Why You Shouldn’t Skip Wedding Favors
Every time I open social media and see a post from a wedding planner about things to skip at your wedding, they always say guest favors and I always think, “Nooooo, you’re just going about it wrong!!”
Why Generic Favors Don’t Work
It’s true that the guest favors we have experienced in the last couple decades, are not worth spending money on. A coozie with your wedding logo and your date are going to sit in a drawer and never get used. Or worse, they’re going to get left behind at the wedding. Generic favors don’t keep your guest captivated, and they don’t tell your story. A cute matchbox with your date on it doesn’t say, “What an unforgettable night, I can’t wait to take this home and remember my niece’s wedding every time I strike a match.” Instead, you’ve gifted your Aunt Marie with a disposable, obsolete item that feels less intentional and more like an after thought. And that’s not the point of gifting.
Custom lighters engraved on-site for a wedding vendor showcase in Colorado Springs.
Your Wedding Should Tell Your Story
Every detail about your wedding should be intentional and help tell your story. If you’re a gifter (like me) you’ll want to make sure your guests walk away with something that feels personal to them.
Now, if you’re having a big wedding, this of course can take up a lot of time and energy in order to find something for everyone that feels picked especially for them. And what about those family members that your parents forced you to invite that you’ve only met twice in your life? What do you get for them???
You get an on-site calligraphy artist, babyyyy!
How does that work??
What Does An On-site Experience Look Like?
Picture this: the guests walk into the reception and see a softly lit table with a beautiful display of enticing favors that will fit in their suitcases, that you have curated especially for them. Think, luggage tags (if you and your partner love to travel), shot glasses (if you love to party), keychains (if you can never find your name on one in tourist shops), wine glasses (if you love to bond over good wine) and so much more!
Then they notice that there is someone at the table, personalizing the favors for them! Suddenly the favors turn from a "nice to have" to a "need it right now". Personalized to each guest, these favors won't get left behind and they will leave a lasting impression on guests for years to come.
Custom leather keychains embossed with hot foil names or initials in calligraphy. I had a lot of people at this event tell me they could never find their name on keychains! You can see more examples of personalized items here.
How Live Calligraphy is Different From Traditional Favors
On-site artists solve all of the problems that usually come with generic gifting:
Guests will not leave these favors behind (and if they do, they’ll be calling the next morning to see if anyone picked it up). Each item is personalized for each guest during a time they are connecting with people. They see the calligraphy coming to life when they place their order and will want to come back to see their finished product and take it home.
No worries about finding gifts for each individual guest on your own. Because each guest gets to choose their own personalization, you don’t have to worry about finding a gift that reminds you of each person. Turing gifting into an experience allows you to sit back and watch your guests feel appreciated in the moment.
Your wedding will be unforgettable. Monogrammed and dated items don’t make your guests remember how amazing your day was. You’ll be hearing, “That was such a great idea!” and “What a unique experience!” for yearssss after your wedding is over.
Wedding favors should continue to tell your story long after the night is over. Not get left behind and forgotten about. Live, on-site calligraphy personalization turns moments into memories and gifting into an experience.
Engraving short phrases, initials, floral line drawings, and names on wine glasses. I had many great conversations when helping guests decide what personalization to get! It made the experience so interactive and memorable.
Alison Yox is a Denver based live calligraphy and hand engraving artist specializing in on-site gifting experiences for weddings, corporate events, brand activations and more. Contact me here to start elevating your guest experience.
