Favors

It’s really all about how important it is to you. We provided top shelf open bar and hosted multiple events throughout the weekend, did welcome bags for hotel guests, provided transportation, did a photobooth, and did the works. We originally weren’t going to do favors, but he and I have a tradition of buying an ornament during every vacation/trip we go on. Since our wedding was a semi-destination, we decided to share that tradition with our guests. Plus the different shapes ornaments served as meal indicators. So it had a dual purpose. Most guests took theirs home. I think like 10 people left theirs behind and two of them were hubby’s family who ended up asking us if we found them since they wanted them and just forgot to take them.


It sounds like you’re already doing so much for your guests like paying for their hotel rooms (which is super generous), I don’t think favors will be missed if you don’t really care about them.

I don't think it's ever a "should." It's strictly if you WANT to and have the budget for it. Really, you are finding all the different opinions because there will never be consensus. If I were your guest, I would be happy to forgo any kind of favor and instead be able to change my glass throughout the night as I changed drinks (and wouldn't need to take a glass home either).

From the sounds of it it sounds like you're providing a lot of nice things. i definitely didn't need to either but i always wanted to have a candy buffet table so i ended up using that as my souvenirs. i do agree with pp -- the idea of a mason jar is cool because it's eco friendly and i love that but i do think that i would also much rather have a separate glass for water and separate glass for whatever else

Totally not necessary! Also guests don’t wanna hold onto their glass all night and reuse it. Have something edible like cookies or donuts if providing favors is important to you but otherwise they aren’t necessary. I say this as someone who had $100,000 wedding and my wedding planner told me to absolutely skip favors.

Personally I think favors are kind of overrated. Although they are cute keepsakes no one will care about them as much as you do. We decided in lieu of favors we would donate.

Favors are never necessary.

Nope! Not necessary anymore. Skip ‘em.

Were not doing favors! I’ve never seen them that exciting for the weddings I’ve been to and they had them. If anything well order some custom coozies for people’s beer.

We are doing almost everything you said as well besides paying for the hotel rooms! With a full buffet, full open bar, donut wall with to-go bags, cake, transportation, photo booth, and welcome bags with a hangover kit at the hotels. The favors that I planned on getting for the guests were personalized coozies, and mints with the saying 'mint to be' on them!

I figured the coozie they would actually use, and the mints would be something easy they can grab and go and they would be useful!

Not necessary. It’s entirely a matter of if you want to do it or not. If you do though, make it worth your money and do something edible. The mason jar idea is cute, but people won’t take a dirty glass home with them so all of your personalized jars will sit there and be thrown out.

Favors are optional, so they're up to you. I personally would not want to have to reuse the same glass all night. Sometimes I will switch from wine with dinner to a mixed drink after or something. Also, I wouldn't want to take a dirty glass home, and mason jars are not the easiest to drink from. I don't mean to be negative, so I'm sorry if I come across that way. I went to a wedding where they did that a few years ago, and I still remember how annoying it was as a guest. I think if you are going to go with favors, edible favors are usually the best.

Favors are always unnecessary no matter what kind of event you're throwing. I always end up forgetting mine either at the venue, in an uber, etc. etc. If you'd really like to include something, it's great, but I doubt they'll be missed if you don't

That’s a good idea but why not give them something they can use like a wine opener or something?

For us, we didn’t try to specifically have favors, but thought about what we were already doing that could be turned into a keepsake. SO, our place cards are actually going to be oyster shells with each guests name in calligraphy on the shell. We were going to have place cards anyways, but now instead of a useless piece of folded paper to be thrown away, they have a personalized keepsake. In addition, my FH wanted a cigar bar, so instead of just purchasing a bunch of cigars and setting out the assortment on a table, we hired a Cuban cigar roller to come to the wedding and hand roll cigars for guests. This is not only entertaining, but they can take the cigars home or smoke them at the wedding. We are also hiring a photobooth, so we chose the package that included prints for the guests- just another keepsake to take home. Hope this helps or gives you ideas! I don’t think that favors are a mandatory thing, and we were going to skip them. That’s why I tried to make our existing details just a little more personalized for the guests.

They're not remotely necessary. We're doing them, but not because I think it's a requirement.

Thank you everyone for the comments here. I have a clear vision now with your help!

They’re not necessary. Ours are going to be functional and serve a dual purpose. We’re getting agate slices with their names in calligraphy as place cards but also favors they can take with them.

It's up to y'all but we are not going to offer favors for the same reason of most people just throw them away or leave them at the tables. We will be having our stationary vendor create "Thank you for coming/sharing our day with us" cards that will be placed on each plate. We are already giving welcome bags to all of our guests and our reception is plated dinner and open cocktail hour and open bar reception. We thought a Thank you Card was enough.

Favors are always optional. Unless it's edible, most will get left behind or tossed in the trash. Save the money for something guests will actually enjoy such as food/drink/entertainment or save for personal expenses beyond the wedding.

View Quoted Comment Thank you for everyone’s opinions. Very much appreciated! 💋