According to the rules of etiquette, wedding favors are not necessary. Many couples, especially those on a tight budget, feel that they are a waste of money. However, if a couple does choose to have wedding favors it is important to ensure that every guest receives one. Couples that can’t afford to provide each guest with a wedding favor should skip them all together, according to proper etiquette.
The main purpose of wedding favors is that they are the bride and groom’s way of thanking their guests for coming to their wedding. However, it is just acceptable to simply thank guests during the wedding reception toasts and/or in the receiving line rather than handing out wedding favors.
One of the reasons that many people feel that wedding favors are a waste of money is that most of the time, they are not practical gifts. Some people only support the idea of giving wedding favors when the favor is something couples can actually use when they get home. Suggestions for practical wedding favors include items such as can koozies, wine glasses and luggage tags, all of which can be personalized.
However, even practical wedding favors are not necessary unless the bride and groom really want to give them. In fact, in a poll of married couples a handful of respondents reported they had seen wedding favors discarded after the guests left the event. If this is any indication, wedding favors are an unnecessary and wasteful expense on a day that costs most people thousands of dollars already.
A creative alternative to thanking guests without offering wedding favors is to put a little extra work into the place cards for the reception. Including, for example, a love quote on each place card may inspire guests to take them home, meaning technically they doubled as a wedding favor anyway.
Many couples that choose to skip wedding favors completely spend the money they save on those favors to extra food and drink instead, something guests are likely to appreciate more. Yet some feel that in this case they are ripping their guests off, as food and drink from a wedding reception can’t be taken home. To find the best of both worlds, many couples buy sparklers for weddings which can be used during the reception and then taken home if there are any left. Most wedding venues require you to use 36” wedding sparklers for safety reasons, so make sure you communicate with them before you go shopping. They are very inexpensive and they make your celebration even more memorable.
While wedding favors are seen as unnecessary by many couples who get married in their own home town, there are those couples that choose to have a destination wedding and give each guest a gift bag before they leave. Since guests travel to a destination wedding at their own expense, the general consensus is that wedding favors are the best way to thank them for doing so. Many couples that have a destination wedding also leave a small favor at the hotel’s check in/out desk to be given to guests when they arrive.
Ultimately it is up to each couple to choose whether or not wedding favors are a necessary part of their big day. For some couples it’s a must, while for others it is an expense that is simply not worth it to them.
