5 Wedding Souvenirs Guests Actually Want to Take Home
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Let’s be honest about wedding favors: most of them end up in the trash.
You spend hours browsing Etsy, drop a few hundred dollars on tiny picture frames with your names on them, and then watch 75% of them get left behind on tables at the end of the night.
Reddit threads are brutal about this—one user straight-up said “I really don’t want your name all over my house. Heck, I barely have my own name in my own house!”
But here’s the thing: wedding favors don’t have to suck.
The secret? Stop thinking about what looks cute on Pinterest and start thinking about what your guests will actually use. In 2025, couples are ditching the dust-collecting trinkets and giving guests stuff they’ll genuinely appreciate.
We’re talking treats they can devour, plants they can grow, and practical items that won’t end up in a donation bin three months later.
So let’s dive into five wedding souvenir ideas that your guests will actually want to take home.
Edible Wedding Favors (Because Everyone Loves Food)
Here’s a wild concept: give people something they can eat.
I know, revolutionary. But seriously, edible wedding favors are the most foolproof option because they solve the biggest problem with traditional favors—no one has to figure out where to store them. The average couple spends around $460 on wedding favors, and the smartest ones are putting that money toward treats guests will devour on the drive home.
Mini Honey Jars
These little guys are perfect. You can get local, artisanal honey and slap a custom label on it that says something like “Meant to Bee” or “Love is Sweet.” Skip the cheesy stuff with your names and wedding date plastered all over it—guests don’t want a jar of honey staring at them with someone else’s wedding info every time they make toast.
Want to get fancy? Go for infused honey with flavors like lavender or peppercorns. One Reddit user mentioned they got honey from a wedding and actually used it, which is basically the highest praise you can get.
Gourmet Coffee Bags
Coffee is another winner. Create “The Perfect Blend” packs with custom labels, buy beans in bulk, and you’ve got favors that people will legitimately use. Way better than another picture frame, right?
The key is going for quality over cuteness. Get actual good coffee, not the grocery store stuff. Your guests will remember that latte they made on a Monday morning way longer than they’d remember a decorative coaster.
Chocolate Bars or Cookies
Mini chocolate bars with custom wrappers or individually wrapped cookies are wedding favor gold. They’re budget-friendly (often under $2 per person), travel well, and here’s the best part: people might eat them before they even leave the venue.
One wedding planner who deals with this stuff regularly said edible favors are basically the only ones that don’t end up in the trash. That should tell you something.
Plantable Favors (For the Green-Thumb Guests)
If you want something a little more meaningful than food but still practical, plants are your answer.
The sustainability trend is huge in 2025 weddings, and giving guests something living hits different than giving them a plastic keychain. Plus, plants symbolize growth and new beginnings—which is exactly the vibe you want at a wedding.
Succulent Plants
Succulents are basically the perfect wedding favor. They’re incredibly hardy (even people who kill every plant they touch can keep these alive), they look cute on desks or windowsills, and they’re affordable when bought in bulk.
Here’s a pro tip from Reddit: find someone on Craigslist or local gardening groups who has a whole garden of succulents. You can get cuttings for just a few bucks each instead of buying them retail.
Set them up as part of your tablescape so they pull double-duty as decor and favors. Your guests get a mini plant, you get natural decorations, and nobody has to haul personalized shot glasses home on an airplane.
Seed Packets or Seed Paper
These are perfect for eco-conscious couples. Hand out packets of wildflower seeds or herbs with labels that say “Let Love Grow” or “Plant These and Watch Love Bloom.” Skip the plastic packaging—go for paper envelopes with stamps or stickers.
Seed paper is even cooler because guests can literally plant the whole thing. It’s biodegradable paper embedded with seeds, so they stick it in soil, water it, and boom—flowers. It’s like a science experiment that doesn’t remind them of middle school.
One couple attached seed packets to escort cards with clothespins on a rustic frame. Guests grabbed their seating assignment and got a favor at the same time. Efficient and adorable.
Practical Items They’ll Actually Use
Remember: the best wedding favors are the ones that don’t make guests think “where am I going to put this?”
Skip anything with your names and wedding date. I repeat: DO NOT put your names and wedding date on practical items. One WeddingWire user put it perfectly: “Why would I want a glass that doesn’t match anything I already have with someone else’s name on it?”
Bottle Openers
These are clutch. Get credit-card-sized bottle openers that fit in wallets, and your guests will use them for years. Every time they crack open a beer at a barbecue, they’ll think of your wedding.
Skip the engraving with your initials unless you want people leaving them behind. Just get sleek, minimal openers that look good on their own.
Candles in Mini Tins
Everyone loves candles. Like, everyone. You can get personalized tins for under $5 each, pick a signature scent that matches your wedding vibe, and give guests something they’ll actually light at home.
The trick is keeping the design neutral. A simple label with a nice scent beats a gaudy tin with your faces on it every single time.
Koozies or Can Coolers
Okay, these are polarizing. Some Reddit users swear by them; others say they go straight in the trash. Here’s the deal: if your crowd is the type who tailgates, has backyard cookouts, or regularly drinks canned beverages, koozies are gold.
Get fun sayings like “To Have and To Hold and To Keep Your Beer Cold” and use them during your wedding for canned drinks. That way, they serve double-duty—decor during the event, favor to take home after. Smart, right?
Matchboxes
These are super affordable and genuinely useful. Everyone needs matches for candles, grills, or camping. Get custom matchboxes with fun designs (skip the names and date) and you’ve got favors that cost under $2 each but feel thoughtful.
They’re small, lightweight, and easy to pack—perfect for destination weddings where guests are flying home.
His & Hers or Personalized Options
If you and your partner have completely different interests, lean into it. Give guests options instead of forcing everyone to take the same thing.
Coffee vs. Tea
Set up a display where guests choose between coffee beans or loose-leaf tea bags. Label them “His Brew” and “Her Blend” or something less gendered like “Morning Kick” and “Afternoon Calm.” People love having choices, and this way no one’s stuck with something they won’t use.
Hot Sauce vs. Jam
Know a couple who’s obsessed with hot sauce or pickles? Make that your thing. One couple gave out jars of homemade dill pickles and mini bottles of hot sauce, and their guests loved it because it felt personal without being weird.
If you’re crafty, you can DIY these with bulk mason jars and custom labels. If not, there are tons of artisanal brands that sell these in bulk for reasonable prices.
The Bottom Line
Here’s what wedding planners and Reddit users agree on: stop wasting money on stuff people don’t want.
The wedding favor golden rule is simple: make it edible, alive, useful, or a gift. If it’s none of those things, skip it entirely and put that money toward better food or an open bar. Your guests will thank you.
Seriously, no one will notice if you don’t have favors. But if you do give them, make sure they’re something people will actually take home—and not just because they feel obligated.
Think about what you would genuinely want to receive at a wedding. Would you want a tiny picture frame with someone else’s wedding date on it? Probably not. Would you want a mini bottle of champagne or a jar of local honey? Absolutely.
So ditch the personalized trinkets, skip the stuff with your names plastered all over it, and give your guests something they’ll smile about later. Whether it’s a succulent they watch grow, coffee they brew on Monday mornings, or a hangover kit that saves their life the next day—that’s the stuff people remember.
And hey, if you’re still not sure? Just make the favors edible. You can never go wrong with food.
