In collaboration with Amy Burke

Gifts are important parts of wedding ceremonies. While not mandatory, it’s always good practice to get engagement gifts for a loved one who’s preparing to marry their partner. Whether they’re personalized items or things to help a couple start a new life together, gifts are a meaningful way to show how happy and excited you are for their big day.

Similarly, if you’re a couple planning to get married, giving gifts to your wedding guests is a gesture of gratitude and appreciation for their presence on your special day. Rather than being fixated on grand or extravagant wedding favors, try to pick ones that are well thought out or reflective of your relationship, wedding theme, or destination. Below are a few ideas for delighting your wedding guests with creative party favors.

1. Disposable cameras

With the resurgence of film photography, disposable cameras are a trendy way to let your guests partake in making memories on your wedding day. You can add single-use cameras to the center of your reception tables and then encourage guests to use them to capture key moments throughout the celebration.

Disposable cameras from top brands like Kodak and Fujifilm range from $15 to $25, and you also have the option to develop the photos and shoulder the costs yourself by instructing guests to leave the cameras at the end of the reception. Overall, this is an excellent opportunity for guests to take pictures amongst themselves and offer their own perspective of your wedding instead of solely relying on professional photographers.

2. Sunglasses

Much like disposable cameras, sunglasses are party favors that can already be used during the ceremony, especially for summer weddings where guests need something to shield their eyes from the sunlight. While there are affordable sunnies for both men and women, couples with a more intimate wedding or a bigger budget can choose to splurge on nicer luxury models.

If you want to get a little extravagance, you can curate a selection of designer sunglasses for women, ensuring this fashionable accessory stays with them long after the wedding. Instead of giving away a random pair, you can select styles that fit the personality and preferences of your female guests—from classic Prada cat-eye frames for your chic friends to trendy Vogue Eyewear wraparounds for the ones with a more experimental style. Meanwhile, male guests can be treated to the best eyewear brands for men. These include the classic and versatile frames from Ray-Ban for everyday use and the durable Huckberry shades designed for travelers and adventure-seekers.

3. Seasonal seed packets

Packets of garden seeds are an appropriate and eco-friendly choice for wedding favors if you’re having an outdoor wedding at a garden or farm. Seeds can also be viewed as a symbol of growth and harmony, making them a meaningful and sentimental gift when you customize the seed paper with names and special messages. You can give away seeds for easy-to-grow herbs like basil, lavender, and mint, or seeds for the same flowers used in your rustic wedding décor, such as lisianthus, thistle, and wildflowers. Because growing plants has also become a very popular pastime since 2020, providing your own seeds will help get your guests into a trendy and fulfilling new hobby. Once the plants start to sprout and bloom, it will be the gift favor that keeps on giving. Undoubtedly, anytime your guests look at their plants, they’ll fondly remember your special day.

4. Personalized scents

Scents are strongly tied to your memory, so the best way to make your wedding day equally memorable for your guests is to give them scented items! An article from The New York Times notes that it’s been a trend among couples to add their personalized scents to party favors like diffusers, perfumes, and candles.

The perfume store Olfactory NYC, for instance, allows wedding couples to customize their scents by adding natural florals or woodsy tones. Meanwhile, event coordinators are also utilizing ‘scentscapes’ to include signature scents in the entire venue and further immortalize the memories of the wedding day. If you want to go the extra mile, you can even custom scents from the bride and the groom so male and female guests can choose based on their preferences.

In the end, it’s the thought that counts…

No matter which party favor you end up choosing, a thoughtful gift is guaranteed to touch your guests’ hearts and give them something to cherish for years to come.

To further ensure your memories of your special day are forever treasured, NST Pictures offers personalized and cinematic wedding films that capture your creative vision and stand the test of time. For more information on our videography packages and services, get in touch with us here!