So Ms. Otter and I continue to plan our wedding, and we have decided on a wedding favor. Many of Ms. Otter’s wedding magazines say that the guests enjoy something edible like mints or chocolates, but this is the opposite of my experience. I usually lose them, or they get thrown away, or are quickly forgotten. And why give something edible when the reception will have appetizers and such anyway?
Instead, we are thinking of giving each guest (or pair) a copy of this classic Peanuts book - we think it is a more lasting gift than the typical chocolates or mints, and is something that reflects how we feel about them attending our wedding - that is, very happy. We would have stickers made up to put on the inside cover with a thank you note and our names and the date.
Would you like getting this as a wedding favor? Or would you be expecting something edible?
Have you received any unique wedding favors that stick out in your mind, that you really enjoyed?
But then, I like books, I like original people, and I hate that wedding favors tend to sit on a shelf gathering dust instead of being eaten or smoked (some of the guests in my brother’s wedding were surprised enough by the lack of cigars to actually ask “what, no cigar?” “see my dad over there? he’s never been fat, man, but he’s got lung cancer”).
Oh great, a book I have to store and cherish for the love of the Otters.
Really, it’s not a horrible, horrible, idea, as long as you promise me now never to ask pointed questions about the whereabouts of the book (or search people’s shelves for evidence that they’ve kept them).
Edible is good because it IS disposable, and most people have way too much accumulated crap of our own choosing without adding crap given to us at wedding receptions and baby showers and the like.
Not to suggest that your book is crap, exactly, but . . .
Would I like it? Probably. Like it more than something edible? Questionable–and not because I’m looking to the favors to appease my appetite.
As far as I’m concerned, asking me to share in your happy wedding day is “favour” enough. I must admit I don’t get the idea of needing to give gifts to guests. And let’s face it, your day is a lot more important to you than it is to them. If they want a constant reminder of your happy day then they’ll frame a photograph to display.
With all that bah-humbug-ness in mind, and I appreciate I may represent the minority here, I’d much rather some sweeties which I could enjoy a few days later than a cutesy book which I’ll never open.
I think it’s a sweet idea and wouldn’t mind a keepsake like that. But I don’t know that I think favors are necessary at all. There’s no one keepsake that people will all like and want to hang on to. ETA: Agreeing with sandra on the photo as a remembrance, rather than something you plan on ahead of time.
My friends did bright little Chinese food box type containers with LiveStrong and breast cancer bracelets they bought, as a remembrance of relatives who couldn’t be there, and to make a meaningful donation to celebrate their day.
I prefer edible but that is actually quite charming. Even people who don’t want it can find someone with a kid to give it to.
Eureka is right, though, don’t expect to see it on everyone’s bookshelf for generations. If the prospect of re-gifting doesn’t offend you, consider using a bookmark rather than a sticker, then it’s more easily passed along once it was enjoyed the first time.
And I agree that favors aren’t necessary. pulykamell (who does photos) says he only sees them at about half of his weddings, maybe less.
I forgot to tell my parents this before my sister’s wedding. They brought back a 140 pure silver traditional mini oil lamps from India.
Most of my sister and bil’s guests, who weren’t Indian, didn’t realise that they were fairly valuable and left them on the table at the end of the night. My parents ended up distributing them to the Indian moms who wanted extras.
I’ve seen this pattern rinse and repeat at every wedding I’ve been to where the favours are something other than candy. Unless you’re giving a faberge egg or some sort of gift bag from a Trumpesque wedding, they tend to get left behind.
I’m for edible favors or none at all. My wedding was just before Rosh Hashannah - I gave apples & a minijar of honey tied with a ribbon. About a quarter (20) got left behind, but I happen to love apples and honey Win win!.
It is definitely better than many of the things I have heard being given as favours (since we sell favour boxes/gift bags/etc here, I speak to brides/wedding planners all the time!) and I think it would be sweet to give out, and would definitely make me smile to receive. I personally think that the majority of wedding favours are crap and should just be left out of the equation. I think all the little edible things are sweet, but many times taste like shite, and get thrown away – give what you want to give. People will either appreciate it or not, regardless of what it is.
For those who tend to not like a gift if it isn’t edible, what is the primary reason? Is it because you don’t want more “stuff” to junk up your home?
If you received a little book, would it make a difference if there were a hand-written note inside instead of a sticker? I like the idea of a hand-written note - nothing long, just “Dear so-and-so, we are so happy that you are able to be here with us today, and hope we can share some of our happiness with you. Love, the Otters”. Ms. Otter doesn’t like this idea because of all of the hand-writing, and the fact that she would be the one most likely to do it since her writing is much better than mine…
Also, since a couple folks brought it up, I don’t really think we care what happens to the books after we give them away. While we would love for people to enjoy them, I personally don’t care if they build a shrine to the book or use it to balance out their workbench in the garage. We definitely wouldn’t ask about it if we didn’t see it prominently displayed in front of our friends’ photos on their mantlepieces.
Handwritten note only increases the burden of “I can’t get rid of this, the Otters gave it to me”. And I’d feel bad for Mrs. Otter if she got stuck with 90% of the burden of doing the handwriting. Save the labor for where it will be appreciated–in the wedding favor isn’t it.
Eureka, I think Ms. Otter agrees with you completely about that. And given some of the feedback in this thread, we may just put in a printed bookmark instead of any kind of note so that if a guest really doesn’t like the book at all, they can donate it or regift it without worrying about removing a sticker or a handwritten note.
Just to clarify, I’d really like your book but I would still give it to my nephew. I just like to see stuff get reused. I’ll bring home favors and such, but mostly because I may have a crafty use for it someday. Like a rubber-ducky baby shower favor might go on the top of a kid’s birthday present. Once a name and date gets stamped on, there’s not much you can do with it.
I also love the personal touch of a handwritten note. Just not on stuff I can regift
ETA: I do like getting books with inscriptions but that’s more when it was it’s picked out Just For Me. A mass purchase isn’t quite the same.
I personally would find this a much better favor than some nasty butter mints in a plastic or paper box (talk about clutter) or yet another refrigerator magnet. (Do people still have magnets on their fridges?) My perception may be colored by my fondness for Charles Schulz and Snoopy, though.
I must presume that this is a small wedding, spending $6 on each favor seems extraordinarily expensive to me.
tumbleddown, I don’t know what is considered small or large. I did some research and made some phone calls, and we are getting the books at a considerable discount - better than Amazon. We could not have made this choice if we had to pay the full $6 per book.
Although the book is cute and original, I don’t think it’s very practical. How often will our guests really ever read it? Once, maybe twice? Most likely, I’d either pass it on my niece who is now 7 or save it for my daughter.
For my wedding, my husband and I chose these coasters. They were relatively inexpensive, classy, and could be used by our guests on a daily basis. They came in bundles of 4 wrapped in a clear plastic box and tied with a silver bow. We attached a sticker to the box with our names and wedding date on them. They were a hit at the wedding and are regularly used my our guests. We even kept a few extra sets for ourselves and use them all the time.
I don’t think we used the same company that I linked to, but something very similar. It looks like this company even allows you to personalize the gift tag, which is nice.
Don’t get me wrong, I think the book idea is adorable, just not very practical.
I like the book idea better than some wedding favors I’ve gotten. I agree with everyone who prefers edible – it’s easy to get rid of, and doesn’t clutter up the house, and the happy couple never ask “hey, where’s the ____ we gave you at our wedding?”
I hate picture frames with a passion, particularly the ones with a picture of the happy couple inside. What am I supposed to do with that – put their picture up in my house, or throw their picture out and put something else in there, so that they get offended that I threw their picture out but kept the frame? And the magnetic ones that go on a fridge? My fridge isn’t magnetic, but even if it were, I don’t think I’d choose to clutter it up with pictures.
Wine bottle corks are okay; I’ve got three or four of them somewhere around here. I don’t really use them; we tend to kill the bottle in one go.
DoperChic, the coasters are cute, but not my style, so they likely would have been donated as well.
Which leads me to my conclusion: wedding favors are not intended to suit the individual preferences of all your multitudinous guests. They are intended to be a symbol and sign of your happiness that people put their good clothes on and gave up a Saturday to eat your food, drink your wine, and share in your joy at getting married. As such, I think the wedding favor should reflect you as a couple, not necessarily what you think people would like or use (because, again, it’s not an individual gift). So I agree that the books with a personalized bookmark are a great idea.
I would love it. I had that book when I was a kid. Probably still do someplace if it hasn’t been eaten by silverfish. I’m amazed to see it still in print!
We would have stickers made up to put on the inside cover with a thank you note and our names and the date.
Win win!.