It is the most meaningful day of your life. The day is rich with expressions of your love for each other, and you want to extend that love and gratitude to your guests with a party favor. You want them leaving with a memento of the two of you becoming one, but also with something that shows them that they have been an important part of making the day memorable. A keychain or shot glass may be in vogue and treasured by close relatives, but the average guest may not be too interested in keeping this forever. Uniting practical, tasteful, meaningful, and of broad appeal can be quite a challenge, no matter what your budget. Here are some ideas:

Wedding Favors For the Nature-Conscious

Sustainability is a big concern for many couples, and extending that to your guests’ party favors is a good way of engaging people in that vision.

• Personalized seed packets
• Fair-trade coffee or tea packets
• Birdseed ornaments

Wedding Favors For the Practical-Minded

For those who want to give a favor that will be useful, yet still tasteful, you may want to turn to consumer products and spruce them up a bit for the celebration.

• Personalized matchbox or tissue packet
• Engraved pen or pencil
• Personalized notepad
• Personalized lip balm
• Embellished light bulb, wooden spoon, air freshener, etc.

Elegant Wedding Favors

To extend a little luxury and elegance from the festivities, some useful items that express indulgence without obligation might be appropriate.

• Homemade bath bomb scented with essential oil
• Monogrammed, scented candle
• Decorative bar of soap

Just for Fun Wedding Favors

If you are interested in extending the fun a little beyond the reception, give them something they can engage in doing.

• Photo-booth photos
• Sparklers (but don’t forget that these aren’t legal in MA!)
• Scratch tickets

Edible Wedding Favors

Practical and popular, likely to be well-employed and enjoyed, food is generally a good option and often just needs a little creative presentation to make it special.

• Chocolates, mints, or other candies
• Miniature bottles of alcohol (be sure to check with your venue about their policies on giving liquor as favors)
• Petit fours, macarons, personalized fortune cookies, or other up-scale baked good
• Flavored nuts, popcorn, or another snack
• Miniature bottles of honey or maple syrup
• Personalized water bottles
• Jars of seasoning

Whatever memento you choose to send home with your guests, however common or transient, can be transformed into a memorable gift with a little time and creativity. What you want them to remember is not the gift but what that favor represents. They need to know they are appreciated and thought of enough to be given something that touches their lives without obligation.

Photo: Paul Specht Photography