The New Trend in Wedding Favours

We’re coming out of a difficult period of tough economic times. With so many of us watching the few dollars we have, it’s really forced people to look closely at how they spend their money. The same could be said for anyone planning a wedding. Couples are looking at what things cost and asking tough questions. How important is it? Do they really need it? Is it worth it?

One of the areas hardest hit areas has been wedding favours. Traditionally, guests have been presented with a small token to show the couples’ appreciation for attending the wedding. We’ve all received our fair share of candies and knick-knacks. There are some great ideas out there now for wedding favours, but more and more couples are looking at the costs involved and deciding that they would rather give the money to a charity or a worthy cause that they support.

There are more and more programs out there that allow you to make donations in lieu of wedding favours. For example, when you make a donation to the Alzheimer Society’s “Forget-Me-Not” Wedding Program , they will give you either place cards or Forget-Me-Not seeds to give your guests in lieu of wedding favours. The Canadian Cancer Society offers a similar program and will give you gift cards, place cards, or reception certificates for your donation.

Charitable organizations, such as the Alzheimer’s Society will provide you with “Forget-Me-Not” seeds to present to your guests when you make a donation in lieu of wedding favours. 

The IDo Foundation, although based out of the United States, has a large collection of charities they’ve gathered together to make it easy for couples to donate money to. It allows you to register and donate to one or more charities of your choice. Just some of the organizations they work with include:

• Amnesty International
• Doctors Without Borders
• Global AIDS Alliance
• Rainforest Alliance
• National Wildlife Foundation
• Habitat For Humanity International
• Save The Children
• Global Fund For Women

There are so many choices out there, and so many ways that the two of you can help. It’s an opportunity for you to give back and spend the money on something that really will make a difference. You can click on the links above to find out more information about any of these charity organizations and their wedding donation programs or check with your own favourite charity to see if they offer something similar.

Just remember that you do need to be sure that you let your guests know what you’ve done and that a donation has been made on their behalf. The best way to do it is by putting donation favour cards on each table. Organizations like the Alzheimer’s Society and the Canadian Cancer Society have their own favour cards (or seed packets), but if you choose a different charity, you can arrange to get your own donation favour cards through The Knot’s Wedding Shop.


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Cathy MacRae is a certified wedding and event planner, and owner of Creative Weddings and Occasions and Del Sol Destination Weddings. Located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, she plans wedding for couples in and around the Calgary and Banff area, helping all of their wedding dreams come true. She is also a destination wedding and honeymoon travel specialist helping couples plan their weddings in paradise locations all around the world. For more information about planning your own wedding or for advice from Cathy, please contact her at info@creativeweddingsandoccasions.com.