Wedding favors are a fairly ancient custom in the wedding planning process, originally called a bonbonniere the custom was most commonly used amoung European aristocrats.

Wedding favours are small gifts given as a gesture of appreciation or gratitude to guests from the bride and groom during a wedding ceremony or a wedding reception.

These days it’s common to leave anything from small chocolate or sugar coated candy, to a CD, wine glasses or photo frame with a picture of the bride and groom.

Wedding favours don’t have to cost alot and definately shouldn’t be expected from your guests. Wedding favours are often the first thing to be sacrificed when the budget becomes too tight, and to be honest, they really aren’t necessary and most people won’t even notice that you don’t have any.

Sure they make a great talking point, especially if you give something original, like love tea leaves, but at the end of the day, your guests are at your wedding to share your special day, not to receive gifts from you.

If you still want to have wedding favours but don’t have the money to buy them, another budget wedding idea is to make them yourselves. DIY wedding favours are becoming an increasingly popular choice, and depending on what you want to give, they can be made well in advance so you don’t have to worry about them closer to the day.

Some great tips for cheap wedding favour ideas are:

• Homemade fudge wrapped in cellophane wedding favour bags tied with a ribbon.
• Homemad cookies wrapped in a tulle bag tied with a ribbon.
• Make a mixed CD with your favorite love songs and burn a copy for each guest or couple.
• Hersheys Kisses – scatter a few around the table or tie some up in a cellophane bag.
• Ferrero Rocher – one each per guest.
• Chocolate Foil Heart – one each per guest.
• Chocolates or candy in elegant wedding favour boxes.
• Personalised wedding favours, such as heart shape candy with your initials embossed on them.