October 17th bride... Questions about favors!

rdweinm · July 2014

Hi everyone!

I have been DIYing several elements of my upcoming wedding (Escort cards, mason jar luminaries, etc...) I've been really struggling with what I want to make for favors. I know I don't want anything edible, because I want my guests to keep them around and use whatever they are.

I thought of doing ornaments. Buying clear ornaments and decorating them somehow with our colors, names, date, maybe some ribbon... My wedding decor is very much fall-themed so I don't know if ornaments might be a little out of left-field, even if they were decorated to match the general theme of our wedding.

My mom made a good point and said that time of year is really the beginning of the holiday season so it might work out well. Also, all of our guests do celebrate Christmas.

I would greatly appreciate any opinions!!

Thanks! (:

labro · July 2014

I think ornaments would be ok if your guest list was small and only close family. As a friend I wouldn't really want an ornament from someone else's wedding for my tree...not even from my BFF. I love her, but it just wouldn't make sense to have an ornament from her wedding on my tree. My wedding yes, hers no. Its like having a first Christmas ornament for someone else's baby to me. I think most "useful" favor ideas are just going to be considered junk or clutter. I'm not trying to be harsh here...its just that in general people get WAY more enjoyment out of cookies or chocolates or something they can eat rather than some personalized trinket they have to cart back home and find a place for. I think one of the best ways to pull off a non edible favor is to not personalize it with your names and wedding date if you are still set in going that direction. Something like a nice silver frame, or a little potted succulent.

JennyColada · July 2014

To be frank, if you want your guests to use whatever it is that your favor it, avoid putting your names or the date. Your wedding will never be as special to anyone else as it is to you.

I don't say that to be mean, it's just realistic. Very few people want other people's stuff.

You could do ornaments, and if they were generic and pretty I might like it well enough, but this is really a know-your-crowd kind of thing: it's just not something that anyone I know would use (well, maybe one or two, but that's probably it).

hkda2003 · July 2014

I am also having a candy buffet, and didn't want that to be my only favor, so I decorated jars for each guest to fill up. That way, they still have the jar for the favor. The personalization is only on the bottom, so they don't have to see it all the time if they choose to use it or display it. Maybe something like that would work for you?

beachyone15 · July 2014

I also agree about not giving out something personalized. If you are doing ornaments, I would leave off your names/date and make it use-able for everyone. I like the ornament idea though!

Dignity100 · July 2014

You could always do a little frame ornament and people could remove the picture of you and your FI and put their own picture if they wanted to. Something like this:

rdweinm · July 2014

I also should have mentioned that we are having a candy bar but that will be separate from the favors, because I'm not really into the two-for-one idea. And between the wedding cake, chocolate-covered strawberries, and the candy bar, I feel like edible favors would be overkill in addition to short-lived...

We're getting married in Carmel, CA which is close to our hometown but it will be a bit of a destination wedding for many of our guests (guest list is at 75, all family except for bridal party) so I also kind of thought they might like it as a souvenir...

Thanks for the feedback ladies! It's great to have perspectives from people who aren't my mom, FMIL, or fiance. (:

The favors are still very much up in the air and the day is getting closer and closer!!

Dignity100 · July 2014

The only reason I'm doing ornaments for my wedding is because it's a very very small destination wedding and I figured it would also be a keepsake from the trip (we're getting married at Disney World and planning on getting the Mickey Mouse bulb ornament with the year on it). All of my guests are immediate family. If they use the ornament, great - if they don't, that's their choice.

Most take home items, I throw away. I think the only one I kept was a glass votive candle holder - it's just a plane glass votive holder, no dates or etchings of any kind. If I remember correct, they wrapped the candle that was inside the votive in some netting and put a sticker with their names and date on the netting.

rdweinm · July 2014

Yeah it seems like I just shouldn't worry about people keeping them regardless of what we decide.

What does everyone think about just doing an ornament that matches the overall decor and having a removable tag or something with our names and date? That way they can use the ornament without our names on it or people like our parents/grandparents could keep it on if they want.

I appreciate all the feedback!!

rdweinm · July 2014

Great idea @Dignity100 !! Thanks!

October 17th bride... Questions about favors!

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