Wedding favors are often considered a “footnote” during the planning process, but they can add so much to your special day. Picking the right item can enhance your celebration and allow everyone to enjoy themselves more. However, finding the right ones for your event can be more difficult than you think. To help you get ideas, we’ve created this list of the top 10 wedding favors out there that will excite your guests and bring the biggest impact possible to your reception.
Infused Olive Oil
Almost everyone loves olive oil, and it has many great uses. One of the best ways to jazz it up is to add herbs and spices to create an infusion! First off, your guests will be able to enjoy it at home. Second, the small jars will look fantastic on your reception tables. You can include a small tag listing what it is infused with on one side. On the other, you can put your names and wedding date. Not only will it look great, but it will also be both thoughtful and useful. This definitely puts them in our list of the top 10 wedding favors.
Sparklers
Another great option that is very versatile is wedding sparklers. Best of all, they are also incredibly affordable! You can use sparklers for a variety of purposes from adding them to your centerpieces to orchestrating a sendoff line. Overall, my favorite use is to use them as a backdrop in reception photos of the bride and groom. Your guests will love them as wedding favors, and they will add so much to your event.
Cocktail Shakers
In the event you are having a drink-friendly reception, consider giving out cocktail shakers as wedding favors. If you choose metal ones, there are many places you can have them engraved. Or if you choose plastic cocktail shakers, you can apply decals or attach stickers. Whatever you choose, they are a useful item for your guests to take home. That puts them near the top of our top 10 list of wedding favors.
Pumpkins
Pumpkins can be a unique and unexpected keepsake to give to your friends and family. They work particularly well for Halloween themed weddings or events taking place during the fall. You have a few options with using pumpkins; the first being as part of your table decorations. For Halloween themes, you can even carve them into Jack-O-Lanterns! For a keepsake, you could place one at each seat and encourage guests to carve them at home. Who ever knew that a simple pumpkin could have so many uses as a wedding favor?
Seed Packets
Recently, it became very trendy to do Eco-friendly things for your reception. So, we couldn’t make a list of our top 10 wedding favors without including something organic! Providing your attendees with seed packets is not only environmentally-friendly, but it also offers them a lasting memory of your special day. They can bring the seeds home, plant them in their garden, and enjoy them all year long. Best of all, if you choose perennials, they will keep coming back year after year.
Mini Champagne Bottles
If you want to keep the celebration going for your guests, consider sending them home with some mini champagne bottles. Typically, each bottle will contain around 4 ounces of champagne. That is the perfect amount to have a small glass to cheers once more. If you want to make it more festive, consider including champagne bottle sparklers with each one. That way, they can have a dazzling show before they enjoy their drink.
Hot Cocoa Mix
If you are having your wedding in the colder months, consider a warm treat like hot cocoa for your attendees. You can make your own cocoa mix and place it in jars or in elegant plastic bags to save money. Conversely, if budgeting isn’t a concern, you can buy them already packaged. Either way, your guests will be able to enjoy a delicious treat that will warm them up on a cold day. If that doesn’t deserve a spot in our top 10 wedding favors, I’m not sure what does.
Handmade Soaps
Handmade soaps are all the rage right now and they are perfect to use as wedding favors. Additionally, you can even find them in colors matching your wedding theme, or get them in elegant shapes to make it more romantic. One word of caution: avoid choosing handmade soap with heavy fragrances in them. Many people are sensitive to the chemicals in certain fragrances, and that can lead to trouble. However, they still make for excellent wedding favors and can add to the overall look of your reception.
Wooden Roses
Most couples choose to have some sort of flowers at their reception. From centerpieces to the bridal bouquet, flowers are one of the most common items seen at a wedding. However, one shortcoming is that they wilt, dry out, and eventually become useless. That makes them problematic if you plan to have them double as wedding favors. However, there is a great alternative available; and it is wooden roses.
Wooden roses are not subject to decay and rot like real flowers. The key benefit is that your guests will be able to take one home as a memento of your big day. It will last for years and years, and it will look just as beautiful as it did the day of your wedding. Best of all, they are available at a fraction of the cost of real flowers.
Donuts
Last, but certainly not least, are donuts. Yes, donuts may seem more like an appetizer than a top-tier choice for wedding favors; but there are ways to change that. If you package each of the donuts in a paper sleeve or customized cardboard box, it instantly transforms into a take-home treat that they can enjoy the next day. It can be a cute and memorable way to give your guests a token of appreciation.
Whether you opt for an edible option like donuts or something interactive like sparklers, picking the right favors is important. There are so many great options out there, and it can be hard to nail it down to a single choice. Hopefully, this list of 10 wedding favors that your guests will love will help you make the right choice for your upcoming event.
