It couldn’t be more original - gift ideas for wedding guests

Gifts for newlyweds at a wedding are common, but gifts for guests are a relatively new custom. It came to us from medieval Europe, although in Rus' there has always been a tradition of wrapping gifts from a wedding in a handkerchief for guests. To give or not to give gifts to guests at a wedding? Many brides and grooms, given the number of guests, doubt the need to observe such a formality, and very wrongly. You need to thank your guests for coming to support you on such an important day for you. A gift for guests does not have to be expensive, the main thing is a tag with the inscription (you can do it by hand) “Thank you for being with us!”

It will be a very pleasant surprise for guests if, next to their cutlery on the table, they see a bonbonniere - a classic option (translated from French, bonbonniere means candy bowl). You can do it in different ways. You can arrange a gift simply - in the form of a cellophane bag or gift paper, as well as a napkin in the form of a knot with a beautiful ribbon. They are usually filled with candies, marmalade, cookies, cakes, the now popular muffins and other little things. Homemade baked goods with wedding logos look original in bonbonnieres. And if you also put your family’s signature recipe in the box, they won’t soon forget about the gift. If not all of the guests are lovers of sweets, you can choose handmade souvenirs for gifts - candles, soap, a warm scarf, a pot of flowers.

Gift ideas for guests

You can choose ready-made gifts or show your imagination and make original souvenirs with your own hands. Let's start with the ready ones.

Chocolate figurines of the bride or groom or medals of the corresponding theme.
Fridge magnets with glamorous designs or wedding logos.
Souvenir keychains with a wedding theme.
Personalized glasses or mugs.
A friendly cartoon from a professional cartoonist.
Horoscopes and predictions in the form of tarot cards or ancient scrolls.
Gift soap in the shape of a heart, with a handmade label.
A bottle of wine or other alcohol with a wedding photo instead of a label.
Read also: What can you give for your 10th birthday: ratings and anti-ratings of gifts
A cocktail prepared for each guest with a beautiful and edible design.

Traditional wedding gifts are a little more expensive: original and inexpensive for guests

Bonbonnieres are a common option for wedding compliments. They put sweets and baked goods in them.

Here you will have to spend money on the packaging itself and, of course, the contents. You can buy ready-made cookies or gingerbreads, muffins or cupcakes, chocolate-covered nuts or marmalade, just candy or any other sweets.

If you wish, you can prepare the baked goods yourself or order from a professional pastry chef.

The recipes attached to such baked goods also look original.

Consider a photo frame.

They can be used as signs when seating guests, and after the ceremony, guests can take them as a souvenir.

Cups are also suitable, but not ordinary tea cups, but with a portrait of the newlyweds or original inscriptions, the wedding date.

You can also order chameleon cups, on which the design will appear after the dishes are heated.

Instant photo. A very unusual and touching gift for guests. Of course, it’s impossible to entrust such a task to a professional photographer.

But younger brothers and sisters can easily be charged with the responsibility of “catching” the original moments at the wedding.

Take care of a good printer so that such surprises can be immediately printed and given to the guest. The memories of such moments will be unforgettable. Since the main photos will be made in a more strict style and worked out to the smallest detail by a professional.

Candles are a beautiful and affordable gift option for guests. These can be miniature tea candles, which are placed in a common container with the lights off. Or candles in the form of figures of the bride and groom or other characters. You can even make your own candles by adding aromatic essential oils to the wax.

Touching bells. These miniature bells will be a wonderful reminder of your wedding if you put unusual designs or engravings on them.

In the same way, you can decorate souvenir horseshoes, which are also suitable as a guest compliment.

Look for bookmarks with hearts or try making one yourself.

Themed wedding

For a themed wedding, gifts for wedding guests from the newlyweds must be appropriate. At a wedding in the style of Chicago of the 30s, you can give souvenir dollars for participation in competitions, which can then be exchanged for hats, boas, cigars, small samples of whiskey, and cards here, in a special store.
At a wedding in the style of angels, souvenir angels, candlesticks and white photo frames with cupids are given.
At a nautical-themed wedding, you can give model boats, bath salts, and an engraved nautical compass.
At a travel-themed wedding, guides to different countries, postcards and photos of your joint trips, and a souvenir coin that can be left in a fountain or from the sea would be appropriate.
At a football wedding, they present balls, whistles, fan scarves, T-shirts with the newlyweds' names and number 1, and CDs with recordings of the best goals scored.
At a color wedding, the gifts should also highlight the color. At an orange wedding, these could be oranges in mini nets; at an autumn wedding, yellow cups or lemons.

It is better if the gifts are universal, not aimed at men or women. Don't be afraid to be original, guests will definitely appreciate your creativity.

Original gifts

Competitions are one of the most significant components of every wedding. Many guests will not remember what was on the table or what flowers they decorated the room with - but what made them have fun will definitely remain in their memory. Therefore, you can prepare original prizes for participation and victory in competitions, which will evoke pleasant feelings even after many years.

Cups are handmade or made to order. They may be of unusual shape or color. If the newlyweds want to leave a reminder on the dish where it came from, it is worth imprinting the wedding date on the bottom. You can also decorate the sides with a golden inscription, with words pleasant for the recipient.
A notepad or notebook in a circle or diamond shape.
Handmade photo frames or albums - although such prizes are classified as ordinary, due to the fact that they are decorated by hand, they become unique. And unlike store-bought ones, they are always appropriate - after all, they are created to order by newlyweds who know exactly what and who will like it.
Soft blankets, in the corner of which there is a small monogram of the first letters of the names of the bride and groom, as well as the wedding date.
Magnets are handmade or made from unusual materials. Wooden animals that are rarely associated with weddings look very creative - foxes, hares, wolves, bears, cats and squirrels look beautiful on any refrigerator. But you can also choose more exotic animals - red pandas, phoenixes, giraffes, dolphins. The main thing is that they do not remind of some negative quality (pig, cow, deer, goat, etc.).
Hobby-related prizes are pleasant little things that will delight the guest because the newlyweds remember his hobby. When doing what you love, a person will always remember the newlyweds and a fun wedding.
Jars of colorful jam or honey, with beautiful homemade stickers and lids.
Chocolate packed in paper with a photograph of the newlyweds.
Gift alcohol (small bottles) with a funny or inspirational card.
Desserts made by the bride (groom).
Made-to-order desserts are a great way to delight your guests. Homemade chocolate figurines look especially beautiful.
Handmade soft toys are well suited for giving gifts to any guests, regardless of their age. Often newlyweds refuse such gifts because there is a stereotype that this can only be given to their girlfriends or children. But small, neat toys are also suitable for serious people; the main thing is to choose calm colors.
A set of aromatic oils with a special lamp.
Homemade candles.
Jewelry boxes or stands for writing instruments.
Small embroidered paintings are a very unusual gift, and the more carefully the depicted subject is chosen, the more likely it is that it will be hung in the house.

Original gifts require more time and effort to choose. After all, the list of standard things consists of those that have stood the test of time.

But unusual ones are always a flight of fancy, and if chosen hastily, they can be ridiculous or useless. Unlike standard prizes, original copies have a number of disadvantages:

Newlyweds need to know exactly the characters of their guests in order to choose the right gifts. To select personalized prizes, it is important not only to know the interests of the guests, but also to spend a lot of time searching for them. You need to know exactly who will be participating in the competition in order to award the appropriate prizes. This greatly complicates the work of the host, because he needs not only to remember about competitions and words, but also who to call, so as not to confuse the prizes.. Original prizes are a very good way to distinguish your wedding from a series of others

After all, when choosing gifts for guests, newlyweds spend more time thinking, which means a more careful selection of things

Original prizes are a very good way to make your wedding stand out from the crowd of others. After all, when choosing gifts for guests, newlyweds spend more time thinking, which means a more careful selection of things.

This increases the likelihood that the prize will be truly useful and evoke positive emotions.

Seasonal wedding

If the wedding is classic, you can choose gifts based on the time of year. In summer, you can give baskets of fruit or pots of seedlings. In the fall, guests will be pleased with a jar of honey or jam brewed by the bride herself. In winter, you can give scarves, mittens, a warm heating pad. In spring, sets of flower and herb seeds and potted indoor plants are appropriate.

If the options with ready-made souvenirs don’t suit you, let’s see how to make gifts for wedding guests

with your own hands

Useful gifts for wedding guests can also be budget-friendly

The ideal option would be an individual gift for each guest. But young people can agree to such feats if those invited are limited to only the closest ones and the total number of guests does not exceed 15–20 people.

For a big wedding, working out individual useful gifts is quite problematic and expensive. Therefore, it is better to use standard useful gift ideas.

Give your guests baking dishes. Silicone molds are not expensive, look original and are always needed in the household. Kitchen trifles. There is plenty of room for choice here. These can be tea strainers, openers, and stoppers for wine bottles.

Guests are given miniature jars for spices, coasters for cups, and just teaspoons. If you add themed packaging to such a gift, no one will focus on its price.

Household items will also work. These can be molds for ice or ice cream.

You can give a set of measuring cups or measuring spoons, a roller for removing lint from clothes, or an unusual soap dish.

A paper calendar will be a useful and original gift. To design it, use thematic photos. In such a calendar, you can immediately note not only the wedding date, but also other important dates, such as birthdays of guests or calendar holidays dedicated to the family: Family Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day.

Try to ensure that gifts for guests are either of the same type or from the same price category. It will not be nice if someone gets a useful or expensive thing, and someone gets a useless trinket.

Therefore, for personalized gifts at a wedding, they try to purchase all the gifts the same. They can differ only in individual inscriptions or engraving.

Bookmark for a book - master class

Budget – 200 rubles, time to make a bookmark – 15 minutes.

Materials

velvet ribbon up to 27 cm long to match the color of the wedding;
two clips according to the size of the tape;
two rings made of sewing accessories;
two pendants:
pliers.

Step-by-step instruction

Cut a piece of tape to the required length, which can be calculated using the formula - book length plus 5cm. In our MK – 27 cm for a standard book.
Insert the tape into the clamp and secure it with pliers.
Install the ring and pendant on the clamp. Bookmarks can be made in different colors or shades, focusing on a specific guest.

DIY candle

Budget – 200 rubles, production time – 50 minutes.

Materials

container for a candle (cup, jar);
wick and wax;
thick cardboard for fastening;
a jug with a spout;
aromatic oils and dyes (optional).

Step-by-step instruction

If there is no ready-made wax in flakes, then you need to cut the candle into small slices.
Melt the wax in a water bath, add food coloring.
Secure the wick in the candle container by placing a circle with a hole cut out of cardboard on it.
Pour melted wax into a container, add a drop of aroma oil and leave to harden.
The appearance of the jar or cup in which the candle was placed will add originality to the souvenir.

Errors in selection

When choosing wedding prizes, newlyweds often make mistakes. The first and most common of them is buying the same gifts for all guests. Think for yourself, would you be interested in participating in a competition if you knew in advance that you would receive the same gift as another person? Of course not, it’s much more interesting when the intrigue remains.

The second mistake is overly expensive gifts. Of course, newlyweds buy them with the best intentions, trying to give their guests something useful. However, this can put a person in an awkward position. When he receives, for example, a portable speaker for the most ordinary competition, bewilderment may arise. The person will involuntarily begin to consider himself obliged to you. Therefore, you should choose prizes that are more or less cheap. The main thing is to select even the simplest trinket with soul. When buying gifts, you should also take care of their appropriateness. Knives, mirrors, watches and the like are completely unsuitable as gifts, because they have a certain symbolic meaning, and many guests may not like it. Also, when choosing gifts, consider whether they will offend people's cultural or religious feelings.

Gifts “for show” are also a very bad idea. You should be very careful when choosing a gift, use your imagination, and not buy the first thing that came to hand. It’s best when you already have a list of competitions ready, and you choose prizes specifically for each of them.

Greens in a pot

Budget – 100 rubles, production time – 20 minutes.

Materials

pot;
seedling;
universal primer;
;tag and twine.

Step-by-step instruction

Prepare the pot - wash it if it is new or remove all labels if you are using jars.
Fill the seedling container with soil and leave a depression in the center.
Plant the seedlings and attach a tag with the guest's name and words of gratitude to the cord.

Such pots with magnets glued to a metal board at the entrance to the hall look interesting. Another option for such a gift is a violet in a pot, decorated with floral paper and a flag with wedding logos. The color scheme can be designed in accordance with the wedding theme.

Gift packaging

A store-bought or hand-made gift for invitees is only half the task facing the organizers. Items, sweets or souvenirs must be colorfully packaged. The packaging design is chosen in strict accordance with the design of the banquet hall, dress code, and wedding scenario. For example, canvas, cotton or linen bags are perfect for rustic or eco styles. And the classic version requires more noble solutions - richly decorated cardboard boxes, boxes with intricate carvings. Packaging can be completely different, made from traditional, natural or modern materials. If desired, you can offer guests unique products made of wicker, wood, rattan, velvet or brocade, which themselves are a work of art.

Boxes made of cardboard or transparent plastic - bonbonnieres. All sizes and shapes are acceptable - spheres, pyramids, cones, square and rectangular structures. Inside there may be a second, protective layer of fabric, foil, film, which will protect the fragile contents from accidental shocks.
Bags, packages, and covers are made from suitable fabric, burlap, and designer paper. They decorate with embroidery made of threads or beads, appliques, ribbons, stickers, and photo printing. Satin or guipure ribbons, twisted cords with tassels, and coarse ropes for themed holidays are used as dressings.
Wicker baskets and baskets can be open or equipped with lids. You can put whatever your heart desires in them, and it fits in volume. This is the most ideal packaging for flower bouquets, seasonal fruits, berries or other gifts of nature.
Buckets, barrels, jars, flasks, bottles are used for small bulk or liquid products and substances. They are decorated with paintings, rhinestones, pictures, and ribbons.
Boxes made of various materials are perfect for small souvenirs, small sweets, and jewelry.
Decorative envelopes are designed for designer cards and small, flat items. They are made by hand or ordered from a printing house according to an individual design.

Each package is inscribed or equipped with a colorful tag, a card with words of gratitude, the names of the newlyweds, and personal initials.

How to give gifts

You can put gifts on a separate table or in the form of a multi-tiered cake, in the European style. There are different ways to give gifts to guests:

the easiest way is to leave them on the table under a napkin rolled into a cone;
o an original gift for guests at a wedding -
a souvenir in a balloon tied to the chair of each guest;
can be given during congratulations at the time of presenting gifts to the newlyweds;
you can play in the form of competitions - arrange a fishing trip with magnetic fishing rods, where the guest himself will catch a gift for himself;
hold a win-win lottery by indicating the ticket number in the wedding invitation;
if there are few guests, simply introduce each one with a humorous, non-offensive poem and present the gift publicly;
put souvenirs in a chest and call in turn the tallest man, the most magnificent and beautiful woman, etc., only the nominations should be focused on the sense of humor of each guest;
Sometimes they decorate a wedding tree, where gifts are hung, like on a New Year tree; in return, the guest can hang a tag with wishes to the newlyweds.

You can buy various little things as gifts for guests for participating in competitions - decorative candles, key rings, photo frames, chocolate medals, soap bubbles, fans, vases, jewelry, pens, notepads. To prevent gifts from being left on the wedding tables, you can think about an exclusive option. For example, order calendars for the next year and a photo of the newlyweds, refrigerator magnets with a wedding theme, mugs, T-shirts, badges - any souvenir products with your initials, which can be ordered from an advertising agency.

Everyone loves gifts, so it’s worth thinking about how to make as many of your guests happy as possible at your wedding. It is worth making a few more souvenirs than the number of guests, so that a random unaccounted guest (for example, a child) is not left without a gift. When we share our happiness with friends, it is sure to return with big dividends. Although many people think that it is enough to make colorful invitations, the rest is an empty formality. What do you think?

Clothes and accessories

To avoid mistakes, you should choose universal items that are suitable for females and males of any age.

Light scarf, scarf, stole.
Baseball cap or straw hat.
Flip-flops for the bathroom or beach made of plastic.
Knitted items - socks, ski cap, mittens.
Knitted cotton T-shirt with a memorable inscription.
Sunglasses, belt.

During the selection process, things can be divided into several main sizes - large, medium, small, taking into account the size of the invited guests.