Bridal magazines feature a heap of mass-produced “personalized” wedding favors that cost a fortune once you multiply your gifts by fifty… or heck, even 300!
Now of course, the best way to do cheap wedding favors is not to do them at all, which is cool by us. No one here is saying you have to do favors if you're not into the idea.
That said, for those who have chosen to do favors for their guests, here are some cunning ways I've found to source cheap wedding favors for your loved ones without resorting to taffeta bags of almonds…
Look into stores that are going out of business
And take it even further, and ask for a discount price on the last of all of one stock. I recently found ninety mini plaques with inspiring quotes on them for $1.50 each — down from $10 apiece!
Buy in bulk from a wholesaler
Look for retail wholesale suppliers for bulk candy or chocolate and hotel suppliers for mini-soaps etc. You may be able to place a one-off order or find a friend who owns a cafe, restaurant, or motel who can arrange the order for you.
Personalized cheap wedding favor mugs available here
Look for bulk deals from places like this
You can also look for end-of-lines from wholesalers and retailers. Be wary of trying to match colors you see on a computer screen to your fabric samples though — it seldom works! (spray paint does though…)
Watch for off-season clearance sales…
This is where planning ahead will serve you well — having a fall wedding? In December, start drawling your favorite party supply shops. They'll be filled with winter holiday decor, and all the Halloween and autumn stuff will be on sale!
…Especially after Christmas
Look for discounted “gourmet” cookies. You can either use the cookies as-is on your table or pull them apart and repackage the presents. Last year I got twelve-packs of Christmas crackers worth $35 for under $5 — that's less than fifty cents per favor. Or look for cheap chocolates (check they don't expire before the wedding date), candy, and fudges.
The super cunning can also buy cheap marked-down Christmas cake to have handy if you don't quite have enough slices of wedding cake to go around. A 1kg iced Christmas cake bought in January sets me back about $5, lasts for another six to eight months and can save paying an extra $100 for another tier on the wedding cake. I'm keeping an iced fruit cake handy for fussy purists who won't like my awesome chocolate cake.
Gift baskets are often on sale after January, too
Look at the contents and see if you can pull the basket apart and repackage the gifts — mismatched favors wrapped in complimentary wrapping paper (or wallpaper) make for a unique centerpiece too.
Cheap jewelry stores often have bargain bins full of out-of-season jewelry
Take to them with a set of pliers and you have some fabulous embellishments for centerpieces or favors.
Consider buying a whole roll of cellophane to wrap up your favors
It's far cheaper than buying single sheets and you can use the cellophane for future Christmas and birthday presents too.
Instead of fancy handmade boxes, pick up some white paper sweet bags
Sometimes you can even get these bags from your local dairy or sweet shop and decorate them with stamps or preprinted stickers. You can seal them with a sticker, sealing wax or ribbon and they can double as name place tags too.
How did you save money on YOUR cheap wedding favors? Share in the comments!
Want even more budget favor ideas? We've got a massive archive of affordable wedding favor ideas to steal.
