Cut costs and create gifts your guests will truly treasure.
Love Blooms Create gorgeous place-settings that double as gifts, by supplying a plant for each guest. Small flowers or herbs can be fairly inexpensive. Alternatively, sew seeds of your favourite plant into a small square of linen or muslin, with instructions for planting.
Play on words A small, inexpensive gift can be turned into something quirky, just through clever wordplay. Add a few mints into a square of cellophane and tie with a ribbon from your colour theme. Make a note for each gift, saying, “Mint to Be, Tony & Claire 23.09.13”, and loop it through the ribbon. Or, create your own stickers and cover store-bought mints with your label. They’ll give your guests an “aw” moment, and the perfect post-meal treat. Or make a batch of jam, served in small jars with a simple note, saying, “Spread the love”. Mini matchstick boxes can be labelled “The Perfect Match”, with wedding day details on the cover.
Cake pops These have become incredibly popular and aren’t too difficult to make. Essentially, they’re little balls of cake and icing mixed together and dipped in more icing. The outside is decorated with sprinkles, sweets or coloured sugar. They’re a great way to tie in the colours of your wedding, and give your guests a sweet treat. Wrap them in cellophane and tie with a ribbon, or display them in decorated boxes at the reception.
Love songs Create a playlist of songs for your reception and gift your guests this list, or a compilation CD of selected songs. Involve guests even further by requesting their favourite love song on your wedding invite RSVP. Compile a list from their selections and include the songs on a CD, or write out the list and display as a scroll, tied with ribbon. Add a chocolate for a sweet touch.
Sweet thought Buy or bake heart-shaped biscuits and arrange them in small stacks, tied with a ribbon, for each guest. Bake large cookies and slot them into paper bags or, for a sturdier option, display your cookie in a paper CD case, which you can either decorate the cover of, or tie with ribbon.
For young ones Leave a kid-friendly favour on their place-setting. Buy a set of short colouring pencils – and for each setting, take a small bunch of pencils and tie them together with a ribbon from your wedding’s colour theme. Leave them with a folded piece of white or brown card with a small note, saying, “Draw a card for the bride”. It’s a great way to keep young ones busy, whilst also creating a lovely stack of mementos.
Sealed with a kiss Give your guests a personalised treat to eat on the night, or take away to remember the day. There are several services which allow you to order candies and chocolates with your names, wedding date or personalised messages, if you leave enough time. My Wedding Shop (myweddingshop.co.nz) sell Hershey’s Kisses, with a personalised label on the base.
In the bag Make a candy buffet table, displaying assorted sweets in tall glass jars. Leave a paper bag for guests at their seats, with an invite to fill their bag as they leave. Get ink and a rubber stamp from a craft or stationery store, to quickly turn the bag into something special.
