Wedding Favors: lets be honest

michella30

Have you ever gotten a wedding favor you have used or liked?  I've been to enough weddings to know that I've never used anything given to me.  I've eaten chocolates and edibles, but the chotchkies most people give out end up trashed.  I wish I could get away with not doing favors altogether. 

SewInLoveWithDMB

You can. Favors are not necessary.

1CuteCruiseCouple

you can make a donation to a charity in lieu of a favor. some charities will give a little something to you to give your guests to show you made a donation. 

I don't want to spend money on something that's gonna end up in the trash either. 

JoanE2012

1CuteCruiseCouple said:

you can make a donation to a charity in lieu of a favor. some charities will give a little something to you to give your guests to show you made a donation. 

I don't want to spend money on something that's gonna end up in the trash either. 

I'd rather not get anything.  Donations to charities should be done privately.  To announce it like, "hey, look at us, we're donating to a charity instead of giving you a favor!" just reeks of poor taste. 

OP - You don't have to do anything.  If you choose to, edible is best.

silver0319

Favors aren't necessary, but I agree that edibles are best. I've received chocolate truffles, jam, home-brewed beer. The homebrew was cute idea, but we couldn't fly home with it in our carryon luggage. We're doing photobooth, which will serve as both a guest book and our favor.

Swazzle

At the last 3 weddings I attended, I think I took home 1 favor and it was candy from the candy table. I really have no interest in some random item with another couple's name and wedding date on it that I end up tossing. 

I agree with @JoanE2012 about charity donations. Donate to a charity if you want to but 1) don't do it in my name because you have no idea how I might feel about that particular charity and 2) don't announce it to the world. 

Like @silver0319, we had a photobooth so we purchased magnetic frames for our guests to put their pictures in and that was our favor. 

Gordo2014

We're doing DIY Christmas ornaments.  I can't speak for everyone, but knowing our families, most will genuinely want and use them.  I've seen bottles of wine that the couple made and bottled themselves, candy apples, and things like that that I thought were really nice.

rakkaya87

I wasn't doing favors until we added a photobooth to our DJ package... photobooth will double as a favor as it will print out double prints--- one for the guest and one for us in a guest book

michella30

I didn't think of the photobooth as a favor at all.  I want one but right now its out of our budget.  My fiance insists on favors so I'll see if i can get him to commit to this.  Thanks.

MaryGraceRich

I am using hershey kisses in boxes. 95% of our families like chocolate. I am not even personalizing the kisses, just the boxes they are in. Milk and dark chocolate kisses come in colors close to our wedding colors (purple and silver)

gelaine22

I hate taking photobooth pics but I love edible favors! We gave out chocolate covered caramel apples from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. Favors are definitely not needed...

shannyb41

You can skip the favor.  We did edibles because I prefer to give/receive edibles...anything else will end up in the junk drawer at my house.  We ended up giving out mini apple pies.  Huge hit.

Peaseblossom55

We are looking at three different options one being edible, another being photo booth frames or mini succulents.  Most stuff have ended in a drawer in our home dedicated to wedding favors we don't use.  Occasionally I use the coasters I received only when I have a lot of people over.

k854k

Favors aren't necessary...donations are perfectly ok.  I've never heard of someone who didn't appreciate having a donation made to a charity in their name...or was bothered by it?  We are donating to the ASPCA and to an organization that I have been involved with for years.  Everyone that is invited to our wedding knows how involved we are with the ASPCA and the other organization.  We are also making small mason jars w/ either hot chocolate mix or my homemade granola (w/ ingredient tag)...these will be used as our escort cards.  I'd say stick with edible or donations  

JoanE2012

khiggins810 said:

Favors aren't necessary...donations are perfectly ok.  I've never heard of someone who didn't appreciate having a donation made to a charity in their name...or was bothered by it?  We are donating to the ASPCA and to an organization that I have been involved with for years.  Everyone that is invited to our wedding knows how involved we are with the ASPCA and the other organization.  We are also making small mason jars w/ either hot chocolate mix or my homemade granola (w/ ingredient tag)...these will be used as our escort cards.  I'd say stick with edible or donations  

Not everyone supports all charities for one reason or another.  No, I don't want you associating my name to "your" charity.  You want to do it, put your name on it and do it privately.  I will donate to the charities of my choice the same way.  Why does everyone feel the need to "showoff" how great they are because they are donating money?   Because this surely isn't a favor to me.  I don't get it.

1CuteCruiseCouple

@khiggins810 I think your donation idea is lovely! I'm sure no one would be offended by you supporting abused animals! Especially because it is something near and dear to your heart! For me, I was thinking of making donations to support childhood cancer as close family member/ my maid of honor had passed away from cancer too young. If anyone has a problem with that, well I'd just have to kindly tell them where they could go. 

I am not making a donation to show off or seem superior to anyone, I am making a donation because I want to help others especially those less fortunate and have shared the same grief that my family has experienced. 

JoanE2012

1CuteCruiseCouple said:

@khiggins810 I think your donation idea is lovely! I'm sure no one would be offended by you supporting abused animals! Especially because it is something near and dear to your heart! For me, I was thinking of making donations to support childhood cancer as close family member/ my maid of honor had passed away from cancer too young. If anyone has a problem with that, well I'd just have to kindly tell them where they could go. 

I am not making a donation to show off or seem superior to anyone, I am making a donation because I want to help others especially those less fortunate and have shared the same grief that my family has experienced. 

If you are not doing it to show off, I assume you are donating privately and not broadcasting it to all your guests, right?

mellyD2014

Nope! The only ones I've liked were edible We're going to skip this as well.

k854k

I don't personally believe that donating to two organizations that my fiance and I hold close to our hearts and our famlies and friends know we are very involved in as showing off.  I have been to plenty of weddings these past few years and mostly all of them donated to a charity of their choice and told us who they donated to.  I'd rather have a donation made in my name then another wine stopper that will end up in a drawer somewhere.  But that is just my opinion which we are allowed to have here We are having a small wedding, everyone knows how important these orginazations are to us, so I know no one will be offended To each their own I guess  

I completely agree with 1CuteCruiseCouple

JCbride2015

khiggins: I agree that donating is a great option, especially to such a non-controversial charity like ASPCA.  I might have an issue if the bridge and groom were to individually attach my and the other guests' actual names to a donation (even one I supported), but I don't think this is what you're talking about at all.  And boy, that would be tedious to individually donate in each guest's name.

I would think it was a little cheesy/ show offish to receive a card stating the couple had made a donation.  Just make the donation privately and let word go around by mouth from the bridal party if anybody asks.  Probably nobody will miss having a physical favor, so nobody will ask.

Bump on the photo booths.  My friend did this for her wedding: each guest had a magnetic sleeve on their place setting with a note to use the photo booth and take home the photo magnet as a favor.  One strip went in the guest book, one to take home.  I still have that photo magnet on my fridge and we'll definitely be doing a photo booth for this reason!

JoanE2012

JCBride2014 said:

khiggins: I agree that donating is a great option, especially to such a non-controversial charity like ASPCA.  I might have an issue if the bridge and groom were to individually attach my and the other guests' actual names to a donation (even one I supported), but I don't think this is what you're talking about at all.  And boy, that would be tedious to individually donate in each guest's name.

I would think it was a little cheesy/ show offish to receive a card stating the couple had made a donation.  Just make the donation privately and let word go around by mouth from the bridal party if anybody asks.  Probably nobody will miss having a physical favor, so nobody will ask.

Bump on the photo booths.  My friend did this for her wedding: each guest had a magnetic sleeve on their place setting with a note to use the photo booth and take home the photo magnet as a favor.  One strip went in the guest book, one to take home.  I still have that photo magnet on my fridge and we'll definitely be doing a photo booth for this reason!

Maybe you view it as non-controversial, but that's not the case for me and often many others.  Please don't assume.   I've done enough research on charities and I would never give to the ASPCA.  I'd much rather donate to my local shelter. 

Miclan88

I agree, charitable donations are perfectly acceptable. My sister gave out a few Hershey kisses, and donated the rest of what they budgeted for favors to our late teenage neighbor who had cancer. I can 100% assure you that none of her guests were offended by this or thought she was showing off... Its true, not many people want a can koozie with your names. So yes, I would much rather the couple put the money to good use.

Dancer2873

Yeah we are doing a photobooth and the flip book booth as our favors.

JuliaPlusDoug

Groupon and Living Social have awesome deals on photo booths. Just keep checking the sites! I got a photo booth with an attendant and props for $400!