Your wedding favor is a small but meaningful gesture to thank your friends and family for being a part of your special day. While traditional wedding favors such as candies or chocolates are always appreciated, why not make your wedding favors stand out with unique, quirky ideas? There’s no rule that says your wedding favors have to be conventional! We’ve put together a list of 11 fun and unconventional wedding favor ideas to inspire you.
Why Do We Give Wedding Favors?
You might be surprised to hear that wedding favors are a centuries-old tradition – yes that’s right, they’re not an invention of the social media generation! The French aristocracy used to give small porcelain boxes filled with sugar cubes as a sign of wealth and good luck to their wedding guests. In other countries, sugared almonds were the go-to wedding favor, with their sweet yet bitter flavor symbolizing the bittersweet ups and downs of marriage.
These days, wedding favors come in all forms. While they’re still considered a gesture of gratitude, they can also add to the overall theme and look of your wedding. People have moved away from the traditional sugar and sweets, and most modern wedding favors now double as keepsakes that guests can take home and cherish, reminding them of your big day.
This opens the door to boundless creativity! There’s no restriction on what you can give as a wedding favor – it just has to be small enough for guests to take home. So why not think outside the box and surprise your guests with unique wedding favors that’ll leave a lasting impression?
11 Quirky Custom Wedding Favors
Thanks to custom manufacturing companies like The/Studio, it’s easier than ever to personalize wedding favors. Here are 11 custom wedding favor ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
1. Celebratory Medals for Your Guests
Who doesn’t love a medal? You could commission custom medals for your wedding souvenirs and hand them out towards the end of the evening. It could be a “well done for making it through the event” joke, and yet another opportunity to thank your guests for being there.
You could also customize your medals with a message like “Thank you for Celebrating with Us” and include the date of your special day. Another option is to have a unique design printed on them, such as a symbol that represents your love story, or a monogram of your initials as a couple. You could even order a few thematic medals such as “Best Dancer” or “Best Dressed” and turn it into a fun game for your guests to compete in.
At The/Studio, you can order custom medals in any shape you like, color-filled, or simply die-struck like a coin. We can even add a ribbon or lanyard to make them easier to wear and display. And since we have low minimums, you can order unique designs to cater to the different personalities of your guests, as well as bulk orders for your entire wedding party.
2. Lapel Pins Featuring The Happy Couple
Custom lapel pins are an alternative fashion staple and thanks to their small size and customizability, they make perfect unconventional wedding favors for guests! There are so many ways to create pins – enamel, die-struck, printed epoxy-coated, and more. If you want to create a photorealistic lapel pin, then a printed pin with epoxy coating is the way to go. You can take a photo of yourself and your partner and send it off to a custom manufacturer to turn into wearable art.
There are so many other ways to customize your pins too – you can add glitter or rhinestones, and your choice of backing. Lapel pins are a great way to get really creative with your wedding favors. And the best part is that your guests can wear them again and again after the wedding!
3. Quirky Beanies or Hats with a Message
Who doesn’t love a good hat? If you’re having a winter wedding, cozy custom beanies are the perfect wedding party favors. You can design them with your initials, the date, or maybe a funny quote that represents you as a couple. There are lots of different ways to add a personal touch to your beanie – your design can be knitted on, embroidered on the front, or you can attach a custom patch. They also make for great photo opportunities on the dance floor!
If you’re celebrating in summertime, then custom baseball hats are a great alternative. You can customize them just like beanies, but with a different style and material. Whatever the season, hats are a fun and practical wedding favor that will be used and worn – unlike many other traditional favors that end up collecting dust on a shelf.
4. Personalized Cufflinks for the Groomsmen
If your groomsmen have been by your side through thick and thin, why not show them some love with special wedding party favors just for them? Personalized cufflinks are a perfect gift that they can wear on your wedding day and for future special occasions. It’s these small details that are sometimes overlooked by the couple but always remembered by the guests!
From initials to a meaningful symbol that represents your friendship, you can customize the design in lots of creative ways . This is also a great way to add a cohesive look to the groomsmen’s clothing too. And if you want something a bit extra, why not go all in and add some rhinestones for a touch of sparkle? If your theme is more elegant, go for engraved metal cufflinks. Whatever your style, personalized cufflinks are thoughtful and unique wedding favor ideas for the special men who have been a part of your journey as a couple.
5. Cute Custom Keychains
Keychains are another option if you’re looking for cute but practical wedding favor ideas that guests will actually use. Why not create custom keychains with cute cartoon versions of you and your partner? It’s a fun and lighthearted way to thank your guests for being part of your special day.
You can design the size, shape, color, and material to suit your style. You could even choose a keychain that is a nod to your wedding destination or theme – such as a mini surfboard for a beach wedding, or a miniature Eiffel Tower for a Parisian-inspired celebration. Keychains are an affordable option that your guests can carry in their pockets wherever they go.
6. Commemorative Coins for a Memorable Day
If you’re looking for something unusual, consider gifting your guests with commemorative coins. Traditionally, custom coins are used to celebrate milestone events, so what better way to mark your wedding day than with a special coin that guests can keep as a memento? You can customize the borders, colors, and designs of the coins to suit your wedding theme and include any special details or symbols that hold meaning for you as a couple.
Coins are also small and easy to pack, so they make perfect wedding favors for guests who are traveling from out of town. At The/Studio, we can help you create beautiful, high-quality coins that are fully customized with your own design.
7. Patches Featuring Your Favorite Things
Custom patches come in many forms – embroidered, woven, bullion, chenille, or PVC. They are widely used for branding, but they also make great wedding gifts for guests. You can create custom patches featuring your initials, wedding hashtag, or even a design that reflects you and your partner’s interests. For example, why not make a set of patches with you and your partner’s favorite things? These could be anything from favorite hobbies to favorite foods, your pets, or even your favorite movie quotes!
Not all patches have to be sewn on either – there are iron-on or adhesive options for a quick and easy application. Guests can use these fun and unique patches to decorate their jackets, bags, or hats, making them a practical yet personal gift.
8. Themed Stickers or Bumper Stickers
Stickers are fun, affordable and so easy to customize. How about a bumper sticker that says, “I survived [the couple]’s wedding” or a sticker with a cute wedding illustration and your names? You could also opt for themed stickers that tie in with your wedding theme or location. For example, if you’re having a beachside wedding, you could give out stickers shaped like seashells or palm trees. If you’re celebrating in the city, you might opt for an iconic landmark sticker.
Stickers can be placed on just about anything – notebooks, laptops, water bottles, or even cars. Choose from vinyl, clear, metallic, holographic, or even kraft paper if you’re looking for rustic wedding favors. You can really get creative and have fun with your designs.
9. Money Clips with a Custom Emblem
For small but practical custom wedding favors, you could order personalized money clips. These are perfect for a wedding with a more minimalistic theme. You can have your initials or a custom emblem engraved on the clip, making it a thoughtful and personalized gift.
You could also opt for a design that represents your love story, such as a heart-shaped clip or one with your wedding date. If you’re having a themed wedding, you could even have an emblem that ties in with your theme. For example, a mountain silhouette for a rustic outdoor wedding or a compass design for a travel-themed celebration.
10. Tie Bars for the Classy Gents
For the gentlemen in your wedding party, custom tie bars are a sophisticated and stylish wedding favor idea. These can be engraved with initials, names, or with an emblem that holds special meaning to you as a couple.
Tie bars are perfect for weddings with a formal dress code, and your guests will appreciate having one to complete their look. They also make great keepsakes and can be used for years to come. You could even have them packed in a personalized box or pouch for an added touch of elegance. At The/Studio, we offer a variety of finishes for tie bars such as gold, silver, gunmetal and rose gold to match your wedding color scheme.
11. Socks with Your Faces Printed on Them
Socks might seem like an odd choice for a wedding favor, but why be boring? You can order custom socks in bulk with your design of choice printed on them – talk about a unique keepsake! You could “cartoonize” your faces or turn them into caricatures, and then print them all over the socks. It’s fun, it’s quirky, and it’s definitely memorable.
But the best thing about socks as custom wedding favors is that they’re also practical, so your guests can actually use and wear them. So many wedding favors get left behind, thrown away, or pushed into the back of a drawer, but socks are something that will always come in handy. At The/Studio, we can help you create personalized socks, using your chosen design, with low minimum orders. Whether you want crew socks, no-shows socks, quarter socks, or knee-highs, we do them all. We also offer a variety of printing methods, such as dye-sublimation, knitted or 360-printed. It’s totally up to you!
Partner with The/Studio for Your Custom Wedding Favors
If your big day is approaching and you’re still on the hunt for unique wedding favors, then we’re here to help. We specialize in creating high-quality custom products that are perfect for any occasion, especially weddings. All you need is an idea and we’ll bring it to life for you.
Our ordering process is easy – just fill out a simple form and we’ll handle the rest. We can send you a sample before we produce your entire order, so you can be sure everything is perfect before the big day. And with our low minimums, you can order as many or as few custom wedding favors as you need. Don’t settle for generic, store-bought favors when you can have personalized and more meaningful ones.
FAQs
What should be in a wedding favor?
It’s really up to you what you want to include in your wedding favors. Many couples like to match the wedding favors to their overall wedding theme. For example, if you’re celebrating in the autumn, you could include pumpkin-themed enamel pins or other fall-inspired items in your wedding favors. The other option is to create wedding favors that represent you as a couple, such as the things you like, something related to how you met, your jobs, or hobbies. The choice is yours!
Is it rude to not give wedding favors?
It’s not necessarily rude if you don’t give out wedding favors, but it is a nice gesture to show appreciation for your guests’ attendance and support. Wedding favors are a small token of gratitude that can make your guests feel special and remembered, while also serving as a souvenir from your special day.
How do you distribute wedding favors?
The most popular way to distribute wedding favors is by placing them at each guest’s seat during the reception. This way, guests can easily grab their favor before they leave and it becomes part of the table decor. Another option is to have a designated table for wedding favors, where guests can pick them up at their leisure. Alternatively, you could also have a family member hand out the favors as guests leave the reception.
What is a traditional wedding favor?
It varies across cultures, but traditional wedding favors often include small gifts like candies, almonds, or sugared almonds. These are meant to symbolize good fortune and well wishes for the newlyweds.
