25 Homemade Wedding Favors Your Guests Will Love
More than just a present, your wedding favors are a reminder of your big day and big commitment to your friends and family, so it’s important to think outside the box — and off the shelf — when it comes to picking them out. Creating homemade favors not only shows your guests how much you care, it’s a chance to show off your personal style, bond with your spouse-to-be while tuning into your creative side, and gives your loved ones sweet reminder of your special day. Check out these unique favors you can make at home.
By: Sarah Crow
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Mug Cake -157683
Give your guests a treat that serves double duty with a mug cake. Collect a wide variety of cute mugs from your local thrift store, and make easy microwave mug cakes in them for your guests to take home. Once they’ve finished their cake, they can use the mug for their morning coffee.
Photo Credit: Mr. Michael Phams/Flickr
Ornament
Give your friends and family an adorable reminder of your wedding with a handmade ornament for the holiday season. Thoughtful and practical, this project just requires a bit of fabric, pillow stuffing, thread, and ribbon. Even if you’re no whiz with a sewing machine, small ornaments can be easily hand-sewn in just a few minutes and will likely become part of your guests’ holiday decor for years to come.
Photo Credit: Casia/Flickr
Jam
For those of us who love spending time in the kitchen, there’s no sweeter favor to gift friends with than a tiny jar of homemade jam. Decorate the jars with ribbons or favorite fabrics, and add a personalized tag thanking each guest for being part of your wedding day.
Photo Credit: Rooster Farm/Flickr
Loose Tea
A calming cup of tea is just what you'll need to wind down from a wedding weekend, so why not gift your guests with your own special tea blend? Herb, spices, and a few pieces of citrus zest create a delicious herbal tea that will become a kitchen staple for even the biggest caffeine addicts.
Photo Credit: Justin Henry/Flickr
Soap
Some wedding favors are merely meant to look pretty on a shelf, but if it’s practicality you’re going for, there’s nothing better than a bar of homemade soap. Combine lye, water, coconut oil, essential oils, and the herbs, flowers, and exfoliating agents (like oatmeal) of your choice to create a useful gift that’s easy to cook up in large batches. If your wedding has a theme, it’s easy to customize your soap to match — wrap in plaid fabric for a country twist, or add a blue tint and sea salt for a beachy vibe.
Photo Credit: SoapyLoveDeb/Flickr
Cookie Mix
Your wedding's sweet treats don't have to end with the cake cutting. But instead of sending your guests home with a cookie or two, give them a whole batch — with a jar full of cookie mix and a recipe tag. Heartfelt, inexpensive, and easy to assemble, this favor is a surefire hit for guests of all ages.
Photo Credit: _e.t/Flickr
Figurine Keychains
Get in touch with your inner child for this adorable project — just grab a few mini-figurines and dress them up like brides and grooms with a little bit of fabric, glue, and imagination. Hook the figurines onto key rings, and you’ll have a one-of-a-kind favor that your guests won’t be getting at any other wedding.
Photo Credit: Dirkb86/Flickr
Flip Books
For an easy and inexpensive favor, make a wedding flip book. Using just a pen, paper, and a few staples or ribbon, you can create an adorable wedding cartoon that starts at “I do” and ends with a lot of misty-eyed guests.
Photo Credit: Axisworks/Flickr
Paper Mask
Make your wedding selfies special by giving each guest a homemade mask at their place setting. With just a few ingredients, like cardboard, glue, paint, and yarn, you can make adorable animal masks that will add a fun, special touch to your wedding snaps. We especially love this idea for Halloween weddings and for the kids at weddings year-round.
Photo Credit: Douglass R. Witt/Flickr
Coasters
Give your guests the gift of ring-free furniture with a set of fun coasters. Print out a few of your favorite photos, back with cardboard, and seal in resin or just a coat of Mod Podge for an adorable place to rest a cup.
Photo Credit: Elin B./Flickr
Mini Potted Plants
Weddings may be a lot of work, but these favors are about as low maintenance as they get. Plant succulent clippings in mini terra cotta pots for a charming favor that even those without the gift of a green thumb can enjoy year in and year out.
Photo Credit: Sean A. O’Hara/Flickr
Snow Globes
Capture the magical spirit of your wedding day with an adorable miniature snow globe. Whether you’re making a wedding scene or going for something a bit sillier, homemade snow globes are bound to inspire awe — and awws — from your guests.
Photo Credit: NathanMac87/Flickr
Truffles
Send your guests home with a reminder of the sweetness of your wedding day with a mini box of homemade truffles. They’re easy to make in big batches, can be personalized with tasty toppings like pistachio and coconut and, if you’re lucky, you can treat yourself to any leftovers when the big day is over.
Photo Credit: Nick Harris/Flickr
Potpourri
Let your guests enjoy the gift of a sweetly scented home with a bag of homemade potpourri. A few weeks before your wedding, air dry a mixture of flowers, herbs, pinecones, cinnamon sticks, and fruit rinds, toss in a mix of your favorite essential oils, and let the combined ingredients sit in an airtight container for a week. Spoon the completed product into gift bags, and send your guests home with a personalized present they can actually use.
Photo Credit: RJP/Flickr
Hangover Kit
After a night of dancing, drinking, and loud music, there will inevitably be a few headaches the following day. Give your (adult) guests the gift of a pain-free morning with a kit containing headache medicine, mouth wash, an eye mask, and a bottle of water — it may not seem like much, but trust us, they’ll thank you.
Photo Credit: Nan Palmero/Flickr
Granola
If you have friends and family traveling across the country or globe for your wedding day, it’s safe to assume that some of your guests will be getting an early start the day after your celebration. Send them off with a small jar of homemade granola for the road — if they can wait to enjoy it at home, it’s an amazing breakfast treat, but if not, it also makes the perfect plane or car snack without milk.
Photo Credit: Franz Conde/Flickr
Mini Terrariums
You may see the same favor ideas over and over at weddings, but mini terrariums aren’t likely to be on that list. Using just a few ingredients easily obtained at your local craft store, like clear jars, moss, and animal figurines, you can create an adorable home décor piece your guests will eagerly display for years to come.
Photo Credit: Lindsay Turner/Flickr
Sachets
Vintage handkerchiefs can be easily repurposed into sweet-smelling wedding sachets with just a few steps. Combine your favorite spices, citrus rinds, and dried flowers, and either sew them into a pouch or simply tie them up in a hanky with pretty ribbon for a pretty, personal favor.
Photo Credit: CakersandCo/Flickr
Candles
Give your guests a non-cheesy reminder of the eternal flame between you and your significant other with a homemade candle. Add essential oils to a paraffin, soy, or beeswax base, and transfer into the vessel of your choice with a wick in the center — sea shells and tea cups are adorable containers for these cute gifts.
Photo Credit: slgckgc/Flickr
Pinwheels
Throwing rice at weddings may seem like an antiquated tradition at this point, but that doesn’t mean you need to forgo all fanfare as you make your walk back down the aisle as a married couple for the first time. Instead of rice or rose petals, make a batch of colorful pinwheels for your guests to spin as you make your way back through the crowd — they’re easy to assemble and will add a touch of whimsy to your wedding photos.
Photo Credit: Nakimusi/Flickr
Coloring Books
Even the most lively wedding can have a few lulls, so give your guests a fun and entertaining favor in the form of a homemade coloring book. Whether they’re filling in cartoonish pictures of you and your significant other or just coloring in pages you’ve printed from the internet, a coloring book is a great way for adults and kids alike to have a little extra fun.
Photo Credit: Eugene Kim/Flickr
Bubbles
Bubbles are a fun favor for adults and kids alike. A mixture of water, sugar, glycerine, and dish soap transforms into magical, iridescent bubbles when blown through a plastic wand. Pour the combination of ingredients into a small jar, tie a wand onto the side, and you’ll have a cute favor that'll make your wedding photos look magical.
Photo Credit: Clint Mason/Flickr
Bath Soak
Weddings can be a stressful time for everyone, from the bride and groom to their guests, so give your friends and family the gift of relaxation as they exit the party. Combine sea salt, epsom salt, and the essential oil blend of you choice in a cute jar or pouch for a calming bath soak they’re sure to love.
Photo Credit: Tyrone Adams/Flickr
Vanilla Extract
Vanilla extract is as ubiquitous in cooking as tear-filled toasts are at weddings, but it’s also a surprisingly pricey purchase. If you love to bake, send your guests home with a little bottle of homemade vanilla extract that they can use in their own recipes — soak sliced vanilla beans in bourbon or spiced rum, store in a cool dark place, and in about a month’s time, you’ll have an amazing gift ready for wrapping.
Photo Credit: Ted Major/Flickr
