For years after a wedding day was done, I’d divide up the leftover bags of Jordan Almonds, designer chocolates in custom boxes, wine stoppers, mini photo frames, or whatever gift my clients had for their guests, begging my assistants and the waitstaff at the weddings to take these items home.
We were used to seeing these things left behind from guests who either didn’t want them or simply forgot the items. I would say as much as 25-30% of them were left behind every single wedding.
We’d take them home to our kids, shill them off on friends who didn’t have enough wine stoppers, and finally, I decided to put an end to the madness a few years ago when I told a client point-blank that spending hundreds and even thousands of dollars on these “gifts” was a waste of money.
Yep, I went there.
You see, most of my clients were doing these favors out of a sense of obligation. They had been to weddings where they had them, or their parents told them that they had to give the guests something to take home.
If there is a gift or favor you want to give your guests because it’s traditional in your family or meaningful to your relationship, then GO FOR IT! Those are the kinds of favors that are not left behind. But if you are doing it because “you should,” this planner is here to tell you that you do not.
There are two things that your guest will remember most from your wedding; the feeling and the food. If the feeling is joyous and one of a celebration of your marriage, they will remember that. If the food is delicious, they will remember that.
So, why not put that money you allocated for favors that aren’t meaningful into those two places?
Get those passed hors d’oeuvres for the happy hour that you were going to pass on. Add on that yummy second entree or late-night pizza truck.
Put the money into more floral in places you cut back on or splurge on the beautiful plates you decided against to save money.
Food and feeling. Focus on those two things, and your guests (and you!) will have a day no one will forget.
