Most young couples just starting out cannot afford to give extravagant wedding favors to each wedding guest. Perhaps there are ways to find a balance and still give recognition to those who have taken the time and expense to attend this special event.

If the couple getting married is older, they have somewhat the same problem relating to the expense of wedding favors. However, they may be having a small wedding and just a few guests which does lower the financial burden they would have in purchasing wedding favors.

Whether a young couple or elderly, the newlyweds do want to honor the guests who have come to share in their wedding day. There are many ways to thank them, especially if it is not a large group.  It may take getting very creative, especially if money is an issue.

Especially when the couple is older, they may have friends or groups who could make something special to use at wedding favors. Senior citizen groups quite often will make themselves available to do some crocheting to make lovely doilies or things like that and then the names of the couple and their wedding date can be put on it to make it very personal. They can be made in many different colors and will be treasured gifts to the wedding guests.

Special gifts are usually given to those who are in the wedding party and are not put on the tables. Even children who are carrying flowers or rings in the wedding should be given special gifts that are appropriate for their age. Gifts should be given for the pastor who performs the ceremony and for any special singers in the ceremony.

Mainly, what is most important is not about how much the gift costs, but that the couple wants to warmly thank the guest for sharing this special occasion with them, and let them know that they recognize them personally. This is why it is not appropriate to give your guests generic gifts that are all the same for everybody. That is not showing that you value each guest personally.

One thing that is in questionable taste is giving out things relating to the business of the newlyweds. For instance, if the groom sells insurance, it’s poor etiquette to give out discount cards for insurance, or if the bride sells makeup, it would not be appropriate to give a discount card for a makeup party.

It is always in good taste to give favors that proclaim the marriage union of the couple including their names and date of their wedding. Including a card that says, “Thank you for sharing in our wedding day” would be warmly received by any wedding guest, especially if addressed to the guest by name.

have to be ordered in advance? Who will be in charge of all this?  There are so many details in planning a wedding and the reception, and the stress can be overwhelming to the bride and groom and their families. So much time goes into all this planning that adding something like unique wedding favors for each table may be too much.

If the wedding and reception will be in the church of the wedding couple or their families, there might be a women’s group in that church who would be willing to make wedding favors for the tables. That would definitely cut down on the expense and the stress on the wedding party.

There could be crochet doilies with the names of the wedding couple and the date of their wedding, and these would be homemade by the ladies of the church. The expense would be minimal and the ladies would probably be honored to be asked to do this for the couple.

Another idea is decorative large champagne shape glasses with little colored marbles in the bottom and then something decorative with the names and date on that. Most of these things could be purchased at a local dollar store. They look very expensive and are really beautiful on a table.

If the wedding couple is quite young and are having a very small reception, they could have different gift cards wrapped in colored paper that co-ordinates with the wedding colors. Other suggestions, if the young couple isn’t worried about money, are mp3 players, cell phones, or some other modern technical things that young people are so crazy about these days.

What seems the best are table favors that have the names of the wedding couple and the date of their wedding. That is something that any wedding guest would be thrilled to have to keep as a memory of that special day shared with family and friends.

Just because a couple might want the wedding favors to be unique at each table doesn’t mean the favors can’t be the same thing. They can be the same thing, just in a different color. Then they will still be unique.

Some receptions have beautiful vases on each table in different colors with either silk or real flowers that are similar to the flowers that are in the wedding party. Especially ones with silk flowers make a great gift as they don’t die and would be a beautiful memory of the special day.

Whatever party favors are chosen, the guests should always be kept in mind, and they will be greatly appreciated.

Wedding favors are an essential part of every wedding, and the duty of finding and purchasing them should not be left to just anyone. Consider only those who are good at shopping and enjoy it.

Once you have chosen this special person, a few important tasks will need to take place before the items are purchased. Firstly, the bride and whoever is overseeing the wedding needs to make a list of what wedding favors should be purchased. Online research and wedding magazines, among many resources, may be a great place to start if inspiration is needed.

Once the list of wedding favors is done, the next step is to sit down with the elected person and discuss the list. You should also discuss the desired prices of each item and the best recommended places to shop for everything. When meeting with this person (and anyone you select to help out), it might be a good idea to take them out for a small informal lunch to go over you list. You’d be surprised what a difference starting them out in a positive mindset can make.

Be clear about what you are looking to get. Give them a sense that you respect their discretion and taste as well. If you are still unsure they will make the right choices about certain items, there are a couple of solutions. One is to browse online and print pictures, or email the wedding favor planner links of things that generally reflect what you’re looking for.

Another way to ensure the correct wedding favors are purchased is to tell the person ahead of time that you’d like to see everything they purchase as soon as they purchase it, so you can let them know immediately which incorrect items may need to be exchanged. (This is particularly important to do within 10 days or whatever the store’s return policy demands.)

Finally, it might be a good idea to just purchase the items yourself. It’s easy these days to place an order at an online store and have the products delivered. Do this well in advance, though, as few things are more frustrating than having the wedding favors arrive the day after the wedding!

First of all, it is typically considered proper wedding etiquette to give out wedding favors. While people may not be upset if you miss this element, it may be considered tacky to do away with it, especially in the eyes of older and maybe more traditional types. It is up to the bride and groom to discuss the outlook of their families and friends to determine what the attendees will be hoping for. (The truth is that most people will not notice a lack of wedding favors. If it simply isn’t in the budget, consider skipping it!)

Many times the bride’s mother has a very vested interest (and is historically very controlling) and will want to have a say. Planning a wedding can be very stressful, and it’s important that everyone involved in such planning be flexible.

If you do decide wedding favors are the right thing, you still have the dilemma of deciding what items and choosing a budget. Just because wedding favors may be expected does not mean you have to go overboard. A simple flower will often do the trick, and you can incorporate extra flowers into your existing order for floral decorations and such.

Pricing on wedding favors can be flexible with certain merchants and stores that offer discounts on wholesale quantities or any large orders. Check around. If you know what you’re looking for, look online and use the term “bulk orders” or “wholesale” in your search term. (Obviously, include the item in your search term as well.)

Wedding favors, among many things, are the reason it’s important to get replies back from RSVP requests in wedding invitations. It’s also a reason why it is important to concentrate on the invitations very far in advance (up to a year or so). This gives you time to plan everything. If you know how many guests you have, it will be much simpler determining what items you can afford for that number of people. So consider this as a factor when you set the date by which you would like the RSVP returned.

General advice when planning a wedding is to make a list of everything the bride and groom (and their immediate families) would like to see included at the wedding and, again, which items could be left out with little consequence. Items topping that list obviously include the dress, the décor, reception food, DJ, etc. Non-priority things which could be left out if the budget cannot accommodate them include professional orchestras and wedding favors. While wedding favors are, granted, quite traditional, they are a non-essential.