How to Make Unusual Wedding Favors

Jordan almonds are traditional, but wedding favors can be more creative.

Wedding favors allow you to show guests your appreciation. If you don’t want to give the same kinds of favors you have received at other weddings, make your own favors. Plan on making favors well in advance of the wedding so that you have plenty of time to make as many as you need without feeling rushed. Ask your bridesmaids who are artistic or skilled in crafts to help you make the favors.

Instructions

1. Purchase blank T-shirts that you can decorate and buy T-shirt transfer paper at an office supply store. Choose a fun slogan or picture, run them off on your color printer, and iron them onto the T-shirts. Or use fabric markers and just write something fun on the front or back of the T-shirt; try one simple word like "love" in a large, round font.

2. Get teddy bears or other stuffed animals from a dollar or discount store. Tie them with wide ribbon that matches the theme or color scheme of your wedding and put them at everyone's place settings. Write a personal note, roll it up and tuck it under every ribbon. "Thank you beary much for coming" is all too obvious to go with a teddy bear, for example.

3. Purchase jars from a wholesale company or a store that sells supplies for candles and canning. Save your pennies or go to the bank and ask for rolls of them. Fill the jars with pennies and tie them with a wide, fancy ribbon. Or go to the bulk candy store and purchase candy in your wedding's colors or theme and fill the jars with these.

4. Purchase Shrinky Dinks plastic sheets and key rings. Print a design on the Shrinky Dinks using your computer and printer, cut them out, shrink them and make them into key chains.

Tips & Warnings

• Buy T-shirts in the largest size available; it’s easier for people to find a use for a larger shirt than one that is too small.