As a bride, one of the last things you want to be doing is operating a hot glue gun on the hundreds of favors just weeks before the wedding. One of the worst parts about do-it-yourself favors is that if you aren’t creatively inclined, you could end up wasting more money in the process.
So how can you achieve the affordability of do-it-yourself favors without running the risk of looking cheap?
Mix and Match – While we understand that the main reason for creating do-it-yourself favors is generally to save money, you can’t cut too many corners on your favors. One easy way, to ensure that your favors will still look great, is to combine a pre-made favor with your own DIY creation. This works well if you want edible favors, like cupcakes, cookies or chocolate covered treats. You can bake or create your edible portion of the favor the week before the wedding and order a simple custom container, like monogrammed bags, or personalized jars or tins.
Quality – Go for quality materials on your favors. If you’re creating a do-it-yourself favor you should be able to cut costs drastically without cutting out the quality of your favor. If you’re being crafty, make sure you’re using the right kinds of adhesives, fabrics and paints. Cutting corners on materials can lead to a DIY favor disaster, so if you’re following instructions, make sure you follow them to the tee.
Make it meaningful – Some people prefer to create their own favors to thank their guests in a unique and personalized way. This is great for creative brides and grooms that take pride in their special baking, drawing or musical skills. For instance, if you have a secret family recipe that your friends and family love, packaging it yourself shows you took the time to show your gratitude. For truly unique wedding favors, you could include a portion of your vows or some of your favorite quotes.
Personalize – Adding some customization to your DIY favor is one of the best ways to achieve a high-quality look. Attaching tags with ribbon or ordering personalized stickers are a simple and cost effective way to personalize your gift. If you really want to personalize for each guest, you can replace your placeholders at dinner with your personalized favor, which helps combine two costs. One tip on personalizing is to avoid handwritten tags and stickers whenever possible. Even if you’re going for a casual look, hand-writing on your favors is a quick way to give away the secret of your favor’s origin. Unless you’re great at calligraphy or custom lettering, it’s easier to print tags, buy pre-made ones or even go without instead of going with handwriting.
