Favors are meant to be little tokens of appreciation from you to your guests. Whether they are elaborate or simple, what you give your guests should reflect your gratitude and be something most of your guests can appreciate.
Before you spend countless hours and lots of money on favors that will be ignored or thrown away, we’d like to offer you some hints to make your favors a hit.
1. If it’s not edible or useful in everyday life, you’re likely wasting your time and money. The idea of a favor is to give your guests a little “thank you” for sharing your day. Most guests are appreciative of the gesture, no matter what it is. However, not everyone wants to cart home little trinkets to clog their junk drawers, memory boxes or garbage cans.
2. Find favors that will appeal to MOST OF YOUR GUESTS. You may find lacy, highly scented potpourri sachets to be the veritable cat’s meow, but the 50% of your male guests, 2% of your highly allergic pals, and 30% of your friends who have very different decorating ideas will not be as charmed by them as you. You’ll likely end up with lots of left-overs.
3. Forget monogrammed items. Frames, glassware, trinkets with your initials are likely candidates to get left behind. Why? Who wants someone else’s initials on their glassware? It’s kind of creepy. Want to put your monogram on something? Attach a little card or ribbon with your names/initials to the favor or put your monogram on the packaging, not the item itself.
4. You’re an adult. The majority of your guests are adults. Please distribute favors that (a) look like something an adult would appreciate OR (b) appeal to the kid in all of us. Nostalgia toys (Legos, Pez dispensers, Pla-Doh) are big hits for kids and adults alike because most of us can relate to them. Frilly, girly things are better saved for 7 year old girl guests or for your bridal showers, if you’re into that sort of thing.
5. Inexpensive doesn’t have to look cheap. Chances are if the favor looks cheap, it’ll get left behind or will get tossed.
6. Make certain guests know they exist. We’ve attended many receptions where the favors were hidden in a basket next to the door. Putting favors next to each guest’s place setting is ideal or personally handing them out to each guest during the reception is a nice way to greet each person and thank them individually.
So, what are the favor “shoulds”?
- They should appeal to most adult guests, male and female.
- They should not be highly scented.
- They should be useful or edible.
- They should given with love and gratitude.
Found on the DIYBride.com site
