Cheap Wedding Favor Ideas

Cheap. It's such a drab sounding word ... until you realize you're about to put on a ten, even twenty thousand dollar party. Suddenly, the word "cheap" takes on a whole new shine.

So, you want to follow the time-honored tradition of thanking your guests for coming — wedding favors — but you don't have a lot left over after the photographers, videographers and calligraphers? No problem. Happily enough, the cheapest wedding favor is often the best-loved: candy.

Guests love candy, because it doesn't require them to dig a hole, water anything, or find a place for another mismatched keepsake. You'll love candy, because it makes for a not-only-cheap, but interesting wedding favor. You can expand on the theme with exotic herbs (bought in bulk, of course) and still come in under budget. If you're really a guerilla shopper, the world's your oyster, but let's start with the candy.

For cost-conscious brides, the hunt for a cheap wedding favor begins with:

  • Buying spices and candy in bulk.
  • Buying boxes, bags, jars or tins online from wholesalers, or possibly Ebay.
  • Buying at online or bricks & mortar clearance sales.

Cheap Bulk Spices and Candy

An insane number of cheap favors can be made from candy and spices. Not only are they inexpensive, they're also appreciated by all alike: restive children, snack-loving male guests, clutter-conscious marrieds. For cheap but chic choices, consider:

  • White "conversation" hearts with personalized sayings
  • Jordan almonds in fresh, new colors and foil coatings
  • Glamorous, glittering rock candy on a stick
  • chocolate foiled coins
  • Jelly Bellies in your wedding colors
  • salt water taffy (especially for beach weddings)
  • candy corn, in traditional or offbeat shapes
  • gummies in novel shapes and flavors (white and milk-chocolate covered gummy bears, gummy Peach O's, hearts and cola bottles, strawberries & cream or watermelon, gummy mice for Cinderella brides ...)
  • Chocolate kiss "rose" bouquets
  • "Concession counter" candy: Runts, Jawbreakers, french 'burnt' peanuts, Crazy Bananas
  • M&Ms in your wedding's custom colors
  • Retro candy from the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's

Good places to buy cool candy in bulk are:

Chocolate Claddagh
Love Is Forever Chocolate CD
Cheers To The Couple Chocolate CD
Full Bloom Chocolate CD
Foil Wrapped Chocolate Initial
Foil Wrapped Chocolate Thank You Medallion
Black and White Chocolate CD
Gold or Silver Chocolate CD

Don't forget that you can get dramatic by combining your candy with elegant cookies (try pearl-sugared shortbread in interesting shapes), and hand-molded chocolates.

You can also make your own gourmet popcorn balls in fascinating flavors for a cheap wedding favor. Try gourmet popcorn recipes, like Macadamia Nut, Cinnamon Red Hots, and Popcorn Caramel Apple! "Our love just keeps on poppin'..."

But what if wedding sweets just aren't your thing? Then try a sachet of spices with an accompanying poem or recipe. This is aromatic, elegant and totally romantic.

Another cute possibility? Custom tea packets. Design a tea packet featuring your names and a soft wedding image, and cover one pre-packaged bag of tea per guest.

Bed of Roses Chocolate CD
Foil Wrapped Chocolate Shamrock
Foil Wrapped Chocolate Mini Leaf
"Save the Date!" Personalized Chocolate Bar (12 Bars)
wedding chocolate puzzle (min. of 24)
Rosebud Shaped Chocolate Tulle Kit
Foil Wrapped Chocolate Hat with Bow
personalized chocolate bar

Buying Cheap Boxes, Bags, Jars or Tins

Now that you have the cheap favor fillers, it's time to think about packaging. Honestly, packaging can be more fun than the favors, what with those brushed-aluminum watch tins and octogonal glass jars you see in magazines. But the costs can climb.

Often you can find some of the lowest prices for packaging on eBay, although the selection isn't always perfect. Personally, I love eBay, but I have also had a problem here or there, so I caution you: try to avoid buying key items for a high-stress event like a wedding, unless you have plenty of lead time. I've learned the hard way that if a seller doesn't stand behind their product or just kind of wanders away, you don't have much recourse and soon you're out of time.

Fortunately, there are 'regular' online stores that have super-cheap pricing plus a solid reputation. Here are a few you can buy from with confidence:

  • Papermart: This plain-looking site has cheap packaging, plus a great reputation for quality and service. You can find almost anything you'd think of here.
  • USBox: Another tried & tested site with great, cheap products.
  • If you can't find what you want above, try Specialty Bottle.
  • Oriental Trading Company also sells favor boxes cheaply.

Okay, good! Now you've got your packing out of the way. That means it's time for the wacky, crazy world of ...

Cross Charm Mini Chocolate
Chocolate Shell and Starfish Favor with Personalized Tag
Foil Wrapped Chocolate Daisy
Foil Wrapped Chocolate Star
Chocolate Cherub
Chocolate Snowflake
Personalized Wedding-Themed Gourmet-Chocolate Disc Tins
Foil Wrapped Chocolate Claddagh Medallion

Bricks & Mortar or Online Clearance Sales

All bets are off now. Who knows what you'll find? Not me, because this step requires you to haunt the deepest reaches of your local bricks & mortar offerings (think Michaels, Joanna's, Pier One Imports, Ikea), or the tiniest niches of not-very-large websites.

Sweet tchotchkes have been found at craft stores for almost nothing, like those little glass swans and slippers you fill with candy and wrap up in tulle. Michael's tends to put grotesquely generous coupons in the newspaper every few weeks (ask your friends and family to collect them). Ikea has been known to cast out lovely glassware for a quarter apiece. Do your shopping!

Happily Ever After Frog Prince Chocolate Bar
Holly Design Chocolate Bar
Foil Wrapped Chocolate Lipstick
Pinecone Design Chocolate Bar
Chocolate Dove
Foil Wrapped Square Thank You Chocolate
Once Upon A Time Chocolate CD
Chocolate Bar with Embossed Foil Seal

Talk Back! Add a Question, Comment or Photo

Add Photos (maximum of 3, GIF or JPG):

:) :( :d :"> :(( \:d/ :x 8-| /:) :o :-? :-" :-w ;) [-( :)>-

10 Comments

  1. jennso Says:

    I heard it’s fun to have a candy “bar” at weddings. I say go for it!

  2. keke Says:

    does anyone hear think i would be doing too much if i had a cookie and candy bar at my reception?

  3. erika Says:

    WE ARE GETTNIG MARRIED NOV 07.HAVE TWO THEMES TRYING TO CONNECT THEM.FIRST ” FALL” BUT NOT OVERBOARD WITH PUMPKINS JUST SIMPLE BROWNS,CINN,CREAMS.COFFEE BEAN CANDEL CENT AND FALL FLORAL ARANGEMENTS.LINDTS CHOC TRUFFLES IN ACCORDING COLORS AS FAVOR# 1 .SECOND THEME “MOVIES” -TABLES NAMED AFTER WEDDING MOVIES,ESCORT CARD WILL BE MOVIE TICKETS.WANT TO HAVE
    BAGGED POPCORN.ANY SUGG? MAYBE IN BROWN BAGS AND DIFF FLAVORS 1 PER COUPLE? DOES THIS HELP THE THEMES CONNECT?

  4. Lauren Says:

    My fiance and I are planning to use the candy Runts and put them in a cute little box of each of the tables. We thought this would be a fun little favor and are looking at price too. We wanted to come up with a cute peom/story, etc to go with it, but can’t think of anything! Runts have the hearts, bananas, limes and oranges. Any ideas?? Anything would be very helpful!!

  5. Amber Says:

    Does anyone know where I can gummy mice?

  6. Megan Says:

    I am using this idea but going on step further. I am actually having a “candy bar.” My guests will be able to fill up the boxes with whatever they like. I picked my three favortie candies and he picked his.

  7. Candie Says:

    This was a very useful site. I am giving small jars of honey with personalized labels as favors at my wedding. It seems odd, but the labels will explain that Cupid dipped his arrows in honey to fill the lover’s hearts with sweetness and in ancient Greece and Rome, honey was a symbol of fertility, love, and beauty. If you like this idea, try searching silverbow honey company. (I think it’s silverbow.com)

  8. brandie Says:

    i am going to give seed packets of the type of flowers im using in my wedding. packaged nicely.

  9. Gina Says:

    I am not having a reception and I don’t want people to think I’m cheap. What favor can I give?

  10. Kate Says:

    This was a great site! Very user friendly, and I feel like I learned something without having to read pages and pages of boring useless, junk.

What You Said

Related Posts

Popular Articles

New Blog Posts

Shop Now For

Themes & Favor Ideas

Learn About

Bridal Freebies

10 Most Emailed

Poll