To give or not to give, that is the question...

So as you are planning your DIY wedding you will be faced with the decision of whether or not to give wedding favours. It is a personal choice and gone are the days of wedding etiquette where you must thank your guests for attending by giving them a small hand-wrapped packet of mints or personalized matches. Many couples are opting for the choice of forgoing the individual wedding favours and they are donating to a local organization instead. Canadian brides and husbands-to-be can explore this list for non-profit organizations that fit their values as a couple.  For the American brides-to-be, you can go to www.nonprofitlist.org and find local non-profit organizations to donate to. If you choose to go this route a hand written or printed card placed on your dessert table or at each place setting would be sufficient to inform your guests of your altruistic decision. Here are some examples:

                                                                LES Designs at Etsy

                                                           Nostalgic Imprints at Etsy

Another choice of wedding favours are those Eco-conscious in nature, and this would be a perfect option for the Eco-conscious bride/groom who choose an outdoor and earthy themed wedding... Trees!

Evergreen Memories serves customers across Canada and the U.S and they offer amazing Green Gift options for the Eco-conscious bride. The company is based in Dryden, Ontario and they assure 100% satisfaction guaranteed, you can't go wrong with this option. They have additional natural wedding decor and gift options including clay and stone jewelry, seed confetti, and twig votive rings. You have to check them out!


The next option is for the coordinated bride who loves the personalized, handmade option for individual guest favours. This option can be a lot of fun to find the perfect guest favour that matches the style and theme of your DIY wedding. I came across the unique gift of tea at Namastea on Etsy where she creates customized single serve tea favours great for a quaint afternoon wedding. Yazmin of Namastea started the teas back when she was a wellness writer for Spa Asia Magazine in 2006. Back then her mom and brother were always sick, so she tried her hand with real dried herbs knowing that they have medicinal properties. Having tried the teas herself, she decided to launch a tea business out of it and has been supplying restaurants and tea houses ever since. Yazmin opened the shop on Etsy a year ago and the promise she guarantees for DIY brides is "you wont find your favours similar with others!" She customizes the labels as if your wedding is a brand itself, and the designs are one of a kind, so don't worry about bumping into a similar wedding with the similar favours! The contents are just as special, the teas are very fragrant and taste rich and decadent. They have no artificial flavours or colours like other commercial loose leaf teas. She blends her own teas too, so you will only find these flavours in the Namastea store.

And last but not least... FOOD! This was the option I chose for my afternoon wine and hors d'oeuvres wedding. My Maid-of-Honour made several different kinds of cookies that were displayed on antique platters on the gift table along with DIY stamped cookie bags with our names and wedding date for guests to take a treat with them when the celebration was over.

LostBridgeDesigns on Etsy has a similar idea with their personalized printed treat bags. Great for a candy buffet, cookie platters, our your signature homemade dessert!

The great thing about being a DIY/Handmade bride is the options are endless, ideas are everywhere and it is up to you and your groom-to-be to find what suits you best as a couple and displays your personalities and love for one another. You can have a wedding-favour-making party with your bridemaids, do-it-yourself, or buy handmade; no matter what you choose it will be special because it is your perfect day!