Wedding Favors that your guests will actually take home!

Tell me if you have done this before. You go to this friend’s wedding, they are thoughtful and have the cutest little magnets with their engagement picture on it or have a koozie with their names on it or something else that’s cute but you don’t really need another random thing in your life, especially with someone else’s name and faces on it, so you kind of “forget” about the favor at the end of the day…..yeah! Me too! In reality, this is the case for most bulk wedding favors.

I am of the opinion that you either invest into something that represents YOU AND makes your guests feel special or just forgo of the traditional favor idea completely! It will honestly be more of a “favor” for the guests if they don’t feel obligated to take something that they feel like is going to just add clutter to their life and homes. 

Now, enough bashing on traditional favors, let’s talk about the alternative! 

An experience of getting something personal! So, not just a personalized item (which would still be cool and better than traditional favors) but I am saying to offer something where they would be invested in the process. They not only get the “favor” but they also get to “watch” that favor getting made JUST FOR THEM! And for you, you get entertainment AND favor for the guests checked off the list!

Just imagine….just after you get married, you take some time as a couple to enjoy each other, then run with your photographer to take some magical “married” pictures! And while you are enjoying that, your guests slowly move to your reception place and instead of awkwardly wandering around to kill time, they come and get their portraits made! Or they come and watch an artist engrave the very simple wine glass or shot glass or bottle opener and turn it into a one-of-a-kind ~ unique gift for themselves! I promise you that you will keep hearing about that in the years to come!

Here are some of my tips on how you can create an unforgettable experience for your guests!

St Louis Live Guest Portrait Painter

1. Live Portraits:  You might have seen this trend getting more popular in social media where guests can get their portraits made in front of them! You can have one or more artists on site and they take pictures of your guests and at the end of the event, your guests take home a super cute portrait to commemorate your big day! You can add your wedding logo or something small to still leave your mark but you won’t see them throwing it away anytime soon! It will be a cherished gift and memory. However, unless you are planning on having multiple artists, this only works for intimate weddings. 50-75 guests or less.
   

2. Live Engraving or Calligraphy: 

Now if you are planning a wedding with 100-250 guests, engraving or just plain calligraphy personalization on something that is mass produced. For example, you can have wine or whiskey glasses that all look the same but have an engraver at your reception that can personalize them in front of your guest. Personally, it takes me 1 minute or less to engrave a name on a regular surface, so I can cover your 100-200 guests in just 4 hours. And there are so many options in this realm that can be tweaked to fit your timeline, guest count, wedding theme, budget, the options are truly endless! But I am here to work with you from the beginning to the end of this process to find the perfect fit for you and your guests!

Some ideas for custom favors are:

• Any type of glasses (wine/champagne/shot/whiskey etc.)

• Salt shot glasses

• Luggage tags

• Coasters

• Tumblers

• Bottle openers

• Succulent pots

• Fans

• Keychain

• Mini bottles of wine/oil

• Candles

As you can see, the options are truly endless. So, if you are planning your most special day, let me help you make it unforgettable for your guests too! Fill out the contact form below and we can get started on your vision. Even if you don't know where to start or if certain things will work, I am here to help answer all those questions!