Looking for wedding favor ideas!

[colormouse]

Hi!
I'm getting married in 3 months and I can't decide on wedding favors for my 180 guests. I don't want to be cheap but I don't want to spend alot of money either. I would love to know what people have used or are planning on using for their favors.
Thanks in advance!

Candace

 

[inloveindisney]

i suggest looking on ebay, sometimes you can get a lot of favors for cheap.
so far I am getting my guests chocolate mickey and minnie suckers and lanyards for their tickets. they are each 1.00

 

[Amberle3]

Since we're getting married in Vegas, we're considering decks of playing cards personalized with the wedding date.

 

[Kismetdreams]

Rather then give out favors that no one would care about in a week, we decided to make a charitible donation to the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, in my Grandma's name. At the time, she was in between her 2nd and 3rd rounds of chemo for breast cancer. My grandmother as moved to tears and so happy and no one missed the favors at all.

We created a "Thank You Scroll" that we left on each place setting that thanked everyone for coming and explained the charitable favor. We also had bowls of M&Ms in our wedding colors on each table for the guests to enjoy during the reception, rather then have individual candy favors.

 

[angey77]

Originally posted by inloveindisney
so far I am getting my guests chocolate mickey and minnie suckers and lanyards for their tickets. they are each 1.00

Where did you get the suckers from?

 

[Fantasia Sam]

We had shell favours made and also gave out a persaonlised CD of all our wedding day music which happened to be all Disney of course.

 

[Geebs]

We did a donation as well..We each had a cousin who is autistic, so we donated something to a center for Autistic research and development. People actually cried when they saw the note we left on each person's plate!

 

[anniet]

We had a small wedding- we gaved boxed sets of 4 crystal coasters. The guests loved them.

I bought them off the internet at www.favorfavor.com

They have some great favors at reasonable price.

 

[colormouse]

Originally posted by Geebs
We did a donation as well..We each had a cousin who is autistic, so we donated something to a center for Autistic research and development. People actually cried when they saw the note we left on each person's plate!

Geebs,

That is a wonderful idea! I have a nephew who is autistic and I see how hard it is for my sister and her husband to raise him. She is always looking into better programs for him. What research center did you contribute to and how much would you suggest I contribute for 180 guests? Did the center give you something to hand out to your guests or did you type up a note yourself? I would love to hear more about this, do you have a picture of how you set up the notes on the table? Also did you have any guests who commented on not receiving a "gift" favor. All of my family and most of his family will understand the meaning behind my guesture but some may not and I wouldn't want them to think I was being cheap even though I would be more likely to spend alot more on autism research than little favors that are thrown away or eaten in a day. Thanks for everyones ideas this one really touched me though.

Candace

 

[Geebs]

I contributed to a local center in CT. ( the Connecticut Austim Resource Spectrum Center) We found out about the place because of a few charity events (walk a thons, etc) that the center runs that we have participated in. I unfortunately don’t have any pictures of what we used, but I can describe it as best as possible. I used a small piece of letter stationary (not an 8.5x11….smaller). I lucked out because my bridesmaids wore black (nighttime wedding) and the paper had a really pretty black boarder on one side of it. I don’t remember the exact words I had on it but I have a copy of it at home if you would like me to email it to you or I can post it here later tonight. (Or, if I have an extra copy I can send it to you in the regular mail. just let me know)

I had them placed flat on the bread and butter plate at the reception. Very simply done, but because the paper was really pretty it didn’t take away from it at all. I know people who have done note cards, scrolls, etc. I was able to print them off myself, using a fancy font, so the cost was minimal. We donated $500 for a wedding of 240 people. I think that the total I spent on the paper was around $40-$50. (It works out to $2.30 per person and not a ton of work either). I had to get boxed sets, but I am still using the envelopes now, and I have been married for almost 2 years.
As for people not liking the idea…most people I know were so glad that they didn’t have a little “trinket” to take home. People stopped me during the reception to say what a nice, thoughtful idea it was. (Especially after seeing the parents of the autistic children crying when they read them)

Let me know if you want any more information, I will be glad to help

 

[jennycee]

OK, after reading everyone else's posts, I realize I am a nut!
We are making stained glass Mickey Christmas ornaments, and along with that we made music CD's to be packaged up with them.

Not to mention the welcome bags with lots of goodies in them they will recieve when they check in to their hotels, the characatures they are getting at the welcome party, AND the t-shirts that I made iron-ons for that will be given to the guests that are staying and going into the parks with us!

I think we went a little over board!
We spoiled them!
But they are traveling a long way to see us and celebrate with us!

I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF!!!

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Nope you're not a nut at all.

We also made welcome bags and put goodies in them.

For the rehearsal dinner - it was a Lilo and Stitch Themed tropical party at 'Ohana and I arranged for favours for all the guests there too of Pinapple scented soaps and candy bars.

<img width=500 src=http://img41.photobucket.com/albums/v126/SamByrne/Favours/Picture_049.jpg>

<img width=500 src=http://img41.photobucket.com/albums/v126/SamByrne/Favours/Picture_048.jpg>

 

[Geebs]

I think that is all depends on the size of the wedding...it you are have 100 or less people, there are so many more things you can have...we invited 275 to our wedding ( not my choice) and if all of those people came, it would have been really expensive. Even 240 was a lot. Plus, I couldn't find anything that I wanted to give that hadn't already been done in my immediate family or very close friends. The smaller the wedding, the more nuts you can go. Even something that costs $3 each would have been well over $700 yikes...I just felt most people at the wedding didn't need anything and there are those people that could use some help.
Please...if I had my wedding where I wanted it (um...you guess it WDW) it would have been a much smaller affair and I would have gone nuts on those who came!

 

[colormouse]

Geebs,
I agree with you. I was looking into lenox heart frames that were $5 a piece with 180 guests...that was $900. I also think those who need help would benefit from a donation to autism research. A lenox frame will just collect dust. I like the idea of using wrapped chocolate bars as placecards, so my guests will still get a treat. A donation to research will be appreciated, especially to those who matter most. We will be getting nice gifts for our bridal party and my parents as a thank you. Does anyone have any suggestions of what to get for my parents as a thank you. They are paying for my reception that is costing them $$$$. I am a lucky girl!

Candace

 

[cs2sgrl]

I really love the Tshirt Idea.. We have no idea who will becoming and who will be not. We have invited close to 75. I would love to make Tshirts though. I was thinking of making shirts for the Rehersal and having the shirts say, bridemaid Groomsman, Mother of the bride and so on..
I would also like to do a welcome bag, but I do not know where to start, what sorts of things are good to go in them?

 

[jennycee]

I should have mentioned that we are actually asking for people to donate rather than give us a gift. That is why we are being so good to them, that and they are traveling far to see us!

We are having just under 150 down to Disney for the wedding. I am lucky in the sense that my future mother in law and I are making the stained glass ornaments ourselves. My fiance and I are burning the cd's ourselves and I designed and printed the holders for them, we bought out the clearance t-shirts at Old Navy and I printed and iron-on-ed the designs. So we saved a lot of money by doing it ourselves in any way we could.

The welcome bags I am ordering from a discount paper supply place and we are going to hit up BJ's for the snacks!

We are putting snacks, personalized bottles of water, chocolates, and a Florida lottery ticket in ours, with a personalized itinerary for them with how to get from each hotel to each party.