What are your thoughts on wedding favors?

I love wedding favors if they're edible, otherwise I either don't take them or throw them away later. That being said, favors are completely optional.

I think they're usually junk that no one wants.
But food items or pictures from a photobooth are better options in my opinion.

Snacks are cool. We may give out wildflower packet or something like that.

View Quoted Comment Same with me. Honestly, one idea I saw that is my favorite is to make a charitable donation in honor of the wedding guests instead of a favor...I love this idea. My daughter's fiance is in the military and I donate regularly to a few military organizations.


I saw (I forget where) the idea of donating and then simply placing a sign on the table that a charitable donation has been made in lieu of favors. Or something to that end.

I don't care for them. While optional, I prefer going down the traditional route in most cases, so I'll have them at my wedding.

They are expensive for something that everyone leaves behind. Even edible favors get left on the tables

View Quoted Comment Yes. I had an engagement party for my daughter. Ordered custom made big cookies. NOT CHEAP. Quite a few left behind. Crazy.

View Quoted Comment We are having a photo booth. Never considered that being thought of as a favor. That's perfect!

They’re not necessary

Outdated, not necessary. Unless edible, they get left behind anyway.

We’re going to have chocolate covered toffee for people to munch on. Getting it from a local bakery.

I love them but I think I may be an outlier. I've always loved and gotten use out of little promo gifts like mugs, keychains, wine glasses, ornaments, etc. But I'm young and don't have a ton of stuff already in my house. I also got a cocktail kit as a wedding favor and thought it was so fun

I don't think your feelings are in the minority, though things vary by area and age group. They will always be a choice. But fewer and fewer people do them, because the reality is, except for edibles that they break open and eat or drink, while sitting in a room with 10 other choices of things to eat or drink, the majority of little low cost favors get left behind. And often, when a hostess says how nice, most of the favors are gone, people must like them! 🙂 Someone tells them the truth, that when more than half the guests were gone and few favors taken, a few people asked, and were told, take as many as you want. So the few who wanted them took 30 small keychains with mini-flashlights, each or whatever. I know many a mother who has said, we wasted on them for 2 kid's wedding. We won't waste $350 on this one. My now hubby's family considers them essential. I said, it is a choice. For the same $3 per guest for 2 oz maple sugar candy, as a favor, we could add a choice to the after dinner til closing dessert bar. 3 flavors ice cream, 3 Sundae toppings. Bye bye, favor.

I'm kind of half and half on them. They are usually cute and sometimes useful - I would love a little bottle of olive oil, a packet of seeds, etc. I think edible or otherwise usable stuff is best. If we do them, they will be matchbooks.

As to the charitable donation, I don't consider that a favor. I would think it a nice touch if it was a cause I believed in/agreed with (someone on one of these boards wanted to do donations to Planned Parenthood...I would not be impressed with something overtly controversial like that). But to me, favors are favors, they are for the guests.

The only wedding favour I have ever kept was one where the couple had a photographer take photos of people and on the spot printed it and put it in a perspex photo holder keyring (with a leather cover). That was quite a lovely idea (but also expensive).

Other than that, I’m of the same view of favours – an absolutely useless expense.

I think it completely depends upon what the favors are. Often times, people just chose the cheapest option they can find- and it definitely shows in the quality of the item. Cheap little trinkets rarely get taken, and inevitably end up in the trash. Then some couples spend a little more money on quality products, but then slap their names and wedding date all over them; which, let’s face it, few people have a want or need for such items. I think if you are going to do favors, they need to be quality items that you know your guests actually want or need; otherwise it is just a waste of money that could have been better used elsewhere in the wedding.

View Quoted Comment Yes, you have hit on the big one. With favors, as with the steady stream of little gifts some brides do, proposal boxes, little clothing or jewelry items, candles, scents and bath oils, tote bags, small locket necklaces, flasks,keychains, bottle openers, all may be welcome by many who are young, have very little stuff, and have not been to many weddings, or showers, or been involved as wedding party, giving showers of bachelor parties, little than you things. For those a little older who are very sociable, give showers when not in WP, or are in WP, it is so much more preferable to have 1 nicer gift, or simply a nice thank you. They last two years before covid summer, every single item from gifts and favors from 2 weddings I was in each year, 3 one year and 2 the next for hubby, plus thank you little stuff from doing baby and wedding and adoption showers, or organizing and partially funding 3 bachelor parties, we had a box for goodwill. 6 new flasks someone paid to have monogrammed or printed, 4 lighters, tote bags, tshirts candles scents boxes of wine ( 2-5 bottle assortments), penlite flashlights, and a whole bunch of towels with MOH, robes never put on, silly obscene t shirts never put on, even two Bibles and necklaces with crosses from MOB who know I am not Christian and just know I will thank them one day. ( Actually, insulted. Cartons of stuff to get rid of. And from a few, a single very nice presents very definitely bought like it was hubby or my birthday. My hubby loves his new pastels and small table easel. And 2 books on WEII from a European view. I have a pretty sweater, and a new canoe trails book, for Upstate NY. And 2 CD's. But it is a crying shame that clever marketing convinced people to complete waste over $300 in little gifts, to us, things that will never see even 1 wearing.
Brides Grooms, and hosts too, need to look at the ages and individuals. A hint, someone with 5 kids under 10 and 3 big, table sweeping tail type dogs, is not going to appreciate the 12 scented pillar candles, etc. This is so much a know your people thing. 6 robes at $35 each, 4 never ever worn , is a waste. But when 8-10 people have given them to you before, ??? Goodwill and Salvation Army won't take brand new flasks which seam to be the go to gift for guys. Canteens for hiking, we could use. Extra cell phone batteries are like gold. They would make me 🙆reconsider favors or little gifts.

It really depends on the favor if it's "worth" it. My favorite favor was centerpiece flowers

We are having a DW and planning on non-personalized beach towels and sunblock.

For me it depends on what the favors are. I personally like them lol, but I'm also sentimental about milestones like that. It's also something where you have to know your crowd. For example, we're doing personalize slim can koozies and dog treat bags. Almost all of our guests drink and will use the koozie, and they also have pets, so the dog treats are a favor from our dog to their pet.

The only favor I didn't like was a bundle of seeds with a tag that said 'let it grow'. Most of the couple's guests lived in apartments or somewhere without a garden so flower seeds were a terrible favor since most of us couldn't use them lol.

Edible favors are great as long as you make sure you stay away from major allergies (peanuts, nuts in general, gluten intolerance etc).

I agree with the previous comments - it depends on what the favors are. I usually love anything edible. We've also gotten shot glasses and koozies at weddings we've previously attended, and we still frequently use both now, years after the weddings! If it were something like a mini plant (seemed to be a popular idea when I was reading about wedding favors), I probably wouldn't take one, since I have a cat who likes to eat plants and I would have to find a way to hide it from her. I also probably wouldn't take something like a keychain. Shelly had a great idea - anything edible should avoid common food allergies!