15 Luxury Wedding Favors to Treat Your Guests
Planning every last detail for a wedding comes with quite the task list. From the major checklist items, such as choosing your largest vendors, to the minute details in your wedding decorations checklist, there is a lot to consider.
But one thing that we see many couples and wedding planners feeling overwhelmed with is coming up with that perfect gift to give to their attendants.
If that’s you, then keep reading! We have 15 luxury wedding favors to help you determine the best one to treat your guests with:
Do you have to have wedding favors for your guests?
First and foremost, do you have to have wedding favors for your guests? The simple answer is no. No rule says you must have a wedding favor for every guest that attends your wedding.
That said, many couples want to treat their guests who’ve traveled far and wide to celebrate their wedding. So, if your overall budget allows for it, we highly recommend finding that perfect gift for them to make your wedding an entire experience.
How to choose your luxury wedding favors?
There are all kinds of lists out there that round up many different kinds of wedding favors. But if you’re wanting to focus on luxury wedding favors, then you might want to put more intentionality behind choosing what you’ll treat your guests with.
We recommend focusing on these three things. But keep reading after this portion because we’ll discuss what’s not working when it comes to upscale wedding favor ideas.
Focus on usefulness
Before anything else, consider its usefulness. Will your wedding favor be something your guests will truly be excited about receiving? Will it be something your guests can’t wait to indulge in or use - beyond your wedding?
Even if it’s later that evening in the hotel room (like a midnight, delectable snack), giving something they can use after the wedding marks itself as “useful.” And useful is the height of luxury when it comes to wedding favors!
Think about your wedding’s location
Next, for luxury wedding favors, a great idea is to somehow tie them into your wedding. The cohesion between every small detail of the event is another aspect that checks “luxury” off the list in your guests’ subconscious minds.
So consider where your wedding will take place. Then think of some local gifts that tie into that. If you’re having a hard time coming up with any ideas, don’t worry! We’ll give you some in just a moment.
Try to weave in your personalities
Last, always remember to make it about you and your partner. After all, it’s your wedding day! So make sure that it has something to do with what the two of you enjoy. For example, if the two of you prefer wine over craft beer, then consider a bottle of wine as a gift.
For a remarkable wedding, always stay true to yourselves!
What kind of gifts to avoid if you’re striving for luxury wedding favors?
Before we dive into our list of luxury wedding favors, let’s discuss what’s not working right now.
If you’re striving for an upscale aesthetic for your wedding, there may be a few different kinds of favors to avoid. Mainly, that involves staying away from cliche gifts, such as plastic cups with your names and the date on them or koozies for beer cans.
You may also want to avoid wedding favors that are simply overdone. That includes gifts like matches or mints.
Where to set up your wedding favors?
Once you have all of your wedding gifts for your guests, you’ll want to think about where to set them up at the celebration. It all depends on what favor you decide on.
If you’re planning on giving them something special to treat themselves with after the wedding (think of a to-go dessert, for example), then have it at a table toward the exit of the reception venue.
But if you’re thinking of having something refreshing or to make them more comfortable during the ceremony, then make sure to have a table at the entrance to the ceremony so they don’t miss it.
Ideas for luxury wedding favors to treat your guests with
Without further ado, let’s get into our 15 favorite luxury wedding favors to treat your guests with:
Favors that tie into your wedding location or destination
As we mentioned above, tying your favors to the location or the destination of your wedding is another element of cohesion for the entire celebration. It’s a sure way to heighten the luxury of the event and turn it into an experience.
Try some of these ideas:
Olive oil from local olive tree groves
Maybe you’re planning a destination wedding in Puglia, Italy or somewhere in Greece. That’s the perfect opportunity to look into locally-made olive oil. Find some that are in petite jars and set them at each person’s seat at the reception. You can take it a step further by tying a tag with their name on it so you can use the wedding favor as a place card.
Bottles of wine
Whether you’re getting married in Tuscany, France, or in Napa Valley, California (or anywhere in between!), a bottle of wine for your guests is often the epitome of luxury wedding favors.
Just like with the olive oil, consider turning bottles of wine into a place card for each guest’s seat at the reception.
Bottles of local liquor
Maybe you’re planning a destination wedding somewhere that is known for their local liquors. If that’s the case, opt for a small bottle of it to give to your guests. For example, if you’re planning a destination wedding in Mexico, you may opt for local bottles of tequila. Or if you’re planning a wedding in Lake Como, go for small bottles of Rivo Gin. You can do the same thing as the wine or olive oil and create a place card out of each bottle. Or you can set them out on a table for your guests to snag at the bar!
And if you’re planning a wedding along the Amalfi Coast, then why not have one of the most popular dessert drinks available to your guests? Have small bottles of limoncello set out by the bar, the wedding cake table, or at a table as guests leave for the night. They can indulge whenever they please!
Sandals or flip-flops for the dance floor
Coco Chanel once said, “Luxury is comfortable. Otherwise it’s not luxury.” So if we take her advice, then this may be one of the most luxurious wedding favor ideas on this list!
After arriving at the ceremony, mingling for a moment before finding their seats, then standing during cocktail hour before the reception, plenty of guests’ feet will already be uncomfortable. Fashionable shoes can only get you so far at a wedding!
So to give them a reprieve, have baskets of sandals or flip-flops right at the dance floor. They can change out of their heels or uncomfortable shoes into these to dance the night away.
Desserts to go
Who says the celebration and indulgence have to end once the reception is over? Some of your guests will still want the party to keep going! So the least you can do is give them the opportunity to do so through some delectable treats.
Try some of these luxury wedding favors:
Chocolate bars
We don’t mean running to the local grocery store to find a case of Hershey’s bars. We mean finding true, indulgent chocolate bars that are rich and mouthwatering.
You can even find ways to tie chocolate bars into your location or theme, too. Having a beachside or waterfront wedding? Opt for sea salt and caramel. Hosting a tropical wedding? Find orange chocolate bars.
Hardly anyone can pass up such a delicious dessert, so you can’t go wrong with this one!
Macarons
Laduree and the many other boulangeries in Paris have done their job when it comes to marketing because macarons just look luxurious at this point. So offer small boxes of 2 or 4 macarons to your guests.
If you can, you can also get them custom-made in your wedding’s signature colors.
Local candies or sweets
If you’re planning on a wedding reception that goes late into the night, then why not treat your guests with a late night sweet treat?
Many destinations have local candy shops or bakeries that create delectable treats that your guests will rave about. Plus, it’s another thing for you and your partner to do to make your wedding even more memorable! Imagine traipsing through local candy shops, trying the delicious concoctions, and choosing your favorite to treat your guests with.
One of our favorites in Lake Como is Pastiglie Leone!
Signature scents
Do you ever get faint hints of certain smells that instantly bring you back to a particular moment in your life? Particular smells and scents have the power to bring back nostalgic memories.
So if you’re wanting to make sure you bring the experience of your wedding to your guests, then you can’t go wrong with a signature scent!
Perfumes
Small vials of perfumes are a perfect, luxurious wedding favor to treat your guests with. They’ll instantly be transported back to your wedding day the moment they spritz the small bottle.
As for the smell, try tying it into particular moments of your wedding! Having a beachside or waterfront wedding? Try signature scents with bergamot or sandalwood. If you’re planning a tropical wedding, opt for citrus scents.
If you have a beautiful bouquet, then go for scents that align with it, such as rose petals or peonies.
Luxurious candles
If you need something easier to put together, then a luxurious candle from the likes of Jo Malone will do. Although you may not get the customization you can get from potpourri, you can still create the experience for your guests.
Have these set out on a table so your guests can pick one up as they head back to their hotels after the reception.
Anytime they light the candle, they’ll be reminded of how incredible your wedding was!
Luxury wedding favors focusing on comfort
Let’s go back to that Coco Chanel quote. The height of luxury is where comfort meets the upscale. So, try out these luxury wedding favors to add extra comfort for your guests:
Fans
Having an outdoor, summer wedding? Then a fan is one of the best wedding favors you can provide your guests. We’re not necessarily talking about the fans that also work as the ceremony programs, hot glued onto a popsicle stick.
If you’re wanting luxury, then opt for hand-crafted, painted fans that guests can take home as a keepsake. Have them laid out on each chair at the ceremony!
Parasols
In the same line as fans, if you’re having a summer wedding (or even a spring wedding) that’s outdoors and in the sun, then offer your guests some shade. Set parasols in a nice basket at the entrance of the ceremony. Guests can grab one as they walk in to take their seats.
Throw blankets
On the opposite end of the spectrum, if you’re having an autumn or winter wedding, then temperatures may be a bit colder. If that’s the case, then offer a beautiful throw blanket they can cozy up with during the ceremony. Not to mention, you have the opportunity to really add luxury by choosing a high-end fabric, such as cashmere.
Personalized placeholders
Lastly (but certainly not least), let’s talk about beautiful, personalized placeholders for your guests at the reception. Now, we know we mentioned a few other options for place cards in some of our other categories.
But these truly serve their purpose as a seating assignment.
Hand-painted tambourines
Hand-painted tambourines, such as the ones from this Puglia, Italy wedding, are beautiful keepsakes that are perfect for a lively and vibrant wedding. Get ready for your guests to use these as noisemakers to entice more celebration!
Plus, if you opt for the hand-painted portion, you can have their names calligraphed on them. Or take it even further and have an illustration of their portrait painted on them! They’ll get an incredibly unique keepsake out of your wedding, too!
Homemade soap bar
Nothing says true luxury like the gift of self care and relaxation. Homemade soap bars are a perfect treat for your guests, as it’ll prompt them to indulge in a calming, rejuvenating spa day.
You can opt to have your homemade soap bars created with the same kind of flowers you use in your wedding decor. You can also opt for colors that are reminiscent of your wedding day color palette.
Either way, your guests will love this relaxing, luxurious wedding favor!
Embroidered linen napkins
Finally, you can offer your guests an embroidered linen napkin with their name or monogram on it. It’s truly a luxury wedding favor idea, considering they can take it home and use it on their own tablescape designs.
Not to mention, embroidered linen napkins, although they feel luxurious and enhance the overall experience of your wedding, are actually budget-friendly.
Imagine their shock and surprise when they sit down at their seat, find their beautifully folded napkin, and realize you’ve taken the time and effort to have their name or monogram embroidered onto it! Talk about that luxurious experience you’re striving for.
If you’re thinking the embroidered linen napkins are the way to go for your luxury wedding favors, then we can help you!