To personalize or not?

indigo26

I've perused the discussions in here and it seems like most people dislike personalized wedding favors (mainly name and wedding date).

I'm doing koozies for my favors - my wedding is at a marina where about 1/3 to half the guests have their boats parked year round and everyone uses koozies constantly. I'm running into price differences - getting koozies with our names and date on them adds money to the final bill. On the other hand, I can get bulk lots of these three from Oriental Trading for less than $.50 a piece and free shipping - 

Nautical Anchors

Hooked on love

To have and to hold

I'm really leaning towards an assortment of the first two as our colors are blue and yellow. We've already decided that any extras get split between our boat and my mom for personal use at her craft fairs. What are y'all's thoughts?

Pupatella

Personally, I like the first ones the best. "Nautical Anchors"!! Being a boater myself, we use stuff like this all the time, and I'd love some more koozies!!

The middle and last one are more wedding themed, and I'd probably stick them in the back of the closet and not use them again after the wedding.

kaos16

indigo26 said:

I've perused the discussions in here and it seems like most people dislike personalized wedding favors (mainly name and wedding date).

I'm doing koozies for my favors - my wedding is at a marina where about 1/3 to half the guests have their boats parked year round and everyone uses koozies constantly. I'm running into price differences - getting koozies with our names and date on them adds money to the final bill. On the other hand, I can get bulk lots of these three from Oriental Trading for less than $.50 a piece and free shipping - 

Nautical Anchors

Hooked on love

To have and to hold

I'm really leaning towards an assortment of the first two as our colors are blue and yellow. We've already decided that any extras get split between our boat and my mom for personal use at her craft fairs. What are y'all's thoughts?

I wouldn't do personalized or anything wedding themed. . . they'll probably get tossed.  I'm a boater too.  Koozies are great to have around, but if it was wedding related I'd probably toss it.  Go with the anchor koozies, and if you really want to personalize them, print out a little card thanking your guests, sign your names and slip them in the koozy before you gift them.

princessleia22

I agree with the others that personalized items usually get thrown out.  And items that are obviously wedding themed are less likely to get used. But, koozies that are strictly nautical themed are more likely to get used regularly. And the idea of a favor is to be a gift to the guests, so go with something they are more likely to use and appreciate.  And I like kaos16's idea about attaching a card or tag to them that personalize it and say thank you. 

I had a nautical theme to my wedding (got married on a cruise ship) and bought some large canvas tote bags.They were plain blue and cost me around $3.  I then did some stencil painting and painted anchor and stripes on them, to give them a nautical look. But, I intentionally avoided anything with our names or wedding related because I wanted something they could use again. I've seen many of my guests use my bags as their go-to travel carry on since the wedding, which I love.

indigo26

I had pretty much decided against doing our names and wedding date on them before I came here - you guys just solidified that idea (we had to throw out koozies from a couple that got married 8 months ago and are now going through a bad divorce.... awkward).

FI and I like the anchor and fish ones - but I do see your point about how the fish one is pretty weddingy. What about something like this? Beach bum - our centerpieces are going to be starfish, seashells, sea glass, etc so it goes with that I think.

hellohkb

The anchor koozie is the only one I like. It's simple and cute.

AddieCake

I hate koozies with the heat of 1,000 suns, but I'd get the anchors if you're set on koozies.

JoanE2012

AddieCake said:

I hate koozies with the heat of 1,000 suns, but I'd get the anchors if you're set on koozies.

Same here!

indigo26

For those that hate koozies - I know at least half of my guests will love them (large amount of boaters in our groups). Would you suggest I do half koozies and half an edible? Or provide enough koozies and edibles that everyone can have one of each? I really want to make sure that I'm being thoughtful of my guests.

Pupatella

indigo26 said:

For those that hate koozies - I know at least half of my guests will love them (large amount of boaters in our groups). Would you suggest I do half koozies and half an edible? Or provide enough koozies and edibles that everyone can have one of each? I really want to make sure that I'm being thoughtful of my guests.

I'd go with edible favors over the koozies, and have enough for everyone.

If you really want do the koozies in addiiton to the edible favors, I'd have enough for all of your guests as well.

MesmrEwe

Enough for all your guests to have both... 

JoanE2012

Pupatella said:

indigo26 said:

For those that hate koozies - I know at least half of my guests will love them (large amount of boaters in our groups). Would you suggest I do half koozies and half an edible? Or provide enough koozies and edibles that everyone can have one of each? I really want to make sure that I'm being thoughtful of my guests.

I'd go with edible favors over the koozies, and have enough for everyone.

If you really want do the koozies in addiiton to the edible favors, I'd have enough for all of your guests as well.

This.

ryanandjoe4

I did Koozies as well, both our family and friends love koozies, and collect them, all of them have them at every event we go to, and a spare.. so we knew this would be a good gift for them, we did personalize because I have seen quite a lot of them that are being used after the fact. the biggest reason I throw out personalized items is that they spend the $$ to get their name on something cheaply made but pay the premium to get their name and date..

I think a lot of it has to do with how usable is the item, and the quality as well.. In my experience with oriental trading (lots of kids B-days love Oriental Trading) it is cheaply made items that I would throw out.. I did a small trial run for our vendor with my FI's 30th birthday, and that was over a year ago, and I still see both our family and friends using them, they were a great quality for a little more than your spending I believe they are worth it. we got 150 Koozies for $99 so $0.66 a piece. they are like something you would spend $5-10 at a store personalized or not. there are lots of options to not be personalized as well. **Promise I have nothing to do with this store other than a happy customer that is thrilled at the price vs quality..

https://www.etsy.com/shop/odysseycustomdesigns

spockforprez

I think there are specific items that can be personalized without affecting usability. Koozies would be one, IMO. We have a couple from friends' weddings and they get used. I think it's because they are strictly practical, used infrequently (as least compared to something like a drinking glass or tote bag), and don't reflect anything about the person using it. 

I think an ornament could also be personalized. Christmas is a time for sentimentality and memories anyway, it's only used once a year, etc.

Something more personal and used frequently like a tote bag... well, I don't want to carry a bag with someone else's name and wedding date on it. It just seems weird.

Because it's pretty subjective, I'd play it safe and not personalize.

ShesSoCold

spockforprez said:

I think there are specific items that can be personalized without affecting usability. Koozies would be one, IMO. We have a couple from friends' weddings and they get used. I think it's because they are strictly practical, used infrequently (as least compared to something like a drinking glass or tote bag), and don't reflect anything about the person using it. 

I think an ornament could also be personalized. Christmas is a time for sentimentality and memories anyway, it's only used once a year, etc.

Something more personal and used frequently like a tote bag... well, I don't want to carry a bag with someone else's name and wedding date on it. It just seems weird.

Because it's pretty subjective, I'd play it safe and not personalize.

I agree with this. A koozie is purely for convenience and IDGAF what's on it. Like an umbrella or flashlight. 

ryanandjoe4

ShesSoCold said:

spockforprez said:

I think there are specific items that can be personalized without affecting usability. Koozies would be one, IMO. We have a couple from friends' weddings and they get used. I think it's because they are strictly practical, used infrequently (as least compared to something like a drinking glass or tote bag), and don't reflect anything about the person using it. 

I think an ornament could also be personalized. Christmas is a time for sentimentality and memories anyway, it's only used once a year, etc.

Something more personal and used frequently like a tote bag... well, I don't want to carry a bag with someone else's name and wedding date on it. It just seems weird.

Because it's pretty subjective, I'd play it safe and not personalize.

I agree with this. A koozie is purely for convenience and IDGAF what's on it. Like an umbrella or flashlight. 

Right, it is more about what one is easiest to get..

[Deleted User]

Another vote for doing just the anchor, I like the simplicity of it

arrippa

Can I just say that I have never used a koozie in my life and I have been in many boats. That said, the anchor would be my choice. I like anchors. 

ryanandjoe4

arrippa said:

Can I just say that I have never used a koozie in my life and I have been in many boats. That said, the anchor would be my choice. I like anchors. 

I use them everywhere, most people in our groups have them in their cars, we take them to sporting events, heck I am using one at work right now  , and I think most of my co-workers do too.