Let’s talk wedding favors – you know, those little thank-you gifts that sometimes end up forgotten at reception tables? I’ve seen it all over the years, from the winners (guests fighting over who gets to take extras home) to the well-meant misses (hello, dusty shelf items!).
The secret to wedding favors for guests that don’t get left behind? Picking something your guests will actually use or enjoy after your big day. Over the years, I’ve collected 26 of my absolute favorite wedding favors – ones I’ve watched guests get genuinely excited about, whether it’s an intimate garden ceremony or a grand ballroom celebration.
These unique wedding favors work for pretty much any wedding style, season, or budget you’re working with. I’ve also marked the ones that are perfect for DIY (your wallet will thank you!) versus the ones where you’ll want to call in some help.
Ready to find the perfect little “thank you” that feels completely like you two? Here we go!
Edible Wedding Favors
1. Hot Sauce Bottles
Small hot sauce bottles are pure genius for adding personality to your reception! Your guests get something with actual flavor that they’ll actually use at home.
They’re ridiculously easy to make yourself too. Mix up your own recipe with different heat levels (mild for Grandma, fire for your college buddies), grab some cute bottles, and slap on labels with your names and wedding date. I’ve seen couples add little cards explaining their inspiration – maybe it’s that amazing sauce from your first vacation together.
Perfect for outdoor weddings, country celebrations, barn venues, and summer receptions especially. Something about hot weather and spicy food just clicks.
2. Coffee Blend (“The Perfect Blend”)
If you two bond over your morning coffee, custom blends in small bags or tins with that cute “The Perfect Blend” tagline are just perfect. Your guests get something they’ll actually use while thinking of your wedding date every morning.
I’d team up with a local coffee shop who can help create a mix that fits you both. Maybe a blend of bold and smooth beans if that matches your personalities? Add small tags with simple brewing tips, and honestly, you’ve got favors that’ll stick around way longer than cake.
These work great for morning ceremonies, brunch receptions, fall or winter weddings, and especially if you’re the couple everyone knows for owning every coffee gadget out there.
3. Infused Olive Oil
Small bottles of herb or flavor-infused olive oil hit that sweet spot between fancy and actually useful. Your foodie friends will definitely put these to good use in their kitchens.
If you’re into DIY projects, you can infuse olive oil with rosemary, garlic, chili, or other flavors about 2-3 weeks before your wedding day. Just grab some nice bottles and add small tags – the presentation really matters with these!
These are huge hits at Mediterranean-themed weddings, for couples who love cooking together, garden celebrations with herb themes, Italian-inspired receptions, and summer ceremonies. Plus, they look gorgeous displayed together at your favor table – all those golden oils catching the light is just beautiful.
4. Tea Blend in Tubes
For small wedding favors that feel both fancy and cozy, custom tea blends in clear tubes are just perfect. I love how you can see all the pretty colors and textures of the tea leaves through the tubes.
This is another favor you can make yourself if you’re big tea drinkers. Create special mixes that mean something to you (maybe ingredients from places you’ve traveled together?), and toss in tiny tea bags so guests can actually brew them without any fuss.
These work great for garden weddings, vintage-themed celebrations, afternoon ceremonies, and spring receptions. Your guests get this sweet little moment of calm to take home after all the dancing and excitement.
5. Mini Donut Boxes
There’s nothing like ending the reception (or starting the morning after) with a perfect little sweet treat. Small boxes with fancy donuts make the sweetest fun wedding favors – these will definitely disappear fast.
This isn’t something you can easily make unless you’re secretly a master baker, but working with a local bakery for custom boxes in your wedding colors really makes them special. I’ve seen couples add tiny tags with their names and wedding date, along with a sweet message like “Donut ever forget our special day!”
These work perfectly for brunch weddings, morning ceremonies, modern celebrations, and more casual receptions. Just have them boxed and ready to grab as guests leave rather than sitting out during the reception – nobody wants a stale donut!
6. Homemade Granola in Mason Jars
Homemade granola in little mason jars feels so personal and cozy. It’s like sharing a piece of your home with your wedding guests.
Making these is actually really simple! Create your favorite granola recipe (maybe the one you make every Sunday together?), put it in small mason jars with fabric tops, and include sweet little recipe cards. Your guests will think of your wedding day with every tasty breakfast.
These are perfect for rustic weddings, barn celebrations, country-themed ceremonies, morning receptions, and especially for health-minded couples. You get that perfect mix of thoughtful, useful, and completely personal.
7. Hot Chocolate Mix in Mason Jars
For winter weddings, layered hot chocolate in cute jars is about as cozy as it gets. Those layers of cocoa powder, marshmallows, and chocolate chips look so pretty and feel so festive.
This is one of the easiest DIY wedding favors to make! Layer your ingredients to create a visual treat, add a ribbon around the jar, and include a tag with mixing tips. I’ve seen couples get creative with different flavors – from classic milk chocolate to spiced Mexican hot chocolate with a kick.
These are just perfect for winter ceremonies, holiday-season celebrations, mountain venues, and ski-themed receptions. Your guests will think of your special day every time they curl up with a warm mug on a cold night.
8. Cold Brew in Mason Jars
For summer celebrations, ready-to-drink cold brew coffee in sealed mason jars makes such refreshing practical wedding favors. Nothing beats giving your guests a real pick-me-up for the morning after all that dancing!
You can definitely make these yourself if you’re feeling ambitious. Just brew the cold brew about 24 hours before your wedding, bottle it in small mason jars with tight lids, and add little tags with “drink by” dates (usually good for 7-10 days when kept cold).
These work really well for summer weddings, morning ceremonies, outdoor receptions, and are perfect for coffee-loving couples. I love when couples include a little note about why they picked that particular bean or roast.
9. Seasonal Fruit in Paper Bags
Local, seasonal fruits packaged in pretty paper bags with custom tags feel both thoughtful and green. It’s such a sweet, simple way to share wedding favors for guests that actually matter.
Making these yourself couldn’t be easier! Choose fruits that won’t bruise (apples, pears, and citrus work great), use stamped brown paper bags, and include a sweet note about where the fruits came from. I’ve seen couples add tags like “Apple-solutely perfect together” or “We make a great pear” for that personal touch.
Perfect for farm-to-table themed weddings, summer celebrations, farmers’ market lovers, and couples focused on earth-friendly ceremonies. Your guests get a healthy option after a night of cake and cocktails too!
Home Decor Wedding Favors
10. Embroidered Linen Napkins
Sets of nice linen napkins with stitched details, your initials, or your wedding date create useful wedding favors for guests that’ll actually stick around! Your guests will use these for years and think of your wedding every time they set the table.
This option needs some sewing skills or tools if you’re making them yourself. You can buy plain linen napkins and add pretty stitching, or work with someone who does embroidery for fancier designs. The key is picking thread colors that match your wedding colors or adding a tiny design that means something to your story.
Perfect for traditional weddings, vintage-themed celebrations, smaller intimate ceremonies, and elegant receptions. Guests absolutely love getting something that feels both special and useful for their homes.
11. Scented Candles
Scent memories are so personal, which is why scented candles in pretty jars make such great wedding party favors. Every time your guests light them, they’ll think back to your special day.
These are fairly easy to make if you’re crafty. You can pour scented wax into small jars, add cotton wicks, and decorate with ribbons and labels featuring your names and wedding date. The trick is finding a smell that fits your wedding theme – maybe flowers that match your bouquet or a cozy scent that reminds you of your first date?
These are big hits at winter weddings, evening receptions, romantic settings, and indoor celebrations. I’d place a sample candle burning at your favor table so guests can smell it before taking one home!
12. Ceramic Tile Coasters
Practical, personal, and pretty – tile coasters hit all the right notes! These ceramic or stone tiles turned into coasters with designs matching your wedding theme make for favors that will actually end up on your guests’ coffee tables.
This is one of those easy DIY wedding favors if you’re feeling crafty. Use plain ceramic tiles with alcohol ink for a watercolor look, decoupage for patterns, or photo transfer methods for something more personal. Don’t forget to add felt backing to protect furniture and seal with a waterproof finish so they actually work!
These work perfectly for rustic weddings, home-centered couples, crafty celebrations, and ceremonies with photo elements. I love when couples make different designs for each table, turning them into talking points during the reception too.
13. Personalized Fleece Blankets
For the coziest wedding favors, small soft fleece blankets with your names and wedding date are just perfect. It’s so thoughtful giving your guests something that’ll keep them warm and remind them of your wedding day.
These aren’t as easy to make yourself unless you’re planning to buy plain blankets and add iron-on transfers. They’re usually best ordered from specialty shops that can handle the customization. The key is finding the right balance between quality and cost – you want something soft and thick without spending too much.
These are huge hits at fall and winter weddings, outdoor evening ceremonies, mountain venues, and destination receptions where guests might even use them during the celebration itself! I love seeing all your wedding guests wrapped in matching blankets under the stars during an evening party.
14. Vintage Ceramic Vases
I absolutely love this earth-friendly approach to unique wedding favors! Vintage ceramic vases – each one different – create the most personal and fun favor display. Each guest gets their own one-of-a-kind piece, which feels so special.
You’re not making these yourself, but you’re definitely hunting for them. Start your thrift store adventures months before your wedding to collect fun small vases. Clean them up and pop in a little plant or flower. Some couples add little tags explaining their finds, which makes them even more meaningful.
These work perfectly for vintage weddings, mix-and-match styles, and earth-friendly celebrations. For smaller ceremonies, you can even match specific vases to guests’ personalities or home styles.
15. Potted Herb Plants
Living gifts really do keep on giving! Small herb plants in cute pots make the sweetest wedding souvenirs for guests that will remind them of your special day every time they cook.
Making these yourself is actually pretty simple. You can buy small herb seedlings, repot them into cute containers, add little plant markers, and include basic care tips. Herbs like rosemary, thyme, mint, and basil are tough little plants that travel well (plus they smell amazing!).
These work great for garden weddings, spring and summer celebrations, green ceremonies, and especially for couples who love cooking together. The punny tags are always a hit too – “Mint to be!” or “Sage advice: love grows with thyme” never get old.
Bath and Body Wedding Favors
16. Bath Salt Tubes
After all the dancing and celebrating, your guests will love getting something to help them unwind. Clear tubes filled with colorful bath salts, scented and matched with your wedding colors, are such pretty and useful wedding favors for guests.
These are super easy to make! You can mix Epsom salts with essential oils and natural food coloring, layer them in clear tubes to create a rainbow effect, and seal with pretty tops and custom labels. Couples get so creative with scents like “relaxing lavender,” “energizing citrus,” or “romantic rose” and let guests pick their favorite.
Perfect for spa-themed weddings, relaxation-focused ceremonies, and couples who love self-care. Your guests get this sweet reminder to take a moment for themselves after all the fun of your celebration.
Personalized Wedding Keepsakes
17. Custom Bottle Openers
Sometimes the most practical wedding favors are the biggest hits! Pretty or handy bottle openers with your names and wedding date are favors that actually stay in your guests’ kitchens for years.
These aren’t typically made by you – you’ll want to buy plain bottle openers and add custom tags or have someone carve your wedding details into them. Some couples get really creative with designs that tie into their story – from old-timey openers for history buffs to ones shaped like states for couples who met there.
Perfect for casual celebrations, backyard weddings, beach ceremonies, and especially for beer or wine loving couples. They hit that sweet spot between useful and memorable – exactly what you want in wedding favors for guests.
18. Canvas Tote Bags
With everyone thinking more about the environment these days, canvas or cotton tote bags printed with custom designs, quotes, or your wedding details are great cheap wedding favors that actually get used again and again. Plus, they can do double-duty as welcome bags during your wedding weekend!
These are fairly easy to make yourself with iron-on transfers or stencils, though for better results, you might want to order from custom printers with your design. You want to create a design your guests would actually want to carry – think beyond just your names and wedding date to include a nice graphic or meaningful quote.
These work great for beach weddings, destination celebrations, weekend-long ceremonies, and green-minded couples. The best designs are subtle enough that guests would actually carry them around while still being a sweet reminder of your day.
19. Custom Playing Cards
For the couple that loves game nights, custom decks of playing cards with your photos, initials, or wedding theme are fun wedding favors that are interactive too.
You can’t really make these yourself – they’re best ordered from specialty printers who can create high-quality cards. Your design can include your wedding colors, photos, and important dates in really fun ways – maybe your engagement photo on the back of each card or custom pictures for the face cards?
Perfect for casino-themed receptions, game-loving couples, destination wedding welcome bags, and activity-focused celebrations. Some couples even set up card game stations during cocktail hour so guests can break the ice while using their favors right away!
20. Personalized Shot Glasses
For adult-only celebrations, cute or themed shot glasses with your names and wedding date are wedding party favors that bring back fun memories of toasting your special day.
While not typically something you make yourself, you can buy plain glasses and add vinyl stickers or have someone etch your wedding details into them. Finding a design that feels special rather than basic is key – maybe using elements from your invitation or wedding theme makes all the difference.
These work perfectly for adult-only receptions, cocktail-themed celebrations, destination weddings, and evening parties. Some couples pair them with mini bottles of their favorite drinks for an extra special touch (just check your venue’s rules on alcohol gifts first!).
21. Engraved Chopsticks
For something a bit different, pretty chopsticks in nice gift packaging are unique wedding favors that are both good-looking and useful for certain wedding styles.
These aren’t typically made by you – you’ll want to buy quality chopsticks and add custom paper wrappers or carved details if possible. How they look matters here – pretty boxes with a meaningful message or picture can turn them from simple utensils into keepsakes.
These work really well for Asian-inspired weddings, fusion celebrations, international couples, and food-focused receptions. They look so elegant, especially when presented in beautiful boxes tied with ribbon that matches your wedding colors.
Interactive Wedding Favors
22. Kids Activity Packs
Trust me, keeping kids busy during your wedding ceremony and reception is a game-changer! Fun activity packs with crayons, coloring pages, and small games are small wedding favors that parents will absolutely love you for.
This is such an easy project to tackle yourself! You can create wedding-themed coloring pages (maybe a simple drawing of your venue or wedding elements), package them with small crayon sets, and add fun activity booklets in cute pouches or bags. Some couples include wedding-themed word searches, mazes, or even treasure hunts for different parts of the reception.
Perfect for family-friendly weddings, celebrations with many kids attending, daytime ceremonies, and multi-generation receptions. The kids stay happily busy, and the parents get to actually enjoy your wedding – everybody wins!
23. Live Portrait Artist
Here’s a wedding favor that creates an experience and a keepsake! Having an artist draw quick sketches of your guests during the reception creates unique and personal favors.
This isn’t something you can DIY – you’ll need to hire an artist who can draw quickly. You’ll want to give them a good spot with enough light and chairs for people to sit. Most artists can do a sketch in about 5-10 minutes, so think about how many guests you can reasonably fit in during your reception.
Perfect for fancy weddings, art-loving couples, longer receptions, and celebrations that need extra entertainment activities. I love how guests get both something fun to do and a truly one-of-a-kind keepsake from your day.
24. Caricature Artist
Think live portraits but with a funny, over-the-top style! Caricatures capture your guests’ personalities in such a fun way, creating wedding souvenirs for guests that are totally unique.
Just like the portrait artist, you’ll need to hire someone for this. Set them up somewhere visible with good lighting so guests know this fun option is available. The artist can usually finish each drawing in about 5 minutes, so it’s surprisingly quick.
Perfect for fun weddings, playful couples, casual celebrations, and activity-focused receptions. Guests absolutely line up for these – they turn into instant conversation starters during your celebration!
25. Mystery Book Bundles
For book-loving couples, “blind date with a book” favors – where books are wrapped in plain paper with only a short description – are really fun wedding favors that are personal too.
This is a really easy project! You can find used books (making this budget-friendly too), wrap them in brown paper, and write fun descriptions without giving away titles. Adding a ribbon and custom bookmarks with your wedding date makes them feel extra special.
These work really well for book-themed weddings, reading-loving couples, literary ceremonies, and vintage-inspired celebrations. I love when couples choose books that have special meaning to them – maybe favorites they’ve shared with each other or stories that show their values and interests.
Luxury Wedding Favors
26. Premium Cigars
For the right crowd, nice cigars in small boxes with custom labels are classy wedding favors for guests that create a moment to celebrate and relax after your ceremony.
These aren’t made by you – you’ll want to buy quality cigars and add custom bands or packaging with your wedding details. How they look matters – nice packaging with your initials or wedding date makes them feel like special keepsakes.
Perfect for adult-only receptions, traditional weddings, elegant celebrations, and outdoor evening parties with set-aside smoking areas. Some couples pair them with custom matches or cigar cutters for an extra nice touch.
Which of These 26 Party Favors is Your Favorite?
So which of these wedding favor ideas is calling to you? Planning to DIY something special? The best wedding favors are the ones that feel genuinely like you two – whether that’s something useful, fun, or purely heartfelt.
Your wedding favors don’t need to be fancy or expensive to be meaningful. What matters most is that they feel like a genuine “thank you” from the two of you to the people who’ve come to celebrate your wedding day.
Which ones are you leaning toward? I’d love to know what speaks to you!
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