DIY Wedding Favors - Save Your Budget With Things Your Guests Will Actually Love
You're at the point in your wedding planning where you're thinking about gifts to give your guests - enter the "wedding favor"!!! So let's first think about all of the weddings we've all been to...just how many monogramed shot glasses or dusty trinket do you need cluttering your drawers or cupboards? Wedding favors are supposed to be your way of thanking your guests for attending your wedding, so they should be personal, but they don't have to be boring.
2025 is seeing the wedding favor trend go in a few directions - something sustainable (that people will actually use), something plant based, something food based or foregoing the tradition all together in favor of something completely different (I'll give you a few of those ideas at the end of the article)!
5 DIY Wedding Favors Your Guests Will Actually Love
Tiny Succulent
Okay, so this one isn't necessarily "new", but it's definitely here to stay! Especially when planning a wedding on the Central Coast in California, where we still have water issues, this one just works. Succulents are surprisingly easy to come by - you can purchase them if you like, or you can find a friend who has them growing in their yard and take some cuttings (succulents are EASY TO GROW and just as easy to transplant). Now take those little beauties and put them in tiny cardboard containers (you can decorate them if you like) with a little bit of damp potting soil, and you have a great favor that your guests will think is super cute and they can actually put in their yard and watch grow.
Make Your Own "Love Cookies"
I really like this one, because it's both "experience based" and also "edible". You're going to buy mason jars in bulk to start - one for each guest. Then find a great cookie recipe (extra points if you use a family recipe) that's also fairly easy to make. Layer all of the dry ingredients into the jar and close it up. You'll want to add a "how to bake" tag - which you can personalize to your "love cookie" - that lists the non-dry ingredients and the rest of the directions. Take the tag and attach it to the jar with a piece of ribbon. Now you have a personalized and fun favor your guests will definitely love.
For the Wild at Heart - Wildflower Seed Mix
You can buy beautiful wildflower seed in bulk and it's pretty budget friendly. All you'll need for this one is a cute little bag - go for burlap or undyed cloth if your wedding is more on the rustic side, or you can even go for a pretty satin bag if your wedding is more modern or elegant. Personalize the bag with a ribbon and a hand written tag that says something like "For the Wild at Heart - Plant These Seeds and Watch Them Grow Like Our Love". Easy, budget friendly, and something your guests will definitely appreciate!
Everyone Likes to Eat - Cookie Boxes
We know everyone likes to snack, right? So, get yourself some adorable cardboard food boxes that are the perfect size for 1 or 2 cookies. Now, you can decide how budget friendly you want to make this one. You can either enlist the help of some friends and family and bake a few dozen (or more) cookies the day or two before your wedding, OR you can order some cookies from your favorite local bakery! Here on the Central Coast, the weddings that I've photographed that have had Brown Butter Cookie Company cookies as wedding favors ALL stick out in my mind - yes, I remember every one, because those are AMAZING COOKIES. Add a little decorative flair with a personalized tag and you're good to go with a favor everyone will love!
Honey Jars Aren't Just for Winnie the Pooh
Who doesn't love honey? I mean...it's tasty, it lasts a long time, it's great in tea and coffee, plus, it's such a beautiful golden color! Again, grab yourself some small jars that are also cute. Now you're going to need to fill them with honey. You can buy honey in bulk if you want, or get some extra points for finding a local honey vendor and enlisting them in your cause! Design yourself some personalized tags (make sure to point out if you're using locally sourced honey - your guests will appreciate that) and print them out! If you don't have a great printer or don't want to deal with that whole thing - you can design your tags online and have them printed by a dozen different places. To make it extra cute, use a ribbon to tie a little wooden honey dipper on the jar! Pro Tip: You can sub "honey" for a lot of different things - I've seen couples do maple syrup, coffee beans, dried flower potpourri, etc. - it's really up to you!
Now that you have a few great DIY wedding favor ideas your guests will actually love and use, let's talk about those couples who want to break tradition all together and go a totally different route! Instead of putting a little wedding favor at each person's place setting, think about something your guests might love or appreciate as they ARRIVE at your reception space.
No Wedding Favors, No Problem - Try These Ideas Instead
Custom Reusable Water Bottles/Cups
Your guests have just make it through your wedding, and I have a feeling they're thirsty. Why not have a beautifully set up display of custom water bottles (or cups) filled with water and ready for each guest to grab? I know I have a water bottle addiction and appreciate every one I have, plus, they can use it throughout the night! For this one, I would avoid personalizing it with your names, instead think of a cute saying that goes with your wedding theme, so they can feel good about carrying it to the gym or office!
Custom Cocktails and Mocktails Too
Again, your guests are heading into your reception and they're ready to party! Why not send them inside with a "Signature Cocktail" in a classy glass they can take home with them. Step it up by having a couple of bartenders who can whip the drinks up on demand (and make virgin options for those who don't drink alcohol) and make sure they tell your guests they can reuse their glass all night and take it home with them!
Donate to a Cause You Love
This one is gaining popularity in 2025, and it's a great idea for those couples who are really into supporting certain causes and know the majority of their guests are too. Create a cute little card that says "Thank you for attending our wedding, and as a thank you, we have donated $X in your name to (enter your cause or charity)" and put it with their place setting. With this option, you're not only giving your guests something unique, but you're also raising awareness and giving your money to a cause or charity that you appreciate.
Final Thoughts
We all know weddings are expensive, but with a little planning and elbow grease, you can create some pretty awesome DIY wedding favors that will help your budget and also give your guests something they will actually use or love. Gone are the days of wasting money on things people are just going to toss or put in a box in the closet. If you choose not to offer wedding favors, you can take the money you would have spent on those and put it toward something like a "Signature Cocktail" experience or a charity donation gift.
Whatever you choose, it's going to be amazing - remember, this is YOUR DAY, don't waste your budget on things that aren't going to be loved or remembered. And when it comes to memories, don't forget your wedding photography is going to be one of the only lasting things from your wedding day, so make sure to get that ironed out as soon as possible! Contact me today if you're ready to chat about wedding photography packages!