You’ve spent a small fortune on the venue, the dress, and the photographer. The last thing you need is to blow another few hundred quid on tiny boxes of sugared almonds that nobody actually eats.
Good news — wedding favours don’t have to be expensive to be thoughtful. In fact, some of the most memorable ones cost less than a pound each. Here are 20 budget-friendly ideas that your guests will actually want to take home.
Edible Favours
Let’s be honest — food is almost always a winner.
1. Personalised chocolate bars. A mini bar with a custom wrapper featuring your names and date. You can order these in bulk for around 50p–£1 each, or buy the chocolate and print your own wrappers for even less.
2. Mini jars of jam or honey. Particularly lovely for a country or rustic wedding. Buy in bulk from a local producer and add a handwritten tag. Bonus points if you source from a farm near your venue.
3. Bags of pick ‘n’ mix. A nod to childhood nostalgia that always goes down well. Grab some cellophane bags, a ribbon in your colour scheme, and a trip to the wholesaler.
4. Homemade fudge. If you’ve got a reliable recipe (or a willing mum), fudge is cheap to make in big batches and looks beautiful wrapped in wax paper.
5. Tea bags with a pun. “The perfect blend” printed on a little tag attached to a quality tea bag. Simple, cheap, and genuinely useful.
6. Hot chocolate kits. A small bag of cocoa powder, mini marshmallows, and a tiny candy cane. Perfect for autumn and winter weddings.
7. Seed-topped shortbread biscuits. Bake a big batch, wrap individually, and tie with twine. Rustic, personal, and delicious.
Plantable & Eco-Friendly Favours
For the environmentally conscious couple — and there are more of you every year.
8. Wildflower seed packets. Buy seeds in bulk, make your own envelopes, and add a line like “Watch our love grow.” They cost pennies each and guests can plant them at home.
9. Seed bombs. A step up from packets — these little balls of clay, compost, and seeds look gorgeous piled in a bowl and give guests something to literally throw into their garden.
10. Small succulents. You can source tiny succulents for around £1 each if you buy in bulk. They double as table decorations and favours in one.
11. Herb plants in mini pots. Rosemary, thyme, or lavender in a small terracotta pot. Practical, fragrant, and very photogenic on the table.
DIY & Handmade Favours
These take more time but cost very little in materials.
12. Handmade candles. Soy wax, a few essential oils, and some small jars or tins. You can make dozens in an evening once you’ve got the hang of it.
13. Bath salts in mini jars. Epsom salts, a few drops of essential oil, and a sprig of dried lavender. Package in small glass jars or cellophane bags.
14. Friendship bracelets. If your wedding has a relaxed, boho feel, simple cord or thread bracelets with a small charm work beautifully and cost almost nothing.
15. Hand-stamped bookmarks. For the bookish couple. Buy blank card bookmarks in bulk and use a rubber stamp set to personalise them.
Practical & Useful Favours
The golden rule of favours — if someone can use it, they won’t bin it.
16. Individual bottles of limoncello or flavoured gin. Miniature bottles filled from a homemade batch look impressive and cost surprisingly little per serving. Just check licensing if you plan to sell or distribute alcohol.
17. Custom magnets. A small fridge magnet with your wedding date, a meaningful quote, or a simple illustration. Sites like Vistaprint do these affordably in bulk.
18. Lottery tickets. Attach a scratch card to each place setting with a tag that says “We got lucky — maybe you will too.” Fun, easy, and no DIY required.
19. Personalised seed pencils. These clever pencils have a seed capsule at the end — once the pencil’s too short to use, you plant it. Quirky and useful.
20. Charitable donations. Make a donation to a cause close to your hearts and place a card at each setting explaining what you’ve done. Many guests will appreciate this more than any physical favour.
A Few Tips to Keep Costs Down
Buy in bulk. Almost everything on this list gets cheaper when you order larger quantities. Team up with another engaged friend if you can.
Start early. If you’re making favours by hand, don’t leave it until the week before. Give yourself a few months and do them in batches — put on a film, pour a glass of wine, and make an evening of it.
Keep packaging simple. A beautiful favour in a plain brown bag with a handwritten tag looks far more elegant than a cheap favour drowning in excessive packaging. Let the gift do the talking.
Don’t overthink it. Your guests are there for you, not the favours. Something small and genuine will always mean more than something expensive and impersonal.
Looking for more favour inspiration? Read our guide to edible wedding favours or find out whether you even need wedding favours at all.