On your big day, you want it to look just right. It has to have the flare, romance, and a look and feel that reflects you and your special someone. This includes the little details just as much as it does the dress and cake, so the favors have to be unique to you. In order to assess what kind of favors to get, you have to first look into what your budget will allow. If your budget is tight, and you want your big day to be unique, the best way to capture the feel is to make the favors yourself. The first step in making DIY wedding favors is to decide on a theme.
The first step is to decide on a theme. This step is huge because, without a theme, you have no idea what kind of favors to make. One place to look at in deciding on a theme is how you and your special someone met. Was it at the ocean? Maybe a BBQ? Were there any special details that the two of you would recognize if referenced in the decorations on your big day? Little things that trigger memories between the two of you are the perfect place to start when deciding on the theme of your favors.
Another good place to start is in the tradition. Do you two have something you do together often? Do your families have any traditions you would like to include? Is there anything that you two have in common such as hobbies that you take part in together, or a recurring event that you attend? Any of these things can be included if you feel they represent what you and your better half believe in or enjoy doing. It is all a matter of what part of your wedding you want people to take home to remember.
Once these points are brought up, you could look at the time of the year. A lot of couples base their themes on the season the weddings are to take place in, or holidays near which the big day is due to commence. This is a great way to decide on the colors that will be used in the decorations. Another possibility is the favorite colors of the bride and groom, if they correspond well.
Another way to pick the colors is to look at more physical features. You can use the place where you are getting married as a way to pick the colors, for example, you can pick greens if you are having a mountain wedding, or cooler shades like blues and aquas if you are getting married near a particular body of water. You should also look into how big or bold you want your favors to be, since this will effect how much time, effort, and money you will be putting into them.
Now that you might have an idea of what you want the favors to be, you can look into some materials. Some people favor shells over decorative plates, and some people like flowers while others prefer candles. All that matters is what looks right to you. Once the materials are gathered, you have to assemble them. This part requires a lot of hot glue, so you have to remember to put that on your shopping list. In the next paragraph I will describe how to make a few displays that I have seen used in the past.
One favor I have seen that I liked was a small fishbowl, inside which was a small hand full of decorative rocks -this could be substituted with marbles- and silk flowers which were “sprouting” from the top. A ribbon was tied around the mouth of the bowl and there they had a simple, inexpensive favor. Another I have seen was a small container of bubbles with a shear fabric gathered over the top and tied off with a ribbon -or a strip of lace- that you can tie into a bow or curl with a pair of scissors for a more dainty look. Yet another I have seen is a bag of personalized M&M’s with the first initials of the bride and groom printed onto them which was handed out at the reception, but this favor could end up a bit more pricey depending on the size of the wedding.
These are just a few of the simple, inexpensive favors that have been used before. Remember whatever you do, this is your day, and it should represent your relationship in a way that works for you. No matter what you choose to do, just know that the guests will go home happy knowing that they got to keep a little piece of your special day, and making the favors yourself will do even more to ensure that the memories are unique.
