The favor game

The art of squeezing money out of poor brides has been perfected over the years.  Clever marketing and a "have vs. have-not" attitude have convinced brides-to-be that wedding favors are a necessity to provide your guests.  Not only are they a necessity, but must meet new expectations.  One of the most extravagant things I have seen lately are these bride and groom corkscrew and stoppers at $5 a pop!

First of all, I would recommend not giving your guests something as trinket-like as these.  Most people already own something like this in their home.  This inevitably means you are buying something for them that will sit in a "junk drawer" for years to come until it is sold in a garage sale one day.  And think about what $ you will be dishing out!  $5 a pop?! If you have 200 guests, $1000 of your budget is going to these!  Wouldn't you rather spend that in another area, or better yet, your honeymoon?

Here are a few guidelines I came up with when choosing your wedding favors...

1.  Make it personal.  People want to know you are truly thankful for them being there, but they want it to seem like a gift straight from YOU...not something off of a mass order wedding site.

2.  Don't break the bank!  I believe for a budget bride, you should not allot more than $1 per guest at the wedding.  Anything more can out-balance your budget...these little things add up fast!

3.  Do you really need one?  Make sure this is something you REALLY want to do, not something that you think you have to.  Remember, it is your wedding, your budget, and your party!

Here are a few cute, low cost ideas I came across...