Favors

Favors: Are they really necessary??

There are very few weddings that I've been to over the years where I can remember what the favors were. Most were edible, I know that (and so was everything else at the reception...). I just don't see the point in spending money on yet one more edible thing for my wedding that I personally don't care about when that money could be going towards things for my guests that I DO care about (like the catering and cake...).
I like the idea of favors that last... But I know my guests don't care to have a little trinket of some kind with our names and wedding date plastered all over them... 
One of my friends had their wedding at a vineyard and they did wine glasses as favors, which I thought was a great idea, but wine isn't "our thing". We like it, drink it occasionally...but it doesn't at all represent who we are as a couple. And neither does a measly piece of chocolate or a book of matches with our picture on it. I guess what I'm saying is, that if I'm going to send my guests home with something, I want it to be something they'll use or enjoy for more than a bite or, worse yet, throw in the trash.
I'm sure there's mixed feelings out there...but am I the only one who thinks favors are just something for us to spend more money on when they're just a little thing that the guests don't really care about anyway???
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Re: Favors: Are they really necessary??

  • edited December 2011
    I think favors are a nice gesture for people coming to spend your special day with you, and although you picked up their dinner and drinks tab, they may have incurred hotel or travel expenses or possibly bought new outfits, etc. for the day. I agree that I don't want edible ones, but there are other options besides wine glasses for "lasting favors." We are making mix CD's of different love songs: some classic, some current, some not-well-known. One wedding I went to gave each guest a coin and a scratch-off lottery card so you actually had a chance to win some money. I would search on here for other suggestions; I know ther are many others that aren't necessarily edible.


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  • ivyrose13ivyrose13 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment
    edited December 2011
    If you don't like favors, don't hand them out. There is no rule that says you have to give out favors. The reception is your way of thanking your guests for coming to your wedding, so if you would rather spend the money on upgrading your catering or cake, do that. 

    We are giving everyone simple frosted glass candles with a personalized matchbook. It something they can incorporate into their homes, and FI and I will use whatever is left over to decorate our home. 


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  • fallbride1109fallbride1109 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment
    edited December 2011
    As a bride who thought she just HAD to have favors and spent alot of time and money on them, my advice is don't do them.  I did all edible ones (candy buffet/mini-champagne) and although they were cute and people liked them, that was money that could have been spent elsewhere.  Now that I've been there and done that, it is something I would definitely do differently.
  • jeanna85jeanna85 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I think favors are a nice gesture. I do think a cookie or something is silly if I've just gorged on desserts at a Viennese Hour at the reception. Most weddings I've been to give full size bottles of wine or champagne as a favor. That's what we'll be doing, but if you can't afford to do favors and have all the upgrades you want for the reception, I would choose upgrades over favors.
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  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_favors_favors-really-necessary-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:27Discussion:8ed11aef-0799-4eb4-9eec-e388d186b7f4Post:53377ed0-c218-45f3-bbe5-bd320d976503">Re: Favors: Are they really necessary??</a>:
    [QUOTE]If you don't like favors, don't hand them out. There is no rule that says you have to give out favors. The reception is your way of thanking your guests for coming to your wedding, so if you would rather spend the money on upgrading your catering or cake, do that.Posted by ivyrose13[/QUOTE]

    I completely agree with this. Just skip it, I've been to a couple weddings recently that didn't do favors and I didn't even notice until weeks later when the bride mentioned it. IMO save the money and spend it on another element of the wedding.
  • edited December 2011
    Favors are totally not necessary. 

    I like having the edible ones at some weddings because I get hungry again by 11 PM.

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  • cyn1812000cyn1812000 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I say skip them.  My original plan was to do recipe cards and then attach to a tiny bottle of olive oil and label it "Olive You".  However, when I realized the cost I skipped most of the idea.  Instead I printed up recipe cards of our favorite Italian Dinner (we love cooking together and trying new recipes).  It was inexpensive and it's something that some people might actually use.  If not, then I have the comfort of knowing that there's not a ton of money being wasted.
  • fallbride1109fallbride1109 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_favors_favors-really-necessary-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:27Discussion:8ed11aef-0799-4eb4-9eec-e388d186b7f4Post:df85664c-b932-4b02-8566-2c87ff56abc3">Re: Favors: Are they really necessary??</a>:
    [QUOTE]I printed up recipe cards of our favorite Italian Dinner (we love cooking together and trying new recipes).  It was inexpensive and it's something that some people might actually use.  If not, then I have the comfort of knowing that there's not a ton of money being wasted.
    Posted by cyn1812000[/QUOTE]

    Ok, best non-edible favor idea I've ever heard of.  Love it!
  • edited December 2011
    I really think they are a waste of money! We are having a photobooth at our wedding so their pictures will be their favor from us!
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  • SSaltzman87SSaltzman87 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    You really could go either way. I'm personally not doing favors because I think that money could be better spent elsewhere, plus- you hear stories all the time about guests not taking them. What's the point of that?
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  • lechantelllechantell member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Well I'm sure I've jumped far overboard. I agree that giving people a trinket with you and FI's name on it that they will never use is a complete waste. So that's were the overboard comes in. I wrote a family cookbook with both of our families' favorite recipes and then had the bright idea to include family pictures. It turned out great and I can't wait to give it out. My grandmother is making her homemade pralines to go with them.

    Lot of work and a lot of money but in the end, I really wanted to show everyone how much I appreciated them coming to our wedding.

    Always your call, but I would think of the effort they put forth to be there for you for your special day.
  • kbutkowskikbutkowski member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Glad you posted this as I was wondering the same thing...
  • edited December 2011
    Definitely not necessary.  We're having the venue cut up the grooms cake and put it in a box to take home.  We're going to include a card explaining the tradition/history of the grooms cake.  

    (the history is that the single girls were supposed to sleep with a small piece of the cake under the pillow in the hopes that they would dream about their future husband. 
  • edited December 2011
    I'm basically having a weekend wedding. Two late nights with friends, in texas, in december. What we decided to do was get inexpensive polar fleece blankets from Ikea. If people want to use them, great - there's a whole pile! I don't have to worry about friends using the rental property's blankets outside. If they don't use them, we're going to donate them to a homeless shelter in Toronto, where I'm from, that regularly sends out requests for such items.
  • Kate504Kate504 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_favors_favors-really-necessary-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:27Discussion:8ed11aef-0799-4eb4-9eec-e388d186b7f4Post:d7896780-c0a8-4af8-a976-a9e9dced4ac0">Re: Favors: Are they really necessary??</a>:
    [QUOTE]I really think they are a waste of money! We are having a photobooth at our wedding so their pictures will be their favor from us!
    Posted by shnokums[/QUOTE]

    That is my plan too.
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