Do You Really Need a Wedding Favours?

Wedding Favour Ideas

There appears to be two camps when it comes to wedding favours: those who uphold the custom and those who despise it. While some brides can't wait to impress their guests with custom monogrammed flasks and cookie favour bags, others can't stand the thought of spending so much money on such trivial stuff. You can't go wrong either way; favours are both a delightful custom and a costly extravagance. There is no rule of etiquette that states you must do favours for your guests.

You may rest assured that wedding favours are still a tradition for many couples. Of course, the definition of a "favour" has changed with time, as anyone who has attended a wedding in the previous few years can attest. The days of personalised candy and pointless trinkets are over. These days, newlyweds are more likely to present their guests with edible or otherwise immediately usable mementoes of the wedding than with traditional, sentimental keepsakes. In this article, you will get all the information you need to know about the different kind of wedding favours. Saying “I do” at Vines of the Yarra Valley is an elegant and luxurious affair.

yarra valley most popular wedding venue (12)

Table of Contents

A Memorable Experience for Your Guests

There has been a significant shift away from the traditional weddings of our parents' generation, which were held in churches or grand ballrooms. Your wedding weekend could consist of as many as five separate events spread across multiple days. As opposed to giving them a physical item, you are giving them memories of your time together. It would be fantastic to send them out with a favour or memento of this wonderful occasion. Wedding favours can be a great way to show appreciation to your guests, but if you're handing them out merely to check the box, you can relax knowing that your guests will have something to remember your wedding by.

Trendy Welcome Bags

More and more couples are opting to have their wedding at a scenic location, elevating the importance of the gift-filled welcome bag over the more conventional wedding favours.

A welcome note and a bottle of local cider, a box of doughnuts from the neighbourhood bakery, or a bag full of gourmet sweets are great ways to welcome out-of-town guests who have made the trip to your wedding weekend. Summer wedding favours could be personalised can coolers or a copper mug for making Moscow mules at home.

Favors Still Exist

Today's wedding favours are a far cry from the monogrammed box of candies or little framed photo of the happy couple of yesteryear. Simply put, what does that entail? If you're having your wedding at a vineyard and want to give your guests a taste of the area, you could have them take home a bottle of wine from the vineyard. Choose a cool towel or a pair of sunglasses that your guests may enjoy all weekend long.

Choose a Simple Favour

Unfortunately, guests who bring a favour to a wedding are notorious for forgetting to take it home. Simplifying your party favours can help you save money and give your guests something they won't soon forget. Fun and easy wedding favours include infused olive oil if the wedding is in olive-growing area, cocktail kits for after-dinner drinks, and elegant brass bottle openers.

Edible Favours

If you want your guests to leave your wedding with something in their hands, edible favours are a simple and delicious option. You may place a takeout table near the exit and stock it with items like bags of popcorn, a mini s'mores kit, and pretzels. Guests may not immediately partake of these delicacies, but they will undoubtedly chow down upon their return to their hotel rooms later that evening.

It’s Important to Minimize Waste

If you're trying to reduce the amount of trash your wedding generates, you could forego the usual favours in favour of a donation to a good cause. You might show your gratitude to the community by making a donation to the fire department or forest service. Alternatively, if you're having your wedding at a contemporary art museum, you may arrange a donation to a children's art centre in the area. Either way, you may let your guests know about the donation at the bottom of your wedding menu and perhaps even ask them to match it as their present to you.

Is it necessary to give out party favours that your visitors will likely just throw away? It's your big day, so do what you want, but before you make any decisions, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Madness in Wedding Favours

Favors given to guests during a wedding are considered a tradition that has been going strong for decades. Each guest would receive a tiny box stuffed with sugary treats as they left the wedding, a tradition that originated in Europe. A wedding's good fortune is traditionally regarded to be shared with the guests, a tradition that has been passed down through the generations. The purpose of these favours is to show your gratitude to those who have made an effort to attend your special day.

Although some couples prefer to go all out and spend hundreds of dollars on each guest's favour, the majority of engaged couples opt to provide a more modest present that is placed on each guest's seat. However, many people's spending plans just don't allow for so many special gestures.

A wedding with 300 guests will soon rack up a large bill if you plan to spend only a few dollars on favours for each attendee. After a night of drinking and dancing, it's impossible to predict who will actually take their gift home with them. Most of the time, the box of customised wedding bubbles the couple receives ends up in the pair's own junk drawer. It's likely that guests will anticipate receiving some sort of favour in exchange for attending your wedding, but that's not why they're actually coming. Your friends and family aren't coming to your wedding for the gifts.

Our list of Top Wedding Decorators will help you select the perfect team to help on your special day

Hitting Two Birds with One Stone

There are many of items that can be used as both wedding favours and decorations at the reception. We have a candy bar with all sorts of treats. For dessert and party favours, guests filled mini bags of sweets. There's also the option of cutting into a wedding cake. They got to pick between two sweet treats, so it turned out well for everyone.

The photo strip can double as a party favour if you're having a photo booth for fun. As a kind of entertainment, the photo booth is included in the price you've set for it, so you won't be out of pocket. As a token of appreciation for guests, many newlyweds give out little cakes at their reception. Everybody loves cake, so it's a no-brainer to utilise it as a wedding favour. After visitors have taken out their names, they can use the place cards as photo frames to display their own memories from the event.

Practical

If you just can't help yourself and feel obligated to provide wedding favours, make it something useful. Keep in mind that there are certain people you just can't win over. There will always be someone who doesn't appreciate the tiny bottle of lotion you gave them as a wedding favour since the scent or type isn't right for them. Ignore them with a roll of the eyes and carry on. Take into consideration the things you use frequently.

A baggage tag is the ideal small present because it is something you would never buy for yourself. You presumably use plastic cups on a daily basis, so having your own individualised cups is both cute and functional. Even if a koozie ends up in a drawer with a bunch of other koozies, it won't stay there for long if you use it every time you want to enjoy a frosty beverage.

A wedding favour does not need to be an expensive item. Making things at home is another simple approach to be practical. Have your mum bake some of her famous candies or have your cousin bake a batch of her famous chocolate chip cookies. Since guests are more likely to eat edible wedding favours, they are less likely to end up at a yard sale. If you take a pragmatic approach, you can recycle any unused party favours.

Wedding Favour Alternatives

Instead of giving guests tangible wedding favours, a gift is a generous, frugal, and easy alternative. Instead of wedding favours, many couples opt to make contributions to their guests' prefered charities. Your guests will appreciate the gesture and you'll feel good knowing you've contributed to a good cause. Choose an organisation that you as well as your partner feel strongly about. Your guests will appreciate your thoughtfulness and may even decide to follow suit at their own weddings, furthering the spread of joy.

Wedding Favour Pros and Cons

Pros

  • It's an enjoyable gesture of appreciation for those that came. Many of your visitors will travel long distances to celebrate with you on your special day. They will likely buy or rent special attire, arrange for babysitters, and select at least one special present for you. You will, of course, write messages of thanks to those who helped you celebrate, but party favours are a more immediate and enjoyable way to show your appreciation.
  • Favorite snacks and little toys can be exchanged. Share with your guests the excellent sweets from your neighbourhood bakery or the tunes you and your new husband have been listening to over and over again on your special playlist. The wedding should be a reflection of the two of you as a couple, and the favours should be a reflection of your shared interests and tastes, so use this chance to give your guests a taste of what they may expect from your new life together.
  • It's been done that way for years. Small treats, such as candy, nuts, and other gifts, have been given to guests during weddings for generations. There's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to take part in a centuries-old custom. In spite of the fact that favours' popularity has waned in recent years, many attendees will still (secretly) look forwards to receiving a thoughtful token of appreciation as they leave the party.
  • It's been done that way for years. Small treats, such as candy, nuts, and other gifts, have been given to guests during weddings for generations. There's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to take part in a centuries-old custom. In spite of the fact that favours' popularity has waned in recent years, many attendees will still (secretly) look forwards to receiving a thoughtful token of appreciation as they leave the party.
  • Guests will appreciate the thoughtfulness and convenience of your weekend essentials. With the growing popularity of destination weddings, more and more couples are giving their guests a welcome bag upon arrival. These bags are typically stuffed with useful items such as food, water, sunscreen, sunglasses, scarves, and other accessories. Your guests will be touched by your generosity, and you can rest assured that the party favours will make their time at your celebration even more memorable.

Cons

  • This is an additional cost. Favors are a simple way to save money when times are tight. Small luxuries like wedding favours can quickly add money, so consider doing without them before slashing the guest list or switching to a less expensive caterer.
  • You can't give them to your guests. Don't worry yourself or your guests over favours that will never be used, such personalised wine glasses, candles, or magnets unless they're food.
  • Or they could not even notice their existence! Even if you put the party favours out on a table, attendees may not notice them in the thick of all the revelry and end up leaving without them. Guests are more likely to take them if they are placed at their individual place settings or given to them by servers as they are departing. Since guests tend to wander around quite a bit during the course of the night, though, they still stand a good chance of being forgotten. Once more, if you're not absolutely positive that guests will actually keep the favours you give them, don't stress about it.
  • Organising a favour takes some time. Couples who want to save money on their wedding usually opt to make their own favours.  There will still be more work for you to do even if you decide to hire someone else to do your favours. Eliminate stress and hassle by not doing it.

Do You Really Need Wedding Favours?

Wedding favours are a great way to show appreciation to your guests and leave them with a memento of your special day, even if they aren't as essential as, say, the wedding cake. If a couple's financial situation permits, they should seriously consider doing some favours for others. It's not the cost or size of the gift, but rather the thought that counts, so don't feel pressured to buy something lavish.

Try to think outside the box when selecting a favour to ensure that it has personal significance for you and your loved ones. Favors can also serve as a nice finishing touch to a wedding's overall theme. Having wedding favours that are uniquely designed for the couple is a common trend. You can take cues from the wedding favours you've received at other recent events to get a sense of what's in style, but remember to put your own spin on things!

melbourne's most affordable wedding venue (15)

Do Wedding Favours Help Entertain Guests?

Entertainment for the guests, especially the kids, is a must at any wedding. Give them a box of crayons with some colouring pages they can print out, or set out some miniature copies of well-known games that they can play at the reception and then take home with them.

To prevent guests from being hangry during a seven-hour wedding with a lengthy interval between the ceremony and reception, you may set up a homemade champagne bar and serve guests a homemade delicacy at each table. If you're worried about how to keep your guests entertained, a safe bet is to give them something tasty to snack on. Do you really need to provide wedding favours for your guests? Do what you think is best.

There are opposing viewpoints on this issue. There are many who argue that favours are unnecessary. Because you're already treating your closest friends and family to lavish meals. Some people feel you owe it to your guests to thank them for taking the time to attend your party. The latter is, generally speaking, how we feel. You don't need to go all out and give your visitors an Oscar-worthy gift bag; a simple box of beautifully wrapped truffles or cookies can do the trick. And remember that it's the finer points that will transform your wedding from a standard event into a chic party. Alternatively, you may make a charitable contribution in the name of each attendee instead of giving them personalised pencil sharpeners.

FAQs About Wedding Favours

If you've ever thought about skipping wedding favours, do it! We promise you'll be happy you did, as most favours don't make their way home with guests. You're already taking care of your guests with cocktails, dinner, and desserts.

A lot of times they get thrown in guests' carry-on bags and then to the junk drawer. Personalized favours are a huge waste of money and are totally a product of the wedding industry. 

Wedding favors used to be a mandatory thing, but now they've become optional. Brides are realizing that after a night of eating, drinking, and dancing, guests aren't thinking about knickknacks, which means you'll have to figure out what to do with the 77 bottle openers that no one took home.

As a general rule of thumb, most couples spend anywhere from $2 to $3 on each wedding favour, but this estimate isn't set in stone. A bride and groom should consider two main factors when setting a price point: their budget and the size of the guest list.

Conclusion

Favors for wedding guests are both a lovely tradition and an expensive luxury. Some future Mrs.' can't wait to show off her personalised flasks and cookie favour bags to their guests. Some people simply cannot justify forking over that kind of cash on such trifling matters. Modern wedding favours have evolved significantly from the traditional personalised candy box. A bottle of wine is a great memento for your guests to take home after a wedding held in a vineyard.

Popcorn, little s'mores kits, and pretzels are just some of the edible favours that can be given out. Gifts given to wedding guests as mementoes have been a staple of the wedding ceremony for many years. Some married couples like to splash out hundreds of dollars on favours for their guests. However, many people's budgets just do not permit so many extravagant displays of affection. It's not necessary to break the bank on the wedding favours.

A present is a generous, thrifty, and simple replacement for traditional wedding favours. There is a growing trend of couples giving to the charities of their guests' choice as a wedding gift. The wedding should express who you are as a couple. Give your guests a sneak peek into your future together by sharing some of your favourite memories from your dating years. An easy method to stretch a tight budget and increase the value of gifts is to give out favours.

Thanking your guests for attending your wedding and giving them something to remember the occasion with can be accomplished with thoughtful wedding favours. Making your own wedding favours is a common way for thrifty couples to cut costs. The value of a present is not determined by how much money or how much space it takes up. Customized wedding favours are becoming increasingly popular. On the question of whether or not they should be implemented, opinions vary.

A gift bag that would win an Oscar is not necessary. An ordinary gathering can be elevated to a stylish affair with the addition of a few elegant treats, such as truffles or biscuits.

Content Summary

  • There is no rule of etiquette that states you must do favours for your guests.
  • You may rest assured that wedding favours are still a tradition for many couples.
  • Wedding favours are a terrific way to express your guests appreciation, but if you're just handing them out to check the box, your guests will still remember your wedding.
  • More couples are deciding to hold their wedding at a gorgeous location, elevating the welcome bag over wedding favours.
  • Choose a Simple FavourUnfortunately, guests who bring a favour to a wedding are notorious for forgetting to take it home.
  • Simplifying your party favours can help you save money and give your guests something they won't soon forget.
  • If you want your guests to leave your wedding with something in their hands, edible favours are a simple and delicious option.
  • Is it necessary to give out party favours that your visitors will likely just throw away?
  • Your friends and family aren't coming to your wedding for the gifts.
  • There are many items that can be used as both wedding favours and decorations at the reception.
  • The photo strip can double as a party favour if you're having a photo booth for fun.
  • If you just can't help yourself and feel obligated to provide wedding favours, make it something useful.
  • A wedding favour does not need to be an expensive item.
  • Making things at home is another simple approach to be practical.
  • Wedding Favour AlternativesInstead of giving guests tangible wedding favours, a gift is a generous, frugal, and easy alternative.
  • The wedding should be a reflection of the two of you as a couple, and the favours should be a reflection of your shared interests and tastes, so use this chance to give your guests a taste of what they may expect from your new life together.
  • Guests will appreciate the thoughtfulness and convenience of your weekend essentials.
  • With the growing popularity of destination weddings, more and more couples are giving their guests a welcome bag upon arrival.
  • You can't give them to your guests.
  • Even if you put the party favours out on a table, attendees may not notice them in the thick of all the revelry and end up leaving without them.
  • Once more, if you're not absolutely positive that guests will actually keep the favours you give them, don't stress about it.
  • Organising a favour takes some time.
  • Eliminate stress and hassle by not doing it.
  • Wedding favours are a terrific way to thank guests and give them a souvenir of your big day, even if they're not as necessary as the wedding cake.
  • Having wedding favours that are uniquely designed for the couple is a common trend.
  • Do you really need to provide wedding favours for your guests?
  • Do what you think is best.
  • Some people feel you owe it to your guests to thank them for taking the time to attend your party.

About The Author

Scroll to Top