DIY wedding favors can be a great way to save money at a wedding, and give guests a more personal gift. Some of the best tips to keep in mind involve planning ahead as much as possible with regard to the amount of time the wedding favors will take to create, as well as the materials that are needed. It is always best to overestimate the time it will take, and the items needed, than to underestimate and come up short. In addition, don't be afraid to ask for help. Members of the wedding party or family members are often more than happy to pitch in and help make DIY wedding favors.
The first step for making DIY wedding favors is actually choosing what to hand out. Many people find that making foods to hand out is a great idea, such as customized cookies, cake pops, or even little jars of homemade jam. Something that guests can enjoy for years to come, such as flower bulbs to plant, is another great idea and is very simple to put together. Other crafty items such as a framed photo or other similar item can also be fun and relatively simple to produce in bulk. There are hundreds of creative ideas to be found online for unique and fun wedding favors.
After the DIY wedding favors have been chosen, it's time to buy materials. Craft stores are often the best place to begin, as well as online stores that offer a great variety of crafty items, often at discounted prices for bulk purchases. It is generally a good idea to coordinate the colors used in the DIY wedding favors with the colors in the rest of the wedding, such as those found in the bridesmaids' dresses or on the table settings. It is also a good idea to over-buy on materials, keep receipts, and simply return what is not used in order to avoid frequent trips back and forth to the store.
As much as possible, try to assemble DIY wedding favors over a period of time, rather than at the last minute. Enlist help as well, from willing friends and family members. The important thing is to have fun with it, and not let any DIY projects get too stressful; there's no shame in abandoning a project and purchasing favors if it gets to be too difficult or time consuming before the big day.