When you first sit down to plan your wedding, you may be dreaming of yards and yards of white lace and fine tulle, only to discover the tulle makes you itch and the lace snags on nearly everything.
Maybe you aren’t the lace and tulle type. Maybe you are the casual type, where a simple dress with simple lines best defines who you are as a person and the lifestyle you have chosen for yourself.
In that case, opt for a casual wedding. You may discover that there’s a lot less stress with a casual wedding and reception, because everything, including your casual wedding favors, comes together organically.
Those wedding favors don’t have to be fancy tokens of your gratitude, but they should be something that reflects the true personality of the marrying couple.
Although country rustic wedding favors with mini-Mason jars full of goodies are becoming a thing of the past, fun and casual ideas include:
- Cloth wedding favor bags with personalized M&Ms in wedding colors and stamped with the bride’s and groom’s initials, their photograph or other symbols important to the couple. Not fancy, just fun.
- Keychains that reflect what your hobbies are. You can get keychains with plastic goldfish, guitars, crosses, or medallions at one end, and if you are a wine connoisseur, use corks from various bottles of wine.
- Go green. Some of the most appreciated casual favors will put your guests to work. Send them home with a tiny seedling, a small plant or even a package of wildflower seeds.
- Create mini terrariums or seascapes with clear votive candle holders to echo the setting of your casual wedding and reception. For the seascapes, use colored sand and diminutive shells, fill with water and float a votive candle on top.
- A simple project is to make your guests coasters from cork or inexpensive 4” tiles. You can stamp each tile with a design reflecting your wedding theme, tie two tiles in a package, and give them to your guests as wedding favors.
- Bottle openers and wine cork also make simple and casual treats for guests, and perhaps they’ll lift a glass to you long after your wedding.
These favors can be placed in gift bags or boxes, and the gesture of wrapping the favor makes it seem all the more special to your guests.
Sometimes, simple is more. A casual wedding and reception that fits your lifestyle can be exactly what you need to launch your married life together. If you do decide to opt for the less formal, be sure that your casual wedding favors fit the style and tone.