Wedding favors are a thank-you gift given by the bride and groom to their guests for coming to the wedding. Favors may also serve as reminders of your special day for years to come and of the memories created that day. The favors are usually shared at the reception, either by placing them at each place setting or by asking someone to hand them out. (Children love to do this.) Some brides choose to incorporate the favors into their centerpieces or table decorations.

Providing favors is optional and cost is often a factor when deciding whether to give them and if so, what kind. If the wedding is large, even an inexpensive favor can significantly add to the budget. Brides who are having a small wedding or those on limited budgets may choose not to provide favors, which is fine. Most guests won’t notice or care if there are no favors.

If you do give a favor it should contain the bride and groom’s names and the wedding date, either on a tag or label or by printing the information directly onto the favor. Depending on the type of favor, you might give one per person or one per family. Larger items, such as CDs or jars of jam or salsa are usually given one per family, while smaller items are given to each person.

Favors that can be used in the future or those that can be consumed are more appreciated than those that will sit on a shelf after the wedding. If the bride or groom has a particular interest that is enjoyed by many of the guests, such as golf or fishing, that interest might be incorporated into the favors by giving chocolate golf balls or fish-shaped candy. If a theme has been incorporated into the wedding, the favor should coordinate with the theme.

Following are some ideas for popular favors that are not expensive, yet will be appreciated by your guests. Candy and cookies can be purchased many places or you can make your own. Many of the other items can be ordered at advertising specialty stores or on the Internet.

• Candy
• Cookies, including fortune cookies
• Bookmarks
• Packets of flower seeds
• Key rings
• Coffee mugs
• Individual packets of coffee, tea, or cocoa
• Votive candles
• Pencils or pens
• Magnets with a photo of the bride and groom
• Golf balls or tees, or chocolate golf balls
• Playing cards with pictures of the bride and groom on each card
• Jars of jam, jelly, or salsa
• Small bottles of champagne, sparkling cider, or wine with the couple’s personal label attached
• Handmade soap
• Christmas ornaments

If the bride or a friend or family member has time, they might make the favors. Simple ones can be made by filling small bags or boxes with candy and/or Jordan almonds or wrapping them in squares of fabric and tying with a ribbon. You might invite the bridesmaids to help and make a party of it.

Some couples choose not to provide a favor at the wedding and instead send a wedding photo with their thank you notes. This may be more appreciated, particularly by family and close friends, than receiving a favor at the wedding.

Other couples choose to make a donation to a favorite charity in lieu of giving favors. If you do this, a sign can be placed in a strategic place, such as near the guest book, explaining what you have done and naming the charity to which a donation was made. This is a good way to benefit a worthy cause while eliminating the time required to purchase or prepare favors.

Giving a favor is a nice way to say thank you to your guests for coming to your wedding. What you give and how much you spend is entirely up to you and if you prefer not to provide favors, that is fine as well.

Copyright © 2006, Glenna Tooman; all rights reserved.