What favors work?

creany101

Spending 2-3 dollars on a cheesy favor sounds like a bit of a waste. I keep looking at different possible items but have part of my brain give the cons of having the item. Example: I like having the idea of disposable cameras but, are the pictures from it going to be any good? Do I have to pay for the development? I know when I use to carry around disposables in my purse they would sit there for months before I got all the photos taken and then developed.I don't want items that would be "silly" for adults but then again I would appreciate not having to get seperate items for the kids.I want the favor to be useful and not end up untouched in my guests' junk draw.I am asking a lot I guess. I am mostly trying to talk myself out of having favors at all. I really haven't been to a wedding in a good many years so if anyone has any ideas that will let guests know they are appreciated it would be great. I was thinking of charity donations, too.

danieliza1127

We didn't do favors at all.  I think most of the time, they're a waste, even edible ones.If you do favors, edible is the way to go.Charity donations aren't favors to your guests.  If you want to donate to charity, just do it, but don't only do it because you're getting married.  That's lame.

kmmssg

The cameras - yes you will be the one paying to have them developed.  biggest waste of my wedding budget. Edibles are the way to go if you have favors.  People don't want one champaign flute or coffee cup or anything else that usually comes in sets with your names and date on them. Edible all the way, or just skip them.

aerinpegadrak

Favors are going extinct.  If you do them, do something edible, but realize that even then, not everyone will take one.Disposable cameras aren't really a favor if you want people to use them to take pictures of your wedding.  You'd have to pay for development, and usually the pictures don't turn out all that great.  I thought about renting a digital camera for each table (myphotofest.com is the site I found, great prices and well reviewed), but honestly, most people will bring their own cameras.  We're going to have little cards that we'll give everyone to let them know where to upload their photos after the wedding so we can see them.Charity donations are kind of a touchy subject.  You'd be surprised at what organizations are controversial, people don't like having money donated in their name, it comes off as a bit self-righteous...  With all of the issues surrounding them, I feel it's best to avoid them.

mbcdefg

Favors are not required, so it's fine to just skip them. The cameras wouldn't be a favor because the guests cannot keep them. Plus, the photos often come out crummy, so they'd likely be a waste of money on your part. And a lot of people have their own digital cameras nowadays, so what you COULD do it set up a photo-sharing website somewhere (Phtoobucket, Snapfish, Shutterfly, etc.) and then put out little cards asking guests to upload their photos to that site, using a pre-set user name and password that you've created. Still not a favor, but a nice way to possibly get some non-pro photos. If you really want to give favors, do something edible - candy, cookies, mints, little bottles of wine, honey, jam, truffles, chocolate-covered pretzels, nuts, dried fruit, syrup, olive oil, caramel apples, little bags of coffee or tea or cocoa, etc. You can purchase them or make them yourselves.

Leah&Christian09

If I were you, I would put the $2-3/pp toward a bar upgrade, an app upgrade, or just save it.

danieliza1127

Oh yeah, disposable cameras aren't a favor to your guests since you're the one keeping all the pictures.

ffmaid

First it is totally acceptable to entirely skip favors Second I woudl not view a disposable camera as sensable in the age where everyone has digital cameras anyway third if you want favors go with food based that way it does not turn into a dust collector

Leah&Christian09

One of my friends did the disposable camera thing.  Apparently some of her younger cousins got ahold of them and she ended up with 2 dozen pictures of teenaged boys mooning each other.

megk8oz

As apparently one of the last brides on the planet that's doing favors (Lol, I know this isn't true, but they are becoming way less common nowadays), I am a huge advocate for the edible favor if you're going to do one. The last few weddings I've gone to have all done the exact same favor: champagne flute with the couples' names and their wedding date etched on to the glass. I took them out of guilt, and because it, now have 8 champagne flutes (Counting the ones that FI took, too) that are sitting in my cabinets collecting dust because I feel guilty throwing them out. Seriously, I have sipped wine out of those giant, red plastic cups instead of using them. Apparently, most of the guests just left their's behind, so the couples get left with an abundance of these things. FI and I are doing little boxes of jelly beans (In flavors we love). We figure this way, if most of the guests "forget" them, we can at least EAT the leftovers.

ldcf11206

Just skip the favors!  No one will notice, or if they do, they won't really care.  It's just an added expense that you can do without.

megk8oz

Oh, yeah, while I sing the praises of edibles, you totally can skip them. Like I said earlier, I'm one of the few brides I know that's doing them. All of my champagne flute friends were married at least a year ago ... and with the exception of one couple, they all have since said "If I knew we didn't have to have favors, I wouldn't have done them". The one bride still thinks she had a "brilliant and original" idea (Mind you, she was #3 in line). And no matter how many times I point out I know 3 other couples that did the same thing, the bride keeps saying "But mine were NICER". FYI: they weren't.

shellybeth

I actually wasn't going to get favors at all until my step-mother-in-law offered since she wanted to do something. She got us the cutest mini chocolates (they were hersheys and mr. goodbars) with the personalized labels (our names and wedding date). They were really a hit, almost every single one was eaten, I was suprised!!

stardust21587

My reception is at an old restored train depot so our favors are going to be small wooden train whistles (but only because we found them for so cheap! .99 each). However, if we hadn't found them for a buck a piece, we would probably just skip the favors like the others have suggested.

lauralaur

My mom's baking cookies for everyone and we're boxing them up to put at each place setting. It's not as arduous as it seems since the woman has like, three cookie guns and she found ribbons that you just pull and they make a bow. One favor that I thought was awesome was a wedding I went to where there were chocolates for people to put in little cellophane bags to take home. The groom was from Maryland and the bride from New Hampshire, so half were in the shape of little crabs and half were in the shape of maple leaves. I thought it was so cute! I don't think I've been to a wedding in the past five years that didn't have an edible favor. I'm a chocolate wh0re so M&Ms are always good with me. A friend of mine did truffles from lindt and those were a hit with me as well.

SarahPLiz

Dangit, I just tyoed a long reply and when I hit post, it went all gaga over the new boards.
Cliffs Notes: EDIBLE!
We are doing Jordan Almonds, because they are my mom's fave. Maybe we will add something else for those with nut allergies.

pinkyglitterz

I just went to a wedding where they did a photobooth, it took 4 pics! It was a little pricey but it was huge hit and many of the photos were hilarious (you can view everyone elses pics about  2 weeks later online).

jeanna85

my fiance's dad offered to make red wine for our favors, so we are sending each person home with a bottle of his homemade red. it works out so well bc it takes pennies to make a bottle of wine, the bottle itself is the real cost and you can buy them wholesale. of course this isnt recommended if your FFIL isnt from a vineyard in italy
buuttttt i do think the best favors are homemade and thats my point. particularly edible or drinkable. ive gotten an ice bucket, ice cream scoop, keychains and all sorts of other cheap quality crap that has gone directly in the garbage or i wont take them at all. i say food/drink or nothing. and if you rather not make something or get chocolates or anything-skip it. no one comes to weddings for the 2$ favor, and they wont notice and/or care.

bmward87

We are going to do Fortune cookies! I am super excited about it too! I went to a brial show and tried one and they were soo good, they can dip them in chocolate and they are flavored in almost any imaginable flavor! I do think it is pretty practical and if there are leftovers I don't mind we can eat them. Also you can personalize the message inside the cookie. Hope this helps...if you want the website let me know!

nia23g

Rent a photobooth and the guests can take home photos with your wedding logo. Also get a copy of the photos as well.

LauraW313

We are doing a candy bar where people can fill their own favors with what they like. we are having almonds, ret hots, miniature candy bars-monogram label, m&m's and lindor truffles. All candy will be in red or blue wedding colors.

Who doesn't like candy?

stacieb311

we are doing small 3x3 picture frames. we are going to put the escort cards inside the frame so they are doing double duty. they are not going to have our names and date on them so people can actually use them in their homes.

aerinpegadrak

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_favors-work?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:10498608Post:7fb1f3f5-05b0-448d-9e0f-038c3a3f67d3">Re: What favors work?</a>:
[QUOTE]we are doing small 3x3 picture frames. we are going to put the escort cards inside the frame so they are doing double duty. they are not going to have our names and date on them so people can actually use them in their homes.
Posted by stacieb311[/QUOTE]

I sure hope you've got a lot of teeny tiny pictures to frame, because that's the sort of favor most people leave behind, even if it doesn't have the couple's info on it. 

vegetara

I'm thinking of doing something that would be centerpieces AND favors in one. Actually, I have 2 ideas and will likely do a combination of the two. Potted plants that they can take home, and crystal swans that I've seen sold online for less than $2 each. This would give people an option of 2 things to choose from, if they take anything at all. Also, I'm expecting quite a few kids, so, I'm also thinking of throwing in some bubbles.

What do you all think?

heylinda672

CD with favorite music? No one mentioned that.