Cut the Cost – Personalized Wedding Favors

Unique Ideas for Unique Couples and Photographers
In keeping with our last article for low-budget weddings, today’s will give you some interesting ideas for low cost wedding favors aimed at the do-it-yourselfer, and those planning small weddings.
Today, a lot of couples opt to forgo the wedding favors in an effort to keep things simple, and keep costs down. Those looking for low-cost wedding favors in smaller numbers can find ways to create a favor that is unique to them.
Favors can also include photos, and this is where your wedding photographer can help. Many couples will use engagement photos, but most small-business photographers will be willing to work with you to provide other unique photos, prior to your wedding. If you think this is an option for your wedding day, then be sure you negotiate this when you discuss the photography contract with your photographer.
Photos such as parts of the wedding dress or headpiece, the couple’s rings, the bride’s shoes, the invitation and any number of other similar still-life type photos can be used, either along with the engagement photo, or instead of one.
First is the “tag” or card attached to the favor. Small cards with the couple’s name and wedding date: these can be ordered from bridal catalogues or online shops in bulk. But if you are looking for something different, try the “MiniCards” from Moo.com. These are roughly an inch by two and three-quarter inches, printed on both sides and come at a cost of $19.95 US for 100 cards.
With the minicards from moo, you aren’t limited to using one image for back of the cards – you can use as many different images as you like, while retaining the same details on the front. The cards are good quality, and once you receive them you can use a special hole-punch of your own choosing (these can be had at dollar shops). Buy one with a heart-shaped hole cutter, or other shapes to suite your style.
Favors can be simple, like these wedding bubbles. You can get these in basic bottles with no decorations, or like these you see here, in bottles with doves on top, bottles shaped like wedding cakes, or even bottles shaped like a wine bottle. Labels with your details can be printed and placed on these, or tiny photos if you prefer. All of the ones pictured here came 4 in a package for $1.00.
These white chocolate roses on sticks were made by hand. Bulk stores sell chocolate discs in a variety of colors, as well as having the candy molds to create your own edible favor. These were inserted into small bags using the colors chosen for the wedding.
Dollar shops also sell packs of net or mesh, pre-cut into rounds suitable for those wanting to use more traditional favors – mints, sugared almonds or some other form of sweet. Buy your candy in bulk shops, wrap them in your mesh, tie with your choice of ribbon and attach your Moo card.
For those not so traditional couples, there are many other things you can use – seed packets personalized with your photo and wedding details (yes, containing seed, of course) make a wonderful favor that is also…useful, and environmentally friendly (green). Easy to do, and many seed types can also be purchased in bulk.
Small printed yearly calendars with your details and photo are also different and unusual, as well as useful. Small enough to fit in a pocket, handbag or wallet, your friends and family will carry these for the year to come.

(Note: the above calendar will be available as a template with tutorial over on Free-3D-Textures.com by this coming weekend, so if you want to try these make sure you check the photoshop tutorials section for the calendar template)
One last unique item for today (though I’m sure many of you can come up with your own ideas) that combines photography and wedding favors is one we used at my daughter’s wedding.
Since it was an outdoor wedding (no tent) in July, we planned ahead for a hot day. We took cardstock (this comes in packages and can be had in a variety of colors besides white) and cut out hearts (all the same size) – two for each fan. Using an exacto knife or other similar cutter, cut an opening in one of the cardstock hearts – square, oval, round, or heart-shaped. Behind this opening, glue a photo of the couple. You can glue lace or other edging at the edge, and add a stick or handle to hold it with. Spray painted tongue depressors work well for this, but there are other options for more elegant weddings. Glue the second heart to the back of the first, with the tongue depressor or handle between the two. Pretty, useful in the situation, and inexpensive.
This wedding had about 90 guests and given the fan’s design, we expected only the women would want them. We made more fans than the number of women we expected and had the ushers hand them out to the women on their arrival.
The day was very warm, and we were lucky to have made the extras because a lot of men took one as well. We were very surprised to find that people found these a unique and welcome addition to the wedding day. These were not intended as the favors, but for those planning an outdoor wedding these might be a good choice instead of a traditional favor.

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