Simple & Personalized Wedding Favors Beyond the “Monogrammed Trinket”
Even if a luxury gift box isn't in your budget, you can draw inspiration from the masters for your DIY. (Photo: Simone LeBlanc)
We know that (most!) weddings don’t happen overnight; instead there are months of planning and years of dreams coming together to create an experience that everyone involved will remember. We also know that to actually make all of this happen it’s not a solo show; it really does take a village. Demonstrating gratitude for those who show up and turn it out for you is an important part of the experience. Thus, your wedding favors should get some true creative thought. Not only are wedding favors a signature way to thank your wedding guests and leave them with a memento of your marriage, they offer yet another way to be creative with your wedding planning process.
With this in mind, we’ve been chatting with some of the foremost creative’s in the wedding industry to gather a few suggestions for your wedding favors; tokens of gratitude that go far beyond the monogrammed trinket.
If you’ve planned a destination wedding, it’s always a great idea to generously thank the ones who’ve come the extra mile to celebrate with you. The team at Simone LeBlanc are known for their particularly delightful “Warm Welcome Box.” This warmest of welcomes is expertly crafted to make sure your guests feel your gratitude in the most genuine way. The Welcome Box includes a bountiful assortment of both instant indulgences and take-home treasures, designed to evoke the luxury and care of a special and memorable stay. Another detail we love? They offer this sweet wedding favor with the option to monogram or not to monogram. Beautiful!
Alison Rinderknecht, Creative Director over at Alison Events, is a big fan of meaningful keepsake alternatives sharing, “though it can be easy to get monogram fever and stamp your initials and wedding date on everything, remember that it's your wedding, not your guest's and as much as they love you they may not hold onto a beautiful leather pouch or a wooden frame if they are branded with somebody else's name on them. Instead, think about gifting something that they will use in the future, or that they can enjoy the weekend of your wedding and reflects the wedding locale.”
This cheeky carry-all will capture guests' hearts and sense of humor. (Photo: via Jove Meyer Events)
We’re down for some personal, simple gifts that feel touching and authentic. Sometimes, one of the best ways to translate authenticity is with a little humor. Far from the branded monogramed gift is the wedding favor that Jove Meyer, of Jove Meyer Events, has been obsessed with over the last few years: a white ceramic mug that says "I got this shitty mug at so and so's wedding." Meyer loves it for it’s simplicity and irony, “because who doesn't need another coffee mug and they called it out like it was!”
Another gift that’s always well received? In-the-moment beverages. If thoughtful wine or beer isn’t your thing (or your guest’s thing) there are alternatives. “Recently we did a Valentine's Day wedding and it was so so cold. In anticipation of this the wedding favors were cute red tumblers filled with hot cocoa, they were spill proof and guests could warm up on their way home,” says Meyer.
If you’re leaning liquid for your wedding favor of choice and if, say, your liquid preferences skew more adult, we suggest coupling your favor with an additional thoughtful take-away: a hangover cure to go. Throw together some beautifully packaged electrolyte enhanced water, some ibuprofen and a little lavender or peppermint essential oil and you’ll have your guests feeling very taken care of and feeling ready to rally the morning after.
Lastly, if you’re looking for something adorable, light-hearted and thematically on-point for basically every wedding, Meyer has you covered with his brilliant “Totes Getting Married” tote bag. Some fab swag on its own or a wonderful addition to carry around all the other lovely wedding favors you charm your guests with.