Wedding favors

[PeppyGPhiB]

The best favor I got at a wedding was a CD burned with songs the couple loved. There were dance songs, jazz, reggae and classical. And, they played some of the songs at the reception. I still listen to that CD.

[ForeverRoses]

When my oldest son's godfather got married they had a special "favor" for my kids- a bag filled with coloring books, crayons, stickers, etc. It kept the kids entertained at the table during dinner and the toasts. I'm pretty sure they had similar favor bags for all the other kids there as well.

My favorite adult favor has been a silver picture frame that holds a wallet sized picture. It originally had the placecard in it, but now it sits on my windowsill with a picture of my kids in it.

Not exactly wedding favors, but along the same lines-- I went to a desination wedding in South Carolina and we all had gift baskets in our hotel rooms. The groom was from Ohio and the bride from Maryland so the gift baskets had a little bit of both- Maryland Utz Crab Chips, Ohio Chocolate buckeyes, plus sunscreen, chapstick, and it was all put in a sand bucket with a frizbee as a lid.

[kddani]

My mom and my fiance's mom both were full of ideas for favor, but I personally think they are sort of a waste. Who wants some little trinket with someone else's name and wedding date on it? Seriously, if someone even keeps it it just sits around collecting dust.

So my condition for favors was that it must be edible/useable. We're going to be doing something involving chocolate golf balls. Both of us golf and we're having the reception at a golf club. We will also incorporate golf tees personalized with our name and wedding date. Relatively cheap, and a lot of our friends are golfers so they will get used. And if someone throws theirs out, not a big waste.

And there are to be no bells of any kind at my wedding, lol. I have been to several where they were favors and the constant ringing drove everyone crazy, including the bride and groom, who couldn't even get down a bite of food. IMO, the bells just encourage people to ring them. People forget to clink on the class, but if the bell is sitting right there...

[ISUKappa]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

The best favor I got at a wedding was a CD burned with songs the couple loved. There were dance songs, jazz, reggae and classical. And, they played some of the songs at the reception. I still listen to that CD.

This is what we did for our wedding four years ago. They were all songs that had meaning to us as a couple, but they were mostly alt/adult rock. People seemed to like it then.

[hannahgirl]

We went for the simple route of small boxes of fudge. Nothing special but very cheap and easy!

[texas*princess]

There was one wedding were bells were given... and every time someone rang the bell, the bride & groom would have to kiss. It was cute at first, but then it got pretty annoying b/c everyone kept ringing the dang bells!

Another wedding I went to, guests received a cookie cutter and a note that said something like "<bride> and <groom> were made for each other". Whhaaaaaat? What am I supposed to do with a cookie cutter? I don't even bake!

I really like that idea of donating $x for each guest to a charity

[SWTXBelle]

lilsunshine - I love the idea of those favors. And hey, chocolate is ALWAYS good.

[VandalSquirrel]

VandalShyster and I received luggage tags at the wedding we attended last summer. I thought it was a practical gift but if I didn't get a favor it wouldn't have made me think the wedding was cheap or tacky.

[pinkyphimu]

Personally, I love wedding favors that you can eat. I do love chocolate, so I will take it no matter what the shape! I never leave the favors on the table, but mostly because I feel terrible doing that.

Our favors are going to be 4 oz jars of homeade jam. My FI makes the yummiest jam! Everyone we know loves it and people hoard it so that they always have some in the fridge. We know that if anyone does leave it on the table, there are some "vultures" who will scoop it up in an instant.

[PhoenixAzul]

Fiance and I have chatted about this. We've pretty much decided that we're going to do chocolate from the little candy shop near him. It's an institution, and perhaps the *best* chocolate I've ever eaten. When I was in uni, he'd send me little sweets from there around finals and it always made me so happy. Plus, we're supporting a local business, which was important for us.

In terms of charity, dearest and I are going to do the IDo foundation registry. What you do is get a name on their website, then designate a charity (they give you a couple, or you can choose your own as long as you can prove its non-profit) and then go to any one of their linked retailers (Target, Linens and Things, etc) and create your registry. Whenever someone buys something off of your registry, a percentage of that purchase goes to the charity you've chosen. No fuss, no extra forms, nada. We're trying to chose between the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund or the WPA Humane Society or Animal Friends (which happens to be right next to our reception space).

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by VandalSquirrel

. . . but if I didn't get a favor it wouldn't have made me think the wedding was cheap or tacky.

I find this fascinating. I've been going to weddings for decades and had never even heard of the idea of favors until 3 or 4 years ago. Maybe its a regional thing. But to me they just seem like something the wedding consultant industry dreamed up -- kind of the nuptiul equivalent of a Hallmark Holiday. Something else to waste money on.

As for idea of charitable contributions, that seems nice and all, but I'm still flummoxed -- I've been invited to witness the exchange of vows (that is what it's all about, after all), I've been given my fill of good stuff to eat and drink, I may have danced, I've had a good time . . . . that's plenty! Why do the bride and groom need to give me a little gift (that I probably don't really want) or make a donation in my honor? I just don't get it.

I guess it's obvious we didn't have favors at our wedding?

[lilzetakitten]

My FI and I are doing rock candy in our wedding colors. One of the groomsmen has sworn to vigilantly pick up any rock candy left behind.

As for the donations thing, I'm really not a fan. Not that I'm against donating... I'm against donating and then telling everyone you know about what a great thing you just did. I think that should be more of a private thing. Additionally, there's no such thing as a charity without controversy... you really don't want a guest leaving offended because you donated to a charity that they're very much against.

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I find this fascinating. I've been going to weddings for decades and had never even heard of the idea of favors until 3 or 4 years ago. Maybe its a regional thing. But to me they just seem like something the wedding consultant industry dreamed up -- kind of the nuptiul equivalent of a Hallmark Holiday. Something else to waste money on.

As for idea of charitable contributions, that seems nice and all, but I'm still flummoxed -- I've been invited to witness the exchange of vows (that is what it's all about, after all), I've been given my fill of good stuff to eat and drink, I may have danced, I've had a good time . . . . that's plenty! Why do the bride and groom need to give me a little gift (that I probably don't really want) or make a donation in my honor? I just don't get it.

I guess it's obvious we didn't have favors at our wedding?

I don't want them at mine, I'd rather spend money on good food and booze for my guests, maybe an environmentally friendly way to travel as a group (boat, horse drawn sleds/carriages, etc.) or for centerpieces people could take. I am on a planning committee for an annual event and we buy flowers from a student group on campus that grows them as a fund raiser so we are supporting the local students and allowing guests who choose to care for a plant that could potentially live for a very long time. I snagged a pansy one last year for a dear Theta friend. People really liked the flowers and it was one less thing to clean up since they took them away.