Favors Help!

Jessabug

My fiance and I want to do something charitable for our wedding favor, but we'd also like a small token we can give to our guests. I had an idea for donating to Habitat for Humanity and attaching a small card explaining this donation as the favor to a house-shaped cookie at each place setting. There could be 3-4 different types of house cookies, so there would be some variety. Any thoughts? Other suggestions? Seen anyone who has done this before?

mbcdefg

I think it's fine.

You could just give the cookies and not even mention the donation, too.

bbyckes

I never understood involving individuals in private donating activities. Donating to a charity seems like such a personal choice.  If you're going to donate - then donate.  Why is it necessary to tell the world that you're doing so?  I like the cookie idea, unless you're seeking validation and attention, it's not necessary to mention the donation. 

Seriously, what's the purpose?  As I guest, am I supposed to be touched? honored? In awe?  I just don't get it.

I'm not trying to be bitchy, but I seriously don't understand why this occurs.  Thanks for any insight.

Jessabug

I guess my biggest fear is purchasing a favor that I think is nice and then seeing half of them left on tables at the end of the night, because people didn't appreciate them. What's a favor that people will actually enjoy?

danieliza1127

Favors aren't required at all.  A lot of people just skip them.  We didn't have favors but we had tons of food and an open bar, so I felt like that was plenty.

I'm in the camp that thinks donations to your charity aren't favors to your guests.  If you want to donate to your charity, do it now and do it often.  If you want to spend money on favors, buy favors, preferably edible so they don't get left behind.  If you don't want to spend money on favors, don't!

mbcdefg

Edible favors seem to go over the best from what I've seen ... because while everyone might not want to take a salt and pepper set home, most people seem to like things like cookies or candy.

And if someone leaves their salt and pepper set behind then other people might not take it (because what are you going to do with two sets?), but if someone leaves a cookie or some candy behind then chances are pretty decent that someone else will take it. Or you could just let the waitstaff take leftover edibles as a token of thanks.

kriskearney

I am for edible to and it can be done cheaply but cute. I got the customized wrappers for mini chocolates from the Knot sale. then I got 100 mini silver bags on ebay for 5 bucks. Total cost for 100 will likely be around $60. 
As a guest, I always throw away the cheesy gifts unless it is a koozie that i can use at the beach...I donate each year too but do not see a reason to tie into the wedding...

megk8oz

Favors aren't mandatory. If you choose to have them, please do edible ones.

Knick knacks usually get left, or they get brought home to collect dust until whoever took it doesn't feel guilty about tossing it.

And while I believe in personally donating to charity, I really would hate it if a couple made a donation in my name to a cause that I a)Didn't give a duck's butt about or b) Didn't believe in donating to. I'd really rather not get a favor at all then get a card saying "Btw, the Every Bear Gets A Sandwhich fund has received $5 in your name".

Aw, who am I kidding? I love the Every Bear Gets A Sandwhich fund.

Jessabug

Alrighty then, I guess I've been shot down on the charity idea. It just seems that a lot of people are doing it these days, not to say that it means thats the right thing to do. Also, I never said the charitable donation would be in lieu of favors, hence including an edible favor with the card. In the end, I probably am going to settle on individual sized bottles of champagne sans charitable donations.

Thanks for the input everyone.

felicia220

JessaBug, I believe that donating to charity is a great idea.  The debate over favors will allows be, just that, a debate.  It will always depend on who you are talking to.  Some people like them, some people don't care and some will be offended if you don't have them.  I felt the same as you, I enjoy donating and guess what, its my wedding and if I want to give you a favor that says that instead of buying you crap, I help fund research to cure cancer in children, I get to do that! We are giving our guests small boxes of Hershey kisses with a note that reads "You have been kissed by a child, in lieu of favors...." We are donating to two children's organizations.  I think that you should do what you want to do and not scrap the whole donating thing because a couple people on a message board told you not to.  Think of the Habitat for Humanity, five people who have roofs over their heads convinced you to not help put a roof over someone else's head "because they don't get it"  

felicia220

allows=always     sorry about the that

ccarlson17

Thank you felicia220! I was shocked by the response to donating to a charity in honor of your guests. From what I hear, guests prefer this! They would rather have you donate to a charity in their honor then be given a cheap gift they're going to throw away in a couple weeks.

simplebride_24

My FI and I are huge animal people and with a cat and 2 dogs we don't have a whole lot of "me" time. Our time is always for them.  We are planning on doing a charitable donation for the local SPCA here as well as giving out cookies with a note attached.  The note will say "Thanks for sharing our special day.  Max, Roman and Ralph can't be here, but there friends at the SPCA have be blessed with a special gift from the new Mr & Mrs." I loved the idea when my dad gave it to me.  I am making all the cookies with my FMIL, Mom, MOH and Bridesmaids.  And made the tags on my computer with paw prints on them!