While your wedding day is a celebration of your love for one another, it’s become customary to shower your guests with a little affection too, in the form of a wedding favour.
Originally introduced at high-society weddings in Europe as a way for the rich to provide their guests with a gift for attending their wedding, they were known as bonbonniere, a box covered in crystal, porcelain or gold, which was encrusted with precious stones. Inside the box were bonbons or other confectionary – which were particularly desirable at the time as sugar was an expensive treat.
While many of today’s wedding favours still revolve around sweet treats (minus the extravagant wrapping), others are taking a crafty approach in order to provide their wedding party with a handmade favour that keeps the wedding budget low and their guests with a useful gift that they will cherish.
Personalised Candle
Doubling up as a name place setting if you wish, a personalised candle is easy to make when you follow a DIY tutorial, and will leave your guests taking home a fragranced gift they can proudly display in their homes.
You’ll need candle wax, a wick and a fragranced oil of your choice (make this seasonal according to when you get married – lavender for summer, cinnamon for winter), as well as something to make your candle in. If you’re having a vintage themed wedding, then a jam jar or teacup will look the part. Then simply tie on a name tag.
Grow the Seed of Love in Your Garden
Get your guests involved in making their wedding favour come to life, by gifting them a packet of flower seeds which they can sow in their garden and watch bloom in the months, and years, to come.
A paper bag stocked full of seeds (you can purchase large quantities online to keep costs down) can be printed with instructions on when and how to plant, as well as a thank-you message from you to them.
Foodie Treats
This one may take you a little while to make, but it’s sure to put a smile on your guest’s faces and leave them running to the kitchen. A gift for food lovers to share with their guests, you’ll need to don your apron and get cooking for this gift.
Whether you make up a batch of jams, chutneys or homemade oils (add a sprig of rosemary or chillies for a flavoured oil using this recipe), these foodie treats are certain to be a useful gift that guests will love.
The Spirit of Love
No, we aren’t talking about a supernatural gift, we’re talking about gifting an alcoholic tipple your guests will want to crack open in celebration…or for a hair of the dog pick-me-up post-wedding.
Take a mini bottle and fill up with yours (or their) favourite spirit. Add a tag with suggested drinking instructions – add your favourite cocktail recipe, or if you recommend it’s best enjoyed on a Friday night post-work. For a fairy-tale touch add a ‘drink me’ note Alice in Wonderland style.
Just remember to provide your teetotal or younger guests with a soft drink option!
Snap a Memory
There’s only so much that your wedding photographer can capture, so grab a polaroid camera and invite your guests to create their own photographic memories of your big day.
Allow two shots per person or couple. One can be for them to keep as a reminder of your big day, and another can be popped in your wedding guests book along with a message to you.
You could even pop a stash of empty frames next to your photo booth or camera station, and invite your guests to take one to store their photo.
Weddings are an expensive affair, but that doesn’t mean you have to cut out elements of your wedding altogether in order to keep your costs low. As these DIY favours prove, you don’t need to spend a lot to give your guests a precious gift.
Plus, keep costs in check by using the Wedding Cost Calculator too, taking you through a set of questions on the common wedding costs you’ll face, you can keep an eye on your finances throughout your wedding planning.
Add new comment