The wedding day is approaching, and you’ve gone through a lot to get it all organized, coordinated, and paid for. But you also know how much your family and friends mean to you and they traveled and rearranged things to be there for your special day. You want to give them a little something to take home to show how much they mean to you but you don’t want it to be some little forgettable throw-away item. It should be a meaningful reminder of your wedding and all the fun everyone had. Here’s a few suggestions and ideas for wedding favors that everyone will love.

Shopping

With all the events and planning that you have to do, time is precious. It may come down to either a last-minute grab or a “get-it-out-of-the-way-quickly” task, and there’s no shame in that. These days, you can get anything online delivered where and when you need. Personalized printed favors are a great choice, and many of these services have templates available to choose from. Just enter your names and the date (make sure you get everything spelled right!), and you can get hundreds of items that will always remind your guests of your big day. Can or bottle koozies, wine glasses, coffee mugs, and handkerchiefs are all great ideas for wedding favors, and your guests will actually use them at home. If you’re looking for something different, individual potted succulents for every guest (or couple) will last a long time, and don’t need much care. Local products can be a wonderful gift, like bombers of local beer or special snacks or pies your area is known for.

DIY

If you’ve got the time, handmade favors are a great touch, and can save you quite a bit of money if you’re thrifty enough. Starting in the kitchen, there’s a ton of options for memorable favors. Maybe you have a famous jelly or jam recipe passed down for generations? You can buy mason jars in bulk online or at a hardware store, fill them up, and put a personalized handwritten label and cute gingham jar topper on it. The same can apply to your amazing barbecue sauce, special pickling spice mixture, or cookie dough ingredients. Smaller swing-top bottles could hold homemade vanilla extract (overproof rum and a vanilla bean) or special olive oil. You could also give your guests a sense of place with locally made spirits, maple syrup, or popcorn kernels. Finally, you can donate small amounts to your favorite charity in your guest’s name and let them know with a beautiful hand-written card. The best part about DIY favors is that you can enlist your partner, wedding party, and other friends and family to help, which makes for amazing bonding time.

Use What You’ve Got

There’s a way to make your wedding beautiful while also giving your guests a memorable gift to go home with. Start with the centerpieces on the table; you can place a card or other token under one of the dinner plates at each table, and the lucky winner gets a beautiful arrangement and vase. Buy some small tasteful frames for table assignments and seating charts with the guest’s name inside, and they can take them home afterwards. You could decorate the table with dried lavender bundles wrapped in paper for a lovely aroma and look, and encourage everyone to take them home for a lovely potpourri. Even the wine glasses used could go home with them, if you buy and not rent them. Get creative with what you have…even leftover beer and wine can find a grateful recipient.

Got ideas for wedding favors? We’d love to hear about yours!