What time of year? What are some of your favorite things?
Favors are never necessary. They're completely optional, so if you can't come up with any ideas you love, just save the money or put it toward another element in your wedding.
I'm still deciding but a couple options i'm considering our homemade buttercrunch or cakepops (i found really pretty ones that match my colors at a local bakery.
We bought different shaped 4 oz jars and filled them with pretty candy and tied a thank you note on to them. The options are endless as far as what you could put in them.
My family has several diabetics and kids who aren't supposed to have sugar. I think I am going the candle route... lots of cool ideas I've seen with candles to match themes. My favorite DIY is stamping on tissue paper and using a hair dryer to "melt" it onto the candle.
I think favors should be personal and meaningful, and if they go with your theme, even better. Our wedding is at a desert botanical garden, and we're both big gardeners and nature lovers, and so are many of our friends and family members - so we'll probably be giving out little succulents.
It's also helpful to keep in mind how guests are getting to/from your wedding, which will affect what they can take with them (liquids on a plane, for example).
Re: Shabby Chic Theme... Favor help!
If you feel you must do a favor...make it edible.
Do you and your FI have a favorite candy? (bonus points if it is made at a local candy shop)
Your favor doesn't need to match your "theme".
It's also helpful to keep in mind how guests are getting to/from your wedding, which will affect what they can take with them (liquids on a plane, for example).