Favors:)

The only favors that aren’t a waste of money are edible favors.

I would do something edible rather than a momento. My FH got a shot glass as a favor at one of his friends weddings and it is stacked up with a bunch of other random shot glasses in the cupboard. I asked him why he even bothered taking it and he just said it was handed to him.

Definitely follow the advice of PPs! You can't go wrong with edible favors

I’ve said this before: people on this site are super down on favors. I, personally, find them cute and endearing for the most part. FH and I are doing koozies, which are really popular in my area. We’ve collected quite a few of them and use them frequently!

I'll be the middle ground here as you have several anti favor and 1 pro favor opinion 😉 haha. I also see people hating on favors and while I can understand it to a degree, I personally don't dislike them! I don't go out of my way to avoid them or toss them like I see a large majority of people say (which surprised me when I first read it so many times!) Even if I really had no use for it, I still know the couple paid good money for it as a little thank you for coming to a VERY expensive party which they threw to thank us for coming to the ceremony! It's a thank you for a thank you lol! As such, I appreciate the gesture, if nothing else!
For example, my cousin and his wife gave heart shaped bottle openers as favors. Did I need a bottle opener? No, but it was a nice thought and I took one to be polite. Exactly like the shot glass mentioned above, it just sits in a drawer. However, I don't dislike having it or regret taking it. It's just there, and I don't need that space it's taking beside 2 other bottle openers we ended up having lol.

However, I agree that edible is the safest way to go (I love a good treat!) And possibly the cheapest, depending on what you get exactly. I also think things with dates/names/faces can be a big reason people dislike them! It depends on the thing: a koozie or shot glass? I think yes, personally. I'd smile and remember the fun night or think of the couple whom I love when using it. Something to be displayed? Less so, I don't even want my OWN name or monogram on my stuff lol!
Functional is second best to food, especially if it can get used up! Soap and candles can be carved/stamped with name/date and still be fully functional and eventually used completely!
Personalized to the event is also a big hit sometimes. I've seen people do blankets for outdoor winter/fall weddings or wine stoppers for wineries. I don't know your wedding is like, if personalization like would work.

I went to a wedding that had a note on each table stating in lieu of favors, the couple donated to a charity that was meaningful to them. We are planning on doing the same.

We are doing a snowflake ornament attached to an escort card, so each individual will take theirs when they find their seat I saw it at a friend’s wedding and they had no favors leftover other than those that didn’t show. The ornament in particular since it’ll be close to Christmas and they can put it right on their trees, but i’m sure the concept of the escort/favor will work with other things as well

Is it weird to not not give out favors?

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I don't think it's weird at all. I have a drawer full of useless favors that I'd feel guilty if I throw them away but I don't want them either. I really don't think people expect favors much anymore.

We are doing succulents because i'm obsessed with plants. But like you said we are doing it per couple/family. For example when our guests walk in they will have a succulent that has their family/couple name and the table number they are assigned to. Killing two birds with one stone.

View Quoted Comment I actually had that idea to get succulents! So cute and maintenance free plus my FH and I are big in gardening ing and plants. But he thought it was a cheesey idea...sigh

Thanks ladies, I think I am leaving towards an edible favor.

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And I went to my local greenhouse and they are helping me out since I'm ordering in bulk. They are only charging me like $1.99 for each succulent. And little Terra cotta pots are cheap at the dollar tree. So its really cheap!

Our favor is a shot glass that will also double as the seating assignment for each person. Therefore no one is pressured to take it but its also not a waste of money because it has another use then just a favor. So you could also have a favor double as something else that's useful in the wedding.