Irish wedding favors ideas
Our top 10 Fab Wedding Favour ideas, particularly those you can make yourself, perfect for creating that personal touch
I've said before that I am not the biggest fan of wedding favours, it always seemed to me to be a sure fire way to bust the budget for very little return. And with favours ranging from the simple chocolate (nom-nom-ed before the meal has even begun) to the (frankly crazy) crystal perfume bottles (I am not kidding) you risk your guests either not noticing the effort, or judging you for the splurgefest and wondering where you got the cash, or silently accusing you of bankrupting your parents.
Having said all that, today we are all about adding a little bit of originality and personality to your big day, and as a little gift to your guests, wedding favours can be super if they reflect your taste as a couple, and show you have put some thought and care into giving them something they will enjoy. So we've come up with a list of our favourite Original & DIY Wedding Favour Ideas. Some you can buy, some you can make, some you can cook - all should make your guests smile, and provide them with a fun little reminder of your wedding and many of them are very eco-friendly...
1. A Jar of Jam or Chutney
Even if you're not a domestic goddess, there are few things that are easier or more satisfying than making your own jams or chutneys. ?
So grab your trusty Ballymaloe cookbook, start up a family & friends jar collection, or buy them very cheaply in bulk from Alpack and get cooking.
3. Fancy a Cup of Tea?
Is there a person in Ireland who doesn't love a cuppa? (scratch that, Mr. Naoise-to-be doesn't). Anyway... Most *normal* people love a good cup of tea so how about giving your guests a pretty little tea wedding favour to bring home with them to enjoy after the celebrations are over? Over on Project Wedding they have a great little tutorial for creating your own diy tea bag wedding favours.
4. Cakes & Biscuits - Sweet Treat Favours
A long-time staple at Irish weddings is the chocolate favour, and cupcakes have become the biggest wedding trend since the white dress, but we think you could skip them as wedding cake and just give guests cupcakes or cookies to take away - they will appreciate them so much more the next day over a nice cup of tea. Nothing like some sweet icing to nurse a hangover...
5. Stamped Spoons
A personal favourite of mine - Stamped Spoons are silver spoons that are stamped with a message, the person's name, the date, a sentiment or whatever. What's great about stamped spoons is that while you can buy them ready made, they also make for a funky little diy project for the groom could take care of. Metal stamp sets are available on Amazon, you can collect silver spoons at markets or on Ebay, and MossyMossy has a tutorial on how to stamp spoons correctly.
6. Wedding Playlist on CD
Perhaps not strictly speaking the most legal wedding favour but a hark back to the mix-tape days, creating a CD of your favourite songs as a couple, the wedding playlist or songs that reflect your relationship or memories from your single days is a fun gift to give to wedding guests. For your friends especially there are bound to be lots of songs you have in common and bring back flashes of great times together. The secret to this wedding favour, is as with the others, presentation - go beyond the plastic cover and come up with a pretty design or label that works with your style. The examples we've chosen above show how cool a simple CD can be.
