Wedding Favors

Your wedding guests will travel great distances and bestow you with lavish gifts, so a wedding favor is a great way to show your gratitude on the day of your nuptials. The best favors are representative of the newlyweds' personalities, but you can quickly find your wedding budget dwindling like a bowl of jordan almonds thanks to expensive favor options. Before you abandon the idea altogether, follow our tips for savvy wedding favor savings.

• Shop online marketplaces. Search for items on sites like eBay, Etsy, and Amazon, and compare those prices with local vendors to find the best deals.
• Buy in bulk. Look for bulk or wholesale deals, which will trim your per-favor cost. Candy, soaps, and packaging are excellent candidates to find at low prices in large quantities.
• Search beyond wedding vendors. Wedding sites may have items tailored to favor-giving, but they sometimes come with a markup. Browse sites and stores that specialize in the item you're looking for, and try to think outside the box when it comes to potential deals. For example, search framing wholesalers for deep discounts on picture frames or chocolatiers for high-quality truffles or chocolate bars. Hopefully, you'll have money left over to pay for engraving or custom packaging!

Save with eight more tips when you read on.

The days of the useless tchotchke wedding favor are over. Modern brides are opting to give guests something they can enjoy and in many cases, something they can eat! If you've got plenty of time, consider giving a homemade treat. Cookies, truffles, chocolate-covered nuts, and savory crackers are delicious options. However, busy brides can offer an edible gift that's personal, but not homemade. Here are 10 scrumptious ideas.

1. Honey. A small jar of local artisan honey will last a long time. Guests can use it (and remember your wedding) weeks after the ceremony.
2. Spice rub. Do you and your husband-to-be love barbecue? Select a favorite spice rub and make your own labels. It's a great favor for Summer weddings because guests can use it immediately.
3. Pickles. Pickled vegetables, like jalapeños or carrots, are also great options.

Keep reading for the rest of my suggestions!

While destination weddings are technically held in a location where neither party lives, many of you raised a good point that anytime you travel to the nuptials, it's technically a destination wedding. My friend recently attended a wedding where many attendees flew in from all over the world, and just seeing this welcome box (and hearing her tale) gave me a bunch of great ideas to share:

• Embrace the digital age — While printed invitations are lovely, the purchase price adds up, especially when factoring in overseas mailing rates. If a simple email invite isn't your style for anything fancier than a weekend bar night or birthday party, consider making a personal video to share the wedding details online. This happy couple had a talented friend who created and edited a short clip so everyone could see it at the same time, for no cost at all.
• Follow me on Facebook — For the nighttime celebration on a hotel rooftop, there was a Facebook group and separate flier PDF to share as well. Sure, dear Aunt Sally may not be following you online, but it works for friends and co-workers just attending this portion of the festivities.

Learn about the other things in this box and why they are useful, read more

Editor's note: The following is a guest post written by Colin Cowie, wedding planner and lifestyle guru. This week Colin suggests a favor that's edible.

I've always been a big believer that the money you spend on your wedding should go towards making the best experience possible for you and your guests. Spend your money on upgrading the chicken stuffed-a-la-something to your favorite chicken dish or offer a premium bar or get that DJ you've always loved.

And, if there's money left over, don't forget the party favor. Not the terrible tchotchke you've been given that went right in the trash. Instead, make it edible. I love the idea of ending the night with a bag of homemade cookies for your guests.

Getting married amongst olive groves? Give your guests bottles of olive oil and red wine vinegar. Thinking about something timely? How about a December 31 wedding? Bagels with some delicious cream cheese will soothe the hangover.

Did you have edible favors at your wedding? Share your experience with us! To get more of Colin's wonderful wedding recommendations, sign up for his newsletter, Colin Cowie Wedding Notes.

Source

Our very own FabSugarUK attended some nuptials and brought back an edible gift idea that's brilliant. She had this to share in the Wedding Talk group in the YumSugar Community. I attended a wedding a few weeks ago and couldn't resist sharing these gorgeous place settings. The bride had made a pot of jam for all the guests and had names printed on them. They were then used as place settings! They had a fabric covering on the lid that was made from the same fabric as the bridesmaid dresses. So cute! It was a really nice personal touch.

Share pictures from a wedding you attended or helped host in our community! Your memories may be featured here on YumSugar.