Medieval and Renaissance Wedding Favors

A Medieval/ Renaissance-themed wedding may be one of the greatest excuses for a good time your guests will ever know. When else can you bring in jugglers and harpists, put your mother in a headpiece and draft your father as the "town crier"?

Favors for this gala event are fairly easy to come by (or make), and often inexpensive. Here are several ideas:

Anything in a Velvet Pouch

The velvet pouch is the world's most satisfying sewing project. If you can cut a square, you can make a beautiful, authentic-looking pouch in about five minutes. Dress it up with tassels, or dress it down with a simple drawstring.

Or if you'd rather, buy a bulk lot of velvet pouches inexpensively on eBay. Fill each pouch with any kind of goody that appeals to you. Common choices are:

Pink Ribbon Plantable Favor (Set of 12)
"Baby is Blooming!" Plantable Wildflower Favors (Set of 12)
Celtic Cross Soap Favors
Large Celtic Square Cello Kit
Daisy Wedding Favors
Small Celtic Square Cello Kit
personalized holiday plantable seed card favors
Small Celtic Square

Honey Jars from the Lady of the Manor

Buy a large quantity of good, rich honey (or honeycombs) from your local health food store or beekeeper. Pour into small glass hexagonal jars. (Specialty Bottle is an affordable source ...) Print out custom labels and affix. For extra flair, top off the jar with small silk roses, or tuck it all in tulle bag and tie it with ribbon. Include a silly saying: Two Shall Bee as One. Meant to Bee. This favor has an authentic medieval feel!

Plantable Seed Cards

These beautiful cards (made of homemade paper) contain living wildflower seeds. You can purchase them inexpensively, or make them yourself for virtually nothing (try here for a simple and fun paper recipe. You can add all kinds of imaginative things to your homemade paper, including flower petals! The trick for this project to add flower seeds at the last minute, so they don't get too wet). Once dry, cut your paper into pretty shapes. Use specialty scissors that cut scalloped edges, for example.

Seed cards can double as place-holders, and can be made even more beautiful with a little calligraphy.

Unity Blossoms - Personalized Unity Candle Set - Rainbow Wildflower
Large Celtic Square
Butterfly Garden Favor Baskets with Wildflower Seed Packets, Set of 12
Medieval Bride Pewter Flute with Swarovski Crystals
Wildflower Heart Cards
Small Foil Wrapped Celtic Square
"Love is Blooming" Wildflower Seed Favor Kits (Set of 12)
Shamrock Celtic Favor Tags / Place cards (20)

Celtic Soap or Molded Chocolates

Molds can be found in stores like Joanne's or Michaels (do your budget a favor — look for the 40% off coupons at Michaels that appear in the paper), or online at GetSuckered, and the results are stunning. Tuck the resultant beauties into small velvet bags.

Herbal Bags or Sachets

This inexpensive favor has a luxurious feel. Choose an herb that suits your wedding (Rosemary "for remembrance" is a solid choice, but the options are endless — and lavender is associated with important dreams, like those about your future husband). Buy it in bulk at a local warehouse or buy online (MountainRoseHerbs has an abundance of certified-organic herbs, with quantity discounts). Tie up in tulle or organza, and include a note about the herb and its history and meaning.

A variation on the theme: the herbs-and-recipe favor. Pick out a recipe for a crowd-pleasing medieval treat (such as mulled wine, gingerbread or spice cake). Wrap up the appropriate spices and attach the recipe.

Medieval Springerle Cookies

This authentic and gorgeous treat can be made with medieval springerle cookie molds. You can paint the results or adorn them with gold leaf. Your guests will rave about them for months after.

Spring Wildflower Save the Date Cards
Spring Wildflower Wedding Invitations
Personalized Eco-Friendly Wildflower Baby Shower Favor Bags
"LOVE GROWS" Plantable Wildflower Favors-Heart (Set of 12)
"New Beginnings" Plantable Petal Cones Kit (Set of 12)
Butterfly Garden Gift Baskets with Wildflower Seed Packets, Set of 12
Wedding Sprinkles
bloembox tiny tins plantable seeds (set of 6)

Books of Love Poems

Compilations of poetic classics, many from Ye Olde England, can sometimes be found for $2 apiece or less. Check online or at your local bookseller's next clearance sale.


Finally, don't even think about having a Medieval/Renaissance wedding without consulting this authoritative site for ideas on food, music, ceremony and more!

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16 Comments

  1. Michelle Says:

    I loved looking through you web page, it had loads of ideas for my wedding, ( medevial/renaissance ) which was very helpful,thanks :):)

  2. Rebecca Brown Says:

    I have met the man of my dreams and we want a kind of midevil
    courting experience. I do not know much about favors. My boyfriend had first told me about them. He says the favor he would like from me is something i make by hand. life a peice of cloth with my emblem on it. Do you have any ideas for me? I am new at this and i need help.

  3. Shannon Says:

    Hello we are having a medieval wedding an having some trouble coming up with ideas and where to find decorations and flowers.. can any one help with this.. we are getting married in nov and would like to make as much as we can we are on a tight budget.

  4. Ashley Davenport Says:

    Does anyone know where I could find some shepherd’s hooks that hold hanging lanterns?? I want to do that to line my isle, but I don’t know where to find them. Thanks!

  5. christina Says:

    Hi all,
    I’m getting married in march and am having problems with picking out wedding colors for a midevil wedding

  6. annette Says:

    hi, im having a medieval wedding this coming december, i cant seem to find songs for the theme… please help thank you

  7. Tracy Blume Says:

    :) I am having a renaissance style wedding with light blue and light green for the colors. I was wondering if you had any unique party favors that would incorporate the idea of the traditional meaning of a favor from the renaissance.

  8. FavorIdeas Says:

    Hi Kat, here are a few ideas for you. Hopefully you’ll get more!

    First of all, we don’t associate medieval times with sunscreen and beach balls, but we certainly do with ships … and mermaids, and pirates, even. You have a very rich set of colors that should look beautiful. If money’s no object, it would be fun to actually have your wedding on a yacht, which would be perfect for blending the two themes. Otherwise, try decorating with a few rows of shepherds’ hooks. Tie on long satin ribbons in those rich colors, the ends barely touching the ground so they’ll blow in the breeze and include a hanging lantern on each one, but make sure the glass is tight and they’re wind-proof. Or use battery-powered tealights.

    If you have a wedding arch, try hanging long curtains of organza in your wedding colors from the sides and back, along with more satin ribbon, and a coat of arms from a dowel you’ve attached to the top/back of the arch so it’s behind your heads.

    Long, curling locks and pretty flowers for the hair are something beach and medieval brides have in common.

    Then, if you’re having a reception on the beach too, consider mini-treasure chests as centerpieces, filled with chocolate gold coins if weather permits. Lanterns look lovely on the tables (surround with sea glass). Try very rich table linens, such as a sage base, with a second layer or runner in eggplant with a metallic sheen. Use green raffia to tie off favor boxes or glass vases, since it resembles seaweed. Try to stick to wood, pottery and metal for your tableware: pewter steins to drink from — for example — and serve mostly finger food. Large wooden barrels make great holders for modern kegs.

    The easiest way to set a medieval mood is through music, and since you need live music (as opposed to a DJ) for the beach anyway, a medieval quartet would take everyone back a few centuries while charming their socks off. Even a guitarist with some renaissance-style tunes under his belt would be terrific.

  9. Kat Says:

    We’re planning a beach wedding in FL toward the end of this year. We want something simple but pretty. Any ideas on decorating simply, it’s my 2nd wedding and his first. It’s going to be small around 25 ppl. He bought me a bodice with butterflies on it because he knows I love them , so our colors will be dark purple(eggplant), dark green, sage, cream, and mauves…helppppppppppppppp!!!:o Those aren’t exactly beach colors but I fell in love with the bodice… Any help on meshing beach with medieval would be greatly appreciated!!! THANKS!

  10. Sabrina Says:

    For the person seeking wedding locations around Alabama: Try the Society for Creative Anachronists (SCA). Also, look online for renaissance fairs.

  11. Pinkiee Says:

    What about locations anyone know locations for this style of wedding in Alabama?some good old churches or something ?

  12. Sharon Says:

    www.camiasdesigns.com/circlets.htm for wedding headpieces

  13. Jessica Says:

    I absolutely adore the velvet bag with chocolat coins idea!

  14. Sonya Says:

    There are some very cute ideas and inexpensive ways to create that Renissance atmosphere for your reception

  15. Becca Says:

    I got some great renaissance wedding favor ideasfrom this site. THANK-YOU SO VERY MUCH!!!

  16. alisha Says:

    I LOVE this page it has been difficult finding ideas for my wedding but this sight was just what I needed!

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