How to Select Wedding Favors on a Budget

Weddings are known to be costly events. The amount of funds spent on a location, flowers, rings, dresses and other "essentials" can squeeze even the most generous of budgets. When it comes to the little things like wedding favors, it is often necessary to tighten the reins on spending. Fortunately, there are wonderful small favors that can be had at very good prices.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Craft supplies
• Baking supplies

1. Select small candies or loose flowers for inexpensive wedding favors. Candies can be bought by the pound at low prices, while you can buy loose flowers from florists without a huge outlay of funds from your budget. Dress up the candies by packaging them in pretty bags tied with a ribbon--you can even sew simple bags yourself from inexpensive fabric. Make the flowers special by wrapping ribbon around the stems and attaching cards thanking the guests for attending.
2. Select favors from discount retailers that deal in small bulk items like mini picture frames, coasters, key chains, writing utensils, figurines, candles, soaps and themed items to find affordable wedding favors. Websites like The Wedding Favor Bar and eFavors, for instance, have a wide selection of favors that cost as little as $1 if you buy a large quantity--usually around 100 items (see Resources below).
3. Make your own wedding favors to trim costs. You can bake brownies or cookies and enclose a recipe card with each one, crochet small sachets to fill with your favorite potpourri, or enclose homemade goodies like peanut brittle and fudge in simple paper baggies.
4. Select colored votive candles as wedding keepsakes. Not only are candles traditional symbols of romance, they're also inexpensive and useful for your wedding guests. Buy in bulk for the best price, or even make your own--paraffin wax can cost as little as 75 cents per pound. Check out PeakCandle.com for wax, wicks, dyes and molds (see Resources below).
5. Consider whimsical items when shopping for wedding favors on a budget. Little white bottles of bubbles, frosted glass coasters and compact mirrors shaped like hearts are all good gifts that won't break your budget.
6. Write your own wedding favors for a unique, inexpensive keepsake. Take favorite poems, sayings or your own words regarding your big day, and have them printed on card stock. (If you can do calligraphy, write them by hand.) Attach a small bell or a piece of candy to each card, and put bowls of these wedding favors at each reception table.

Tips & Warnings

• Gather items from nature like seashells or pinecones for free but special wedding favors.
• Don't overbuy--instead, choose a single favor for each wedding guest to take home. There are few things as depressing as a reception hall littered with leftover favors.

Who Can Help:

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