Skipping Favors?

When did favors become a necessity to weddings? Is this something relatively new?

M, we are bride-twins!

We didn't have favors. We had a fabulous dinner, open bar, cocktail hour, and paid for the RD for all OOT guests who wanted to join us. I agree with your MoH - a small bag of M&Ms doesn't do anything.

Although some edible favors are cute and adorable, I never paid any attention to whether people "gave" me something at any wedding.

If you feel guilty, make a donation to charity, and write in lieu of favors, we donated to _______ charity and explain why. That way, you can spend what you're comfortable with.

We are not doing favors, instead since we have the photobooth the pictures that they take home are their "favors" however I don't think it is mandatory to have favors. In my opinion, giving my guests a free meal, free drinks (Non and Alcoholic), lots of fun and many memories is saying THANK YOU!

However I am sure there are people who would disagree, but I would not recommend stretching your budget just for a few bags of m&ms. lol

I would be fine without a favor. I mean, if you are going to give me something, I like candy, and I like useful things. But you're feeding me and entertaining me, so I'm happy with that.

Nothin is definitely better than random trinkets, at least to me.

LOl! All I can say i that your MOH is FUNNY!!!

Yaaay, Reenski is back and alive!!!

The last couple of weddings I went to there were no favors. I didn't feel slighted in the least!

I think dinner, cake and an open bar is very generous! And you have a gorgeous venue. They won't even miss em!

And remember: They are doing all of those things because they want to celebrate with you!

Hi date twin! I think favors are traditional (centuries old). Jordan almonds used to be the typical favor.

Mrs. S, that makes me feel better! We'll have a cocktail hour with appetizers too.

Thanks ladies! I would love to do a photo booth, but those are definitely out of my budget

Thanks Courtney!

I did favors for 120 people for less than $40. I got favor boxes from the dollar tree (12 for $1). I got stickers that said our names and wedding date from vistaprint with a groupon for practically free. Then i got bright pink cocktail napkins from the XMas Tree shop for $1 for 100. I bought bulk bags of swedish fish (my favorite candy) from sam's club, put them in plastic sandwich bags and put them in the boxes.

They added a pop of color to our simple tables and most people either ate them or took them home, there weren't many left at the end of the night!

This picture is the table before the flowers came, and they got rid of the fans too

Hmmm, I understand the Jordan almonds. I have been to many weddings w/ the almonds in candy dishes placed around the reception. I didn't know where the "party favors" kinda thing came from.

We don't have the budget, so favors are out. I plan on sending cards thanking the guests for making the celebration a day to remember!

We're skipping favors, but will be ordering cake pops... they're DELICIOUS!

Your MOH has a point, favors don't cover the cost of attending a wedding. The cost of a meal & bar pretty much matches the cost of an outfit, babysitter, transp, etc. However, the guest incurrs an add'l expense of a gift. In my culture that would be a cash gift. Does that mean you have to have favors? No, it is a personal decision. If it is not in the budget, eliminate it.

In addition, I think favors also fall into that culture/nationality/regional thing. At an Italian wedding, skipping the favors is considerd rude. We like to stuff you w/ food, get you drunk & send you off w/ tons of things. For our DW, we did welcome bags, boxed maple candy that doubled as table decor, & a candy buffet.

For my daughter's wedding, she did amorini(the alternative to the nasty Jordan Almond) in decorative boxes to add to the table decor, packets of seeds; & since there was a dessert table, all cake was boxed for the guets to take home.

I don't really notice favors at weddings unless they're edible. And quite honestly, I wouldn't be offended if I went to one where there were no favors. The only things I think that stick out in people's minds about receptions are the food and the bar.

Thanks for the help. I'm still on the fence :-/

FH's deceased father's (OOT) family are Italian (Boston). So maybe they'll be offended? FH has no idea what they'll expect (his mom, who was long divorced from his dad, doesn't either).

His dad died of pancreatic cancer, so I kind of like the idea of donating something small in lieu of favors.

It's not that the favors will necessarily break the budget (we'd do something extremely inexpensive anyway), but we could definitely use that money elsewhere. Plus I've seen favors left behind at every wedding I've been to, even if they were edible.

I'm sick of making decisions, lol!

I was raised a New Yorker and I have attended weddings all over NYC, Jersey, Phila & Delaware and they all had favors...maybe a regional thing? I did attend a wedding in Colorado and don't recall receiving favors from that wedding.

Yeah, I'm from AZ/SoCal and I think every wedding has had favors. Though I've only been to a handful of weddings. And I've heard they're becoming less common (but maybe I'm wrong?).

I live in Florida and have been to many here, 2 in Detroit, 1 in Chicago, 1 in Italy and 1 in California.

With that said, I have received favors at all of them.

I wouldn't however be upset in the least if I didn't receive anything.

Favors I remembered and enjoyed:
Tiny pot with lucky bamboo - was adorable and even travelled home with it
Wine glass with couples names and date - I drink from it often and remember the fun (my photo on here was from that wedding)
Brownie Pops - yum (didn't last long)
Mini bottle of wine which had the couples label

For our favors - we are doing a few things.

I am buying pashminas and putting them in a cute container since our wedding is in April. (Florida temps - warm daytime / cooler nites)
For the guys - Cigars and monogrammed match boxes

We are also doing a favor at each place setting of Murano glass wine stoppers which I found in bulk at a nice rate and ordered a few samples and they are beautiful!