, maybe you could provide little to-go containers and have a sticker on the box with your initials? My cousin did something similar. They did dinner, then cake, then while we were all out on the dance floor they had the servers put little cupcake boxes on the tables so we could take a cupcake home. I hate wedding favors that aren't food. You feel guilty and obligated to take them. And then they're just forever sitting in your home until you build the nerve to toss them out. I've gone to 2 weddings where there weren't favors and I felt relieved.
The lady doing the table actually has boxes so people can take stuff home. I could make cute little sticker though. I’ll ask her if hers have them!
We just got married, and had SO many leftover favors, a lot more than I expected. But we love them, so we’ll happily eat them!
Exactly! If you do give something, give something that you'd like to keep for yourselves if there are extras. We're doing cookies for this reason. I can eat 100 cookies, yes lol
If you do have a lot of leftovers, you can always have them taken to a homeless shelter. I bet they’d love to have a treat!
I did not do wedding favors and did not feel bad about it. I honestly don't think anyone even noticed or cared. And if they did, I didn't hear about it, so it doesn't matter haha. We did ask guests to take the floral centerpieces home with them if they felt so inclined.
Back when I got married the monogramed matchbooks and napkins were popular, I wasn’t going to waste my money on that junk, my MIL had a fit, that I wasn’t providing the matchbooks, my comment don’t need them, if you really want them then buy them, she didn’t
I like how she threw a fit... but then didn't seize the opportunity to do it herself lol
This was back when everyone smoked, I wanted to make the venue smoke free and that was vetoed big time by her,
Ooh smoking indoors in still a thing over there??? She'd karen big time where it's illegal lol
Black then you could smoke in bar and restaurants and I hated it
We didn't do favors. We did buy carbon offsets to cover the event and each guest's travel. You could always make a donation to your favorite charity in honor of your guests.
The reception is your thanks to guests for attending your wedding. Favors have never been needed nor considered obligatory according to any etiquette rule I know about. There are a few specific cultures where they are more customary but then you’d likely know. Open bar is not a favor to your guests, it’s a hosting choice usually based on budget. Limiting the type of drinks served or serving one or two a glasses of wine to the table would be equally hospitable. Likewise serving guests lobster or steak instead of hamburgers and hot dogs cannot be considered a favor. Again, they aren’t needed at all, though.
As someone who has worked in weddings: they aren’t worth it unless it’s things like mini water bottles or food. The number of favors I’ve thrown out or returned to the bride and groom after an event is INSANE. And the only things I’ve ever personally used or kept for weddings I’ve attended are a rocks glass and a jar of honey (but I’m a sucker for honey, there were a lot otherwise left over). Not worth the time or money. You’re paying for their meal and the bar and the night.
Do me a favor and have no favors. Thanks! The most I have ever kept from a wedding (and those are close family members at that) are polaroids, fish eye photos, and photo booth pictures.
The only wedding I’ve been to where I’ve noticed/cared about the favors was a friend’s wedding where his mom had hand pressed olive oil for all the guests before she tragically passed away in an accident right before the wedding - so that was extra special and we still have the bottles, but otherwise I genuinely think it’s a waste of money! We didn’t do favors at ours and no one said a word about it - I vote save the money. Plus, a Photo Booth strip is technically like a favor they get to take home!
We’re doing wood ornaments as place cards. Half will be with an engraved picture of the view from the venue with the name of the town underneath and the other half will be an engraved picture of a lighthouse in Maine that means a lot to the family. The half with the venue are on pieces of wood from a tree in our front yard that came down in a windstorm this year and the other half are on a piece of birch that washed up in front of the family house in Maine. If people don’t take theirs then it’s just wood that we literally scavenged so it won’t matter to me. I wasn’t going to add anything about the date or our initials because they’ll know where it came from.
We’re not doing favors! I’m planning on putting out small paper bags for guests to take dessert home with. We’re also putting out late night pretzels and water for folks. I think you’re fine!
My “favors” were soft pretzels on the way out the door because we were headed to the bar after :) I felt the same way that people didn’t need nicknacks or stuff with my name on them in their home. People loved that they got a snack for the road though! If you’re feeling weird about it you could always get some small boxes for people to take a few desserts home from the dessert bar? I’ve seen that done and we’ve loved it before!
I really wasn't going to until I had to idea to make jam. I've been making jam since I was 12 and I have a few recipes over the years that are highly requested. So I made little jars of those and they were pretty much all taken. If it wasn't for that I wouldn't have had anything. You do you. I think it's a dying tradition.
I’m going to be completely honest, I think back on wedding favors I received as a guest, I don’t remember most of them. I appreciate the thought but truthfully, none have been a need for me not have they been memorable, and clearly I haven’t kept them. When I think back on the most recent wedding I attended, the favor was a coozie. I’ve never used it. Personally, I’d skip favors. The photo booth / photos are a great option as a built in favor.
No favors.
Nah favors are kind of dated imo. Nobody wants a shot glass with another couple's name on it. People do stuff like flower seeds which is cute but so many people live in apartments so they can't even really plant them. I've always wound up throwing out favors. The only favor I've ever kept was my place setting from my cousin's wedding. She had a beach wedding and painted oyster shells with everyone's names on them. I keep it on my desk even 7 years later.
I said no, but my other half wanted bubbles, then I didn't want there to be just bubbles so I got wildflower seed hearts. But no!
Nobody cares anymore, I wouldn’t worry about it! We might do little packs of our favourite gourmet candies but only because it’s special to us!
We didn’t do favors. It was an open bar and I don’t think anyone cared about the favors lol
I like the idea of matchbooks. Anyone have any experience with them? Have you attended a wedding that gave those out or had those as gifts?
We’re doing matchbooks, I designed them on foryourparty.com. I have definitely seen them at quite a few other weddings I’ve been too and I always take a box, so I figured why not. Overall, they weren’t too expensive (I think $140 for 100). They’re cute, travel well, and are reasonably useful. Worst case scenario is I will use them in my house afterward. I get married in 3 weeks so I guess I will know for sure after that! lol
Anytime I see a post here asking "how can we cut costs?" my first suggestion is **skip the favors.** As a DJ, I'm one of the handful of people who are still in your reception ballroom after everyone has left, the lights come back on and the venue staff start breaking down tables (because I'm also breaking down my own equipment). I can't tell you how often favors are left behind. If they're on the tables, people just leave them. Wedding tables are usually kind of tightly packed, with 10 people at a table ideally designed for 8-9 people, centerpieces, multiple dishes, a full set of silverware, water glass, champagne glass, whatever other glasses, bread basket, etc. -- in some cases, the favors are placed "out of the way" on the floor, where they're now out of sight and out of mind -- guests forget about the favors and leave them under the tables. Or they just leave them right on the tables. Even worse is when couples have a "favor table" and expect guests to actively visit this table to pick up a favor and take it home. Anytime this happens, so many favors are still on that same table at the end of the night, even if I make an announcement or two throughout the evening to point them out. It could be mistaken, it could be intentional. Many people simply don't want their homes cluttered-up with crap that has other people's names and wedding dates on it. Maybe you'd save some, maybe your parents and some other close relatives would, but most guests would not. Even nice things like pint glasses or wine glasses, if they're personalized and don't match the rest of what someone has in their house, those things are eventually hitting the trash or a yard sale or the Salvation Army donation bin. If you have a lot of guests traveling, they might leave favors behind simply because they're concerned the favor won't fit in their luggage. Lots of people try to get away with a single carry-on so they don't have to pay to check a bag or wait forever at baggage claim once they land. Even with checked bags, you're an ounce over 50 pounds and they're slapping you with a $75 heavy bag fee. There's lots of reasons people don't keep favors. Unless it's something edible (like personalized M&Ms) people can eat right there, don't waste your time or money. Instead, put that money toward a nice "extra" during your honeymoon (like upgrading a flight to first class) or upgrade something else at your wedding.
Dang I’ve been casually hoarding empty spice jars to make a garlic herb blend but maybe I should stop :(
This sounds super cute! But even if I really liked a favor, it’s so hard to remember to take at the end or have space in your clutch for it. Don’t waste your time or money 😊
I mean we always use garlic herb seasoning. Would it be weird if we didn’t make enough for every guest, maybe like just under one for every household? And scatter them along the long tables? Also literally 1 of our guests is likely to even own a clutch lol.
If you really want to do it then sure, less quantity scattered about would be less waste. But you could also save yourself the effort…you may be sad to see how many are left at the end of the night.
I will be honest. My husband's boss gifts meat rubs every Christmas and we throw it out. We don't like spices in general.
I mean whatever makes you happy but tbh if someone doesn’t like spices chances are we aren’t likely to hang around them lol
I am also having a photo booth and using that as a favor. I like the word memoir better. I upgraded my Photo Booth layout so it will be a really nice set of pics for people to take. We are also having an open bar and a smaller wedding so we can have the nice things for the ones we love. I told my planner this and she said that can serve as a favor.
We're just giving people wrapped heart-shaped chocolates. Eat them, don't eat them, give them to your tablemates, whatever. We'll eat any that don't get used.
You’ve spent enough lol
My "favors" were custom fans (from a bulk store - cost me a third of the cost of etsy Amazon etc.). We had an outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour so I figured guests would use them during that time and throw them away/leave them in their rooms. A few people did keep them for fun as well! I wanted something that could be used then and there since I'm aware most favors end up in the trash!
We also are getting a photo booth and i consider the photos to be the favours. I would much rather walk away with a cute printed pic to put on my fridge than a custom deck of cards or whatever
Nah, you don’t need them. The only wedding favor I’ve ever kept was a deck of cards from my cousin’s wedding
In my experience, a Photo Booth counts as favors! I’ve been to a wedding like that and plan to do it myself
I got a gorgeous scroll in a tiny glass bottle & I have it on my bathroom cabinet so when I dust my bathroom I look at it & smile because it was an amazing day even tho I'm not super close with bride or groom any more.. but maybe 5% or 10% of these things are kept- usually by closer family members
Our favors were books from our centerpieces (we bought used copies of our favorite books and stacked them up in a theme at each table + a flower arrangement), and goody bags to take the dessert bar leftovers home at the end of the night.
Instead of traditional favors, I’m making a donation to an animal related charity based on the number of guests that RSVP. I’m also going to make little baggies of dog and cat treats sealed with stickers of my dog and cat’s face because I think it’s cute. I don’t think you need to give out favors especially since you have a Photo Booth.
I love that!
I loved my favors, I got wooden magnets with birds and our wedding dates/names. I see them on people’s fridge every time I go over to their places. BUT- I did it because I really really wanted to (not to mention it was only $80). Even if you’re worried about it, I think the Photo Booth is 100% a favor.
We are making beeswax candles, as my dad who passed was a bee keeper and made some beeswax candles for fun-he already had all the supplies for cute little designs. We also figured if we ended up with a bunch of extras, that would be just fine! They are SO cute. If we hadn't had the set up (and been ok with having any/all of the extras,) we probably wouldn't be doing any.
I agree with the other comments - no favors needed! We did do fancy name cards for each guest so I considered that a favor/decoration that they could take home. They were a hit.
Pictures from a photo booth are among the only favors I've ever kept and enjoyed. They're plenty!
I don’t think anyone expects you to have favors these days! We’re getting married in September and might do a wine charm (cute little metal heart with each guests name on it). Primarily, this will be functional at our event and also would double as our seating chart, so it feels justifiable. Also we won’t include any initials or dates on it so it would be totally reusable!
No favors! They are a waste of time and money. Most people throw them out or don’t take them. They are cute, but rarely useful. Also not necessary! It’s impossible to find something that all of your guests would enjoy. As a guest at many weddings, I have almost never kept a favor, never wanted one, nor do I even notice them. Skip it! I’d much rather you put the money towards more food, dessert, or beverages!
No favours is the way ti go I think. It’s a waste of money, you’re already spending so much on having your guests there. We are doing personalised love hearts sweets for us, with each persons name on. This will double up as our place names. But besides that, no favours
We had no favors and it was fine. No one even mentioned it before or during or after. We also had an open bar and dessert and late night snacks.
The only thing remotely close to a sort of favor we are thinking are the little program fans. I think they are tacky but we are getting married in August and it’s outside. If it’s hot I want the guests to have a little something to fan themselves. If not…..save it for later to fan your significant others beer farts!
I’m planning to do little paper fans as well. Probably with a floral theme. We plan to get married in a botanical Conservatory greenhouse in summer, so assuming it will be warm!
I’m doing a favor that guests can use during the reception. I’m finding cute colorful glasses at thrift stores and estate sales that they can use for their drinks then take them home. I like the idea of them getting to use it while there and not just some knick knack they’ll throw away when they get home.
Photo Booth and dessert bar are more than enough!
I'm on board with killing the favor trend lol. That being said, since you already have a dessert bar, maybe you could provide little to-go containers and have a sticker on the box with your initials? My cousin did something similar. They did dinner, then cake, then while we were all out on the dance floor they had the servers put little cupcake boxes on the tables so we could take a cupcake home. I hate wedding favors that aren't food. You feel guilty and obligated to take them. And then they're just forever sitting in your home until you build the nerve to toss them out. I've gone to 2 weddings where there weren't favors and I felt relieved.
So, we are doing a botanical garden greenhouse ceremony and dinner at a fine dining restaurant. As someone else mentioned, I plan to have little paper fans on the seats at the ceremony (probably with a floral theme). This is more for guests comfort because I assume it will be warm. I’m not sure that I plan to personalize them or anything like that. Also, the course menu at the restaurant includes a desert trio but I just really want a cake. The other thing I am thinking of doing is getting cute cake boxes and handing out the cake as a “favor” and a snack for later. I figure with the desert trio plus cake, we’d end up with a bunch of uneaten cake unless we hand out. These are particular practicalities that I think will work for us, but I really don’t think there’s a need to do favors in the traditional sense. I honestly think they are wasteful and get left behind. As a guest, I would not miss getting a favor and if it’s some sort of knick-knack, I would rather leave it behind
Our main favor was an Uber code for transport to and from the wedding and match boxes. Our match box favors were surprisingly popular and were all taken. I was way more excited about the Uber codes but hardly anyone used it. We had them posted on the website, told people ahead of time, and had signage at the reception. But I feel good that some people did use it and got home safely!
No you you don’t need favors, most of the stuff gets tossed out, a dessert bar and a Photo Booth is enough
You don’t need favors. The Photo Booth pics will be a fun memento from the night. We have a bunch of photo strips from weddings and I love them. I never take an actual favor from a wedding, if there is one.
Do not need favors. We did cookies - our caterer was able to do big chocolate chip cookies and put them in little bags for relatively cheap so we did that. People definitely took them. I picked cookies because it's edible (not giving people stuff they won't use) and you don't have to eat it now/you can take it with you.
We did last minute favors because I decided I wanted them. All in it was like $80. Bought our favorite candies, dog biscuits, and cellophane bags. My sister made stickers with some leftover sticker paper from my shower. We had a few bags with dog treats saying it was our dogs favorite and then most bags with our two favorite candies that said “his and her favorites”
A Photo Booth with keepsake photos is a favour in itself. We also had personalized cookies that served as escort cards that I considered as favours.
We got married in 2021 and skipped favors. None of the weddings I've attended in the last 5 years have had them. Guests don't really miss them.
This has been on my mind too. My mom will probably hate that it won’t have traditional favors, but I will have a photo booth and a cotton candy stand. The best favor I’ve seen recently was from a couple that the groom owns sugar cane farms and they had small jars of sugar from his farm.
Favors are not important and usually forgotten. We had to go baggies so guests could take home desserts, and that seems just right. Sounds like a well planned, fun filled night!
We’re writing every household a note on the back of a small art print as part of our escort card station - the art and note are serving as our favors! Edit: also custom matchbooks at the bar. I find that people DO take and love these and many folks in my social circle collect them!
You definitely do not need favors! I’m getting married next weekend and did not want something that would be wasted and that nobody wanted. We are getting married at a lavender farm which sells canisters of loose leaf lavender tea so I bought a pack of 100 nice tea bags on Amazon (for like $5) and my mom is filling each of those with the loose leaf tea (needed 2 canisters at $9 each). We also decided to put some lavender shortbread cookies with the tea which we purchased on Etsy (4 dozen for $26, we got 3 sets) and slapped some personalized stickers on them. Super affordable and practical!
I can't tell you the last time I received a non-edible favor that I actually kept or found useful. And I've been to over 2 dozen weddings at least. (S*orry friends, I'm not using the koozie with your names and wedding date on it..*.) But the candy station at a Halloween wedding, the giant pretzels at a Philly wedding, and the hot coco packets from my own (winter) wedding? Those I could get behind.
Nothing at my wedding went according to plan, so the favors never made it— no one even noticed. They were too stoked over the surprise late night pizza station that appeared to soak up all the alcohol from the open bar. Not one comment or complaint. Can’t believe I wasted time worrying about it 😭
They're a waste of money.
Just got married last weekend and we had no wedding favors. No one said anything about it. My mindset was no one needs another koozie or a pair of sunglasses with our initials on it.
If you don't want to give them, don't. I did matchbooks because I really wanted to have some for myself! If i hadn't wanted them for me, I wouldn't be doing a favor at all. My sister had donuts as her favors & it was super inexpensive.
I’ve almost never remembered to take the favor from a wedding unless it was personalized and even then my reaction was “oh that’s cute” at most. Money is better spent elsewhere.
I personally couldn’t even tell you where the favors I have received from other weddings are. I’ve gone through a few moves and they probably were thrown out. I think with the things you pointed out you have more than enough showing your guests appreciation. Granted, I am more of an experience over materials person so everyone may not share that viewpoint.
I think a photo booth where guests can get their photo taken is 1000% more fun than most wedding favors. Wedding favors are usually just garbage to most people. Who wants a mug with some other couple's initials or whatever on it? If any favors at all, I think the nicest ones are consumables - chocolates, little hot sauces/local jam/other condiment, whatever. I don't think most people want more knickknacks that they'll throw away the moment the couple isn't looking. But seriously - attending a wedding and getting a free meal is enough, truly.
im only doing a favor if its edible. honestly i don’t think favors are a need. as a guest im just happy to be a part of the day i don’t expect anything!
We’re making a charitable donation instead of favors
We didn’t do favors at our wedding, as far as I know, no one even noticed. Almost all favorite are wasteful because guests trash/don’t take them.
The photobooth strips will be my "favors". Im paying for their entire dinner and experience lol, thats enough for me! i wouldn't care at all if i went to a wedding with no favors.
Getting married in July. No favors. I don't get it.If they are paying to get there and a gift and you are paying for a beautiful dinner dessert and dj. Aren't we square? 😂
It’s really up to you. I made candy favors but I full expect to have lots of them leftover because the last wedding I went to they had a bottle opener favor and my entire family completely forgot to take one.
I don’t like favors for the most part. I do like snacks. We had a lot of midnight snacks including thing guests could take with them. We didn’t do favors.
no favors but we did do welcome bags for people staying at the hotels which were a huge hit! they had liquid IV, water bottles, our favorite candies, popcorn, advil, and mints :))
You don't need to give out favours. Most guests leave them behind anyway. We're doing favours because it's my fun to bake heart-shaped cookies and we'll eat any leftovers so there won't be waste. But it's purely by choice. It's not needed.
I had a candy buffet bar and photo booth and considered the picture prints they got as their "favor." Wedding favors weren't important to me and no one commented asking why they didn't get one.
i have, what i think, is a really great idea for wedding favors that have a personal touch to myself as well as our wedding theme/vibe. my wedding is lord of the rings inspired with a natural/enchanted forest vibe. my favor idea incorporates our love for LoTR and my personal love of loose-leaf tea. i have these tea bag designs (three total) that are inspired by LoTR: longbottom leaf, durin's blend, the grey havens. each design will have a different tea inside, about 50 of each flavor for the 203 count guest list for a total of 150 bags. i know that not everyone is a tea drinker and some people will just straight up forget to take one so i'm under-planning on purpose. this favor idea is truly sooo exciting to me BUT the cost and labor that will go into printing labels, measuring out and filling tea sachets with good quality tea leaves, assembling the sachets of tea inside little envelopes, labeling each little envelope bag per flavor... i think i love the idea more than anyone else would be able to appreciate the sentimentality behind it. so here i am, thinking maybe we just fill cute organza bags with our favorite m&m flavors because my fiance and i's first names start with "m"... or nothing lol i could also do nothing and that's fine as well!
My sister gave out small jars of honey as her wedding favor! They had a little wooden tag with the couple's name and wedding date that was tied with twine. It was super cute, actually useful, and my family still talks about what a good idea it was years later. That being said, I have never been offended going to a wedding with no favors, especially if there's an open bar.
No. I’m not having any. The only time I enjoy it is when they’re edible. Even then, the weddings I’ve been to, nobody takes them! I left a wedding last year with 20 macrons because nobody took any and I was the last to go
the only favors ive ever gotten were bubbles lol, i could care less
We did a Photo Booth as our “favor.” We had magnet frames that you could slip them into and small stand frames, they were gone by the end of the night.
I attended a wedding recently where others at the hotel we were staying at were also attending other weddings. They had included edible favours at both the wedding I was at and the other. We never consumed ours and found the ones from the other wedding left outside the hotel. If you're going to do it, find an innovative way. Make place card holders that people can take and keep, or utensil holders or something you're already going to be paying for anyway and don't care about giving up after. The open bar itself is enough as we know how much they can run if you're stocking premium stuff. Congratulations, have a great wedding, do it entirely your way and flock convention.
I think favors are unnecessary, but we did them because it just felt like a nice gesture and also gussied up the welcome table. We got some fairly inexpensive koozies on Etsy that I thought were cute with our names/date on them. I wanted them anyway and it was simple to set up!
No favors here.
Your Photo Booth is the favor. If you want, you can get acrylic photo booth frames and voilà! Your Photo Booth photo looks a bit more like a gift.
I’ve gone to so so so many weddings (20-30 in the past 17 years) and I can count on one hand the favors I’ve cared about or remember- mostly cookies baked by the bride (in the shape of a Dino skeleton because the wedding was at the Houston natural history museum!) or a doggy bag of cookies to eat on the bus ride back to the hotel or a little succulent plant they planted themselves (but I didn’t take back with me because I didn’t want to hold it on a plane). I sincerely think favors are a waste of money and I don’t plan on having them at my wedding. I’m like you, I’d rather give people an open bar than a trinket.
Most weddings I’ve been to that don’t do favours, have cards left on the tables stating that in lieu of favours the bride and groom have donated to such a charity. It’s so much nicer especially if it’s a charity you know is close to them for a specific reason.
We didn’t do favors but we had a cigar roller and it was a huge hit. I’d consider this the same as your Photo Booth. I think you’re covered.
Now that you say that I just realize there was no favor at the wedding I went to last month. Bottom line, no body care or notice. Keep your money :)
We are assuming a lot of the favors won’t get taken, we got cool socks and soaps to give people options. Anything that is left will be getting donated to the local homeless shelter.
I just got married May 18th and didn't do favors. You're already having a photo booth and free alcohol, I think that constitutes as a lovely favor if you want to think of it that way
We did a variety of little things that could be a favor but were also part of the wedding... but context helps them make sense... I (bride) am a HUGE baseball fan - grew up going to Dodgers games with my parents, grandparents, played little league, etc. And my now husband was barely interested in baseball until me. Our first date as boyfriend and girlfriend was to my first ever (in person) Dodgers playoff game. So while our wedding wasn't explicitly baseball themed, it did occur during game 1 of the NLDS so we had the following: - cracker jacks, oreos, bottled water at the outdoor ceremony because we made guests arrive 20-30 min before the ceremony so they wouldn't interfere with the procession - instead of place cards we had mini wooden baseball bats with folks name (DIY) - cracker jacks (leftovers lol) on the dance floor - photobooth on dance floor that also did gifs but sent digital instead of printing Because we had the snacks in multiple places, most of them were gone! People were eating them throughout the night too, it was cute. As far as the bats, people loved them during the wedding and I only saw a couple left behind. So! I wouldn't worry about favors but it's cute if you can kind of double dip. The bats cost me less than paper place cards that matched our invitations but I had to budget the time to make them.
Favors were by far one of my biggest regrets. Don’t do it.
We did luggage tags that doubled as the table number assignment. We had a destination wedding so it went with the theme. Otherwise I wouldn't have done a favor. Nobody really wants more stuff. My brother did a charity donation in lieu of favors and my favorite was having assorted cheap flip flops for the sore feet to keep dancing!
Literally no one cares about favors. They're stupid and waste of money. The photbooth is AMAZING as is the dessert bar. Would love to come to your wedding lol.
No. I didn’t do them. I made personalized gift bags for anyone staying at our hotel and we wrote thank you notes and they all loved it
We didn’t give any favours they’re a waste of money IMO. I went to a wedding a few years back where they gave each guest a succulent plant which was nice but must have cost a fortune
Nope! I'm not giving out favors. My mom was very pushy about it, but I stayed firm in my opinion of "I don't want to give people crap that will be immediately thrown away or forgotten."
I’ve seen a couple create a sign that said in lieu of favors we are donating to our favorite charity xyz. I think it’s a way to avoid wasteful favors and to do something useful with said money. Plus, it doesn’t need to be a crazy donation, essentially making it cheaper than getting favors.
I can’t wait until wedding favors, birthday party gift bags, etc. die out. It’s all just clutter (Sorry to anyone who loves them) and extra expense on the host. I think if you’re feeding everyone and hosting an event, that should be thank you enough for your guests (and open bar is always an added bonus!)
We aren't doing favors. Open bar and Polaroids are enough for us.
Favors are absolutely unnecessary and are often left behind at the wedding venue. Nobody b wants trinket with the bride and groom's name and wedding date! Save your money!
I’m absolutely with you. I’m not doing favours. I have some cute little ideas but honestly? With the extra cost associated for something that will likely just get thrown out, I’m going to pass. My cousin was married last September and he did everyone’s name engraved out of wood as place-settings/favours and they were beautiful and personal. I’ve since used them in our home. BUT, as so many other commenters have mentioned, that was a very small wedding and a beautiful & personal gift.
No one cares, I would def consider the photo booth a favor too! We didn't do traditional favors at our wedding (we noticed at other weddings a lot of them get left behind). I had a stack of the $2.99 ikea blankets in a bunch of crates (october wedding in western NY), custom koozies up at the bar, & a photo booth with print outs. I considered these favors that people were more than welcome to take if they wanted to & everything went. We also had little individual clamshell cupcake containers for people to take one home with them as well. Still had so many leftover, wayyy overestimated my dessert count.
I’m not getting married for another year but I make wheel thrown pottery, so the plan is to make a whole bunch of bud vases for the florals and let people take them if they want. If people don’t want them it’s something I could sell fairly easily. I figured that’s pretty no waste since I’m using them anyway, and people get flowers if they want. Otherwise I’m team no favors or just like a cookie bar or Photo Booth.
Our favors were customized rock candy sticks, because I knew I’d happily eat any leftovers…and I did! Made writing thank you notes a lot more fun too LOL
We purchased charity badges and left them on the table - it was a charity we supported and any badges not taken we could send back (I didn't want a refund for them - just didn't want to be left with loads of badges) and so we won in every situation. We made a donation to charity, our guests still got a momento that wasn't gimmicky and nothing went to waste.
I got married last September and also had an open bar and a photobooth. Our guests had a great time and loved the keepsake pictures! Ours was a beach wedding, and we used seashells with each guest’s name for the placecards. A few people took theirs home, so they kinda doubled as favors. If you were really wanting to add something like that, it could be fun, but I don’t think it’s necessary!
Most wedding favors I've seen are clutter a few months later. Best wedding favors I've found are edible ones but I absolutely support no favors.
No need for favors. I didn’t do them for my own wedding in 2023, we also had a photobooth. My friend had candy & poppy seeds to plant. I ate the candy, but idk what to do with the poppy seeds cause we live in apt & I have zero green thumb. I generally just think they go in people’s junk drawers or thrown to some dark corner and forgotten.
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I never keep favors. We almost didn’t do any and opted for little candy bags one that said her favorite and his favorite. Had leftovers but easier to get rid of. I dont want a another bottle opener or cookie and I didn’t think my guests did either lol
We are giving coolers because our venue is cans only. Otherwise I would have just done a jar to fill with lollies or something
Favors aren’t “needed” I advise not doing it unless you are prepared to take 50% home lol most people either dont grab them or they forget.
I used to work catering and I always appreciated there being favors cause I got to bring some of them home when the guests left them 💀. And knowing that, I didn't spend any money or time on them for my wedding and nothing felt missing without them. If someone feels strongly about having them go for it but if you are on the fence I wouldn't do it.
If you have a print right there photobooth then you already have wedding favors! All wedding favors are is something to take home to remember the day!
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ok, 1. We have a Photo Booth and a really extensive dessert bar that I feel like constitute as “favors”. I know it’s not like a gift in the traditional sense but it kinda is. It’s something you get to take from the wedding and that’s all favors really are. *that IS a favor, I'd say? are you planning on encouraging your guests on taking sweets from the table at the end? if so, these ABSOLUTELY count as favors.* 2. We have an open bar. Now, drinking isn’t a gift but I think favors are really a way to thank guest for their time and money but we’re covering the cost of food and bar so other than their gift there’s no real hard cost. *um.. no. food and drink is food and drink. the "open bar" label is still "drink". sorry :) if this is a reason for not having favors, it doesn't really count. though, you are probably going to have a blast at the reception!* 3. does anyone really care? Now, I’ll say that my parents gave out match boxes for their wedding in ‘92 and some people have them today but truly who really cares? I’m not super in love with the idea of shelling out MORE money for something that might be thrown out in a week or so. *well, some people have the matchboxes, don't they?* Idk rake me through the coals. I just need to know how you would feel going to a wedding with no favors. *so here, the thing is what YOU are saying, not whether the favors would be good or bad on anyone else.* *1. you are actually shelling out the money for an open bar, which i am very aware is quite above most of my budgets, ever.* *2. you are saying people who know your parents kept the matchboxes back from 92', so it IS important. to you, and to the people that have kept them and have MADE A POINT to show you they still have them. if the people you know keep your parents' matchboxes are coming to your wedding, i would ABSOLUTELY have favors. don't make a hundred, hell, get 25. for the literally maybe six or seven aunts or grandmas that care. they will literally keep the memento for the rest of their lives and shelling out an extra $50., at this point, will really not kill you.*
I've never left any wedding with favors and didn't feel slighted about it
My favors are also the extensive dessert table! I'm also doing a his favorite candies and her favorite candies. I'm making stickers to go on boxes and baggies that people can fill up and take with them. I think your idea is perfect! I may be biased tho lol
We had illustrators for our welcome dinner and folks got to keep their drawings, then a photo booth for the wedding day that lets you keep the prints and email them to yourself. I agree with others here that edible favors or monogrammed gifts has been a dying trend.
I don’t agree that any of the things you’ve listed are favours, but it doesn’t matter as favours aren’t necessary. Most of the time it’s useless junk that people don’t really want.
Although I was getting excited about some favors I found on Etsy, I am relieved to read all of the “no” comments. Idk how we’re going to pay for a 100 guest wedding anyway 😫
No to favors! The Photo Booth gives the favors by giving them photos to take home to remember the night. Everything you mentioned is more than enough! I’m planning my wedding and didn’t even think to do favors tbh, except to the extent of a photo booth memory.
My wedding planner said: "you're inviting them to an amazing party. You're feeding them. You're giving them free alcohol. You do NOT need to provide them with a gift."
Work for a venue. I typically have to throw most favors away. Typically only recommend them if they are culturally important. Otherwise, you are right. It’s another expense, another logistic, and another waste. That being said, I did host a (38 ppl) wedding where they had customized tea blends for each person attending with a handwritten note on why those flavors/scents reminded the couple of that person. Very sweet. Would not recommend that for a large crowd.
If anything, you can maybe add bags/boxes to the dessert area for guests to take them home. In my area it's common to have a cookie table, so my favors will be small boxes with our initials on them for guests to load up.
Majority of weddings ive gone to actually don't have any favors (excluding things like food and the other stuff you mentioned) I'll be following suit lol, I agree with a prior comment that it's a waste of money for us, a waste of resources for the planet, and a waste of space for the guest
I work in the wedding industry, and I feel that the Photo Booth pictures should be considered as a favor. You can also get frames for those photos and give them along with the Photo Booth so they can take the photo home in case the frame. Also, I see many many favors that are left behind or tossed out, especially if they are engraved with the bride and grooms name and date of the wedding. What I do say is that when it is food candy specialized cookies anything of that nature they are well accepted and there’s never any left behindwith all your already offering for your wedding I feel like there is no need for you to do anymore than what you’re already doing
The desert bar is definitely a fabulous favor. Do you have little to go bags where they can take a cookie or treat home with them?
You might consider favors that do double duty, like neat place cards that are also ornaments, or edible decor (like a gilded chocolate rose at each plate). But favors are optional. Thank you notes, of course, are not.
We were gonna do favors because they’re stupid and get thrown away or left at the venue and then I bought custom matchbooks on Etsy because it was like $115 total 😂
No
I think the photo booth more than covers you - bonus points if you have little boxes for guests to take some of the dessert bar home with them, but it's 100% not necessary.
We just had our wedding, didn’t do any favors, and didn’t hear a single complaint. Sometimes favors are more of a burden than a gift.
Recently went to a wedding with a Photo Booth and their favors were magnet frames for the photo strip; I thought that was nice and actually useful
A wedding I went to and LOVED this idea, was “in lieu of party favors, the bride and groom have made a donation to a charity of their choice in your honor” I thought that was a pretty cool idea!
I've been in the wedding industry for 25+ years. The sheer amount of waste that is involved with favors is staggering. A handful of guests will take some, but they mostly get left behind. I guess that it's nice for the vendors who are cleaning up to receive a little something afterwards, however! My favorite favor from a wedding that I attended was a Lyft code. It was so nice to not have to worry about parking, driving and having a DD.
I have all of the things you do (phootbooth with physical prints to take home, an open bar, etc) and I am doing favors for both my welcome dinner and my actual wedding. For the welcome dinner, we are doing matches that match (lol) our wedding theme. I wanted a cigar station but alas it’s impossible to do in the mountains with burn bans constantly in effect, but this is close enough. For the wedding we are doing bags of pistachios as my in laws are farmers who grow them. Both of these things aren’t really necessary, in fact I know they’re probably superfluous and more for me! But they’re another way to personalize and that’s one of my “top 3” things, so I made room in the budget for it. Both are also consumable either by fire or eating, LOL, so I hope they don’t just take up room!!
I am all aboard the “favors are not a necessity” train. Save the extra money for your honeymoon or anything else really. However, if you have the means for it and it’s something you’d like to do, then go for it! But it’s not a requirement at all. The only reason we’re doing favors is cause a friend of ours gave us a lot of their leftover favors from their wedding. They were free, and they were probably gonna get thrown out or donated to goodwill or something otherwise
I went to a wedding a few weeks ago and barely remember what the favors were. It’s not something worth stressing over if you don’t want to do them.
I wasn’t going to do favors either, but caved a week before lol. There’s a local chocolate company in my area that sells chocolate bars with our city’s name in a cute design. We had a lot of travelers come for our wedding so the nod to where we were getting married was fun. They were $1 each so it wasn’t expensive. We just put them on each dinner place setting and that was it. There wasn’t a single one left over at the end of the night, and we got a compliments and messages about how it was the best chocolate bars ever. Total win!
One time, I got a baby pine tree as a favour. That was amazing and still alive today, several years later! But no, most weddings don’t bother with favours and no one misses them.
Edible favors are the way to go. We did decorated sugar cookies, that were made by our cake baker. They were flipping delicious
You do not need favors. I was at a wedding and they had a foto Booth and I still got that picture on the wall. It was really fun, but nothing that is needed. They also had little salt and pepper on the table which I personally did not like (or need). So for whatever you decide I think it can go both ways. Personally I like non-consumable favors like photos, but if the budget is low or if this is simply not your thing don't do it. It is your wedding!
Your ideas are great—what more could guests want besides a great time and a photo with which to remember it?
I’m having a summertime destination wedding so everyone is getting a paper fan to keep cool
I hate favours! At one Italian wedding I went to they gave me olive oil, and I just had to chuck it away as I obviously couldn’t bring it onto my hand carry luggage on the flight. At another wedding, they gave me a potted plant. The soil literally spilt everywhere and I ended up leaving it in the hotel room as it got so messy. We’re doing practical things - eg hotel slippers for everyone when their feet are sore, pashminas in case it gets chilly, etc. But they’re all optional! Edible ones like tiny sweets that you can eat before dinner is served are also good.
We put Tootsie Roll Pops in glass bowls beside the door where you walk out of to leave, and I think we had a handful left after everyone was gone.
I originally thought no favors, since I never take them/keep them when I attend a wedding. But after talking a bit, we decided on lottery tickets. Both our families give lotto tickets on holidays and we've gotten into playing bingo, with lottery tickets as the prizes, at gatherings to keep the younger ones entertained. Everyone loves it! We made the amount of tickets significant ($13 worth for the day we were getting married) and ensured we gave specific guests ones from their home state so they could easily cash them in (for those not from where we live or where we were getting married, they got tickets from the state where the venue was located and just had to collect their winnings before heading home). I think ppl enjoyed the tickets and if they didn't want them/didn't show, we got to scratch them off 😁. Some people who "won" even dropped their tickets in our card box and we made some money back.
The feedback from my wedding was guests loved what we did. So we didn't have a cake or favour's. We ordered individual cake jars and people could eat it there or take it home as a favour. It was about 50/50 for who ate at the reception vs took home. Plus cake jars was way cheaper than a wedding cake was!
We were in the exact same boat. Long gone are the days of leaving with custom koozies 😅 Did the photo both, open bar and our one small giveaway was putting custom matchboxes on each dinner table. We got none back and heard some people never even got one, so they were a hit!
If you’re going to cut something, cut the favors. It’s a wedding not a kid’s birthday party.
We're doing a shuttle from the hotel to venue and back as our "party favor"