Cheap and chic favour ideas

Making your own favours is a great way to add a personal touch to your day. Or better still, delegate this task to friends or family – they’ll be happy to help and will love feeling like they’re involved in your special day. Here are our favourite DIY favour ideas:

Sweet thing
Fairy cakes, cookies, coconut ice, mint creams – all can easily be made at home and will be delicious sweet treats for your guests. Ice names on to cakes and cookies and they’ll double as name places! If you really don’t fancy cooking, buy a big bag of sweets and fill jars with them to place on your tables.

Stitch it!
Take inspiration from Cross Stitch Crazy magazine and create a little cross stitch motif to tie in with your theme. You can then attach your stitched design to little boxes, tins or badges to give as unique favours! Head to cross-stitching.com for some hints and tips to get you started.

On the seashore
Give your day a beachy theme and treat your guests to personalised pebbles or shells, which double as name places.

Jams and pickles
Got a talented mum or gran? Ask them to make some jams or pickles (one per couple should be fine). You can print personalised labels to stick on the jars or tie round the lid with string or ribbon.

Love grows
Buy some seeds and make little pouches to put them in. Guests can then grow the seeds and remember your day every time they see the flowers!

Be ethical
Instead of spending money on favours, give to charity, plant some trees or sponser a child or animal. Place little cards on your tables telling your guests that by not having favours, you have done some good for the world!

Get crafty
Make your own paper cones or decorative boxes and fill them with Jelly Beans or other sweet treats. Magazines such as Cardmaking & Papercraft (cardmakingandpapercraft.com) give you step-by-step guides to make it super easy!