Destination Wedding Favors
So you’ve planned your dream destination wedding and spent months mapping out the details. From your fantasy wedding gown to the perfect hors d’oeuvres, you’ve poured your heart and soul into creating an unforgettable wedding celebration that will live up to your expectations – and blow away your guests.
The RSVPs are rolling in, and your guest list is full of beloved friends and family who are excited to join you for your special day! These honored guests will travel far from home, spend their hard-earned money, and take time out of their lives to celebrate this new chapter of your life.
Naturally, you want the PERFECT destination wedding favors to show your unending appreciation for all their love and support!
Unfortunately, destination wedding favors (much like destination wedding gifts!) can be tricky to pull off. If you’re on the hunt for favors that are thoughtful, personal, and memorable, check out our tips and ideas below!
Tips for Destination Wedding Favors:
- Destination wedding favors should be SMALL. Keep in mind that you will have to transport your favors to the wedding venue – and that guests will need to fit it into their luggage for the flight home.
- Your guests have traveled far and wide to be there for your big day – it’s natural to want to show your appreciation in a BIG way! But favors don’t have to be large (or expensive!) to make an impact. Favors that are thoughtful and personal go a long way in showing your appreciation.
- Personalization is a great way to make your favors stand out – but for an especially thoughtful gift, consider keeping those personalized elements subtle. This way, your guests can use their favors over and over again! You may even opt for favors that are personalized with your guests’s names instead of your wedding information.
Travel Gear
What better favor for a destination wedding than an accessory your guests will use on all their globetrotting adventures?
Personalized luggage tags make for a perfectly practical destination wedding favor, while cosmetic bags and travel-sized toiletries are also great options. Choose something your guests will use time and time again – they’ll think of you and your wedding each time they travel!
Personal Fan
If your wedding location boasts plenty of sunshine and high temps to match, a personal fan makes for a favor that’s as useful as it is beautiful.
Choose fans in your wedding colors, or personalize them to commemorate your special day! You’ll find plenty to choose from at a variety of price points, but we love this gorgeous wooden fan for an elegant addition to any wedding.
Personalized Tote Bag
Whether they’re toting wedding essentials or beach supplies, your wedding guests are sure to appreciate a personalized tote bag.
This is a practical favor that will be useful throughout your destination wedding and beyond!
Something Local
No matter where you’re tying the knot, your wedding location is sure to have its fair share of local treats, eats, and specialty cuisines. Wow your guests AND support the local economy with a favor that hails directly from your wedding destination!
Lean on edible options like coffee, liquor, chocolate, or hot sauce. Getting married in Jamaica? Try a local rum to keep the party going long after your guests go home! Hot Delight Gourmet Hot Sauce is perfect for an Aruba wedding, while the Dominican Republic offers a seemingly endless array of coffees.
Intangible Gifts
Your guests have gone out of their way to be there for you on your big day, so why not treat them to a one-of-a-kind experience? If you’re looking to show your appreciation in a BIG way, give your guests a memory they’ll cherish forever.
For an extra-special favor, arrange a sunset sail, ziplining excursion, spa service, or other fun experience for your guests.
Alternatively, consider forgoing traditional favors altogether and opt to shoulder a travel cost, like airport transfer. Your guests are spending money on flights, accommodations, and other travel expenses, so alleviating those costs – even in a small way – will always be an appreciated gesture.
Something Edible
Who doesn’t love a yummy treat? Your destination wedding is sure to deliver incredible drinks and food, but an edible favor may come in handy in the wee hours of the morning – or even on the flight home!
Try cookies, candy, breath mints, chocolate, or even take-home options like olive oil, hot sauce, preserves, or honey. Be sure your favors come in airtight containers and that they’ll fit easily into your guests’s luggage. Don’t forget to claim food items at customs!
Wine-Stoppers & Bottle-Openers
If your guest list includes beer enthusiasts or wine aficionados, consider kitchen accessories like wine-stoppers or bottle-openers. These useful kitchen tools are sure to be used time and time again!
Choose wine-stoppers or bottle-openers in a design that compliments your wedding destination, or personalize them with your wedding details.
Personalized Travel Tumbler
Travel tumblers are all the rage these days, so why not treat your guests to a personalized travel tumbler to keep them hydrated – or caffeinated? – on your big day?
Again, consider personalizing your tumblers with your guests’s names as opposed to your wedding information.
Tumblers are a practical and useful favor idea but keep in mind that these may be too large for you to easily transport to the wedding or for guests to transport home. Try shipping them to each guest individually, or distribute them personally once you’ve arrived home.
Keepsake Photo
For a truly meaningful destination wedding favor, have your wedding photo take a professional photo of each couple or family. After the wedding, frame the photos and mail or give them to your guests.
This is a beautiful and special way to commemorate your big day and show your appreciation to your guests.
Destination Wedding Favors FAQ’s
Do I Have to Give Favors at My Destination Wedding?
Favors aren’t required at any wedding, but they are a great way to show appreciation to your guests, particularly at a destination wedding where guests have taken the time and spent the money to travel to your wedding destination. Make room for favors in your wedding budget – they don’t have to be expensive to make an impact!
How Much Should I Spend on Destination Wedding Favors?
This depends entirely on your wedding budget. Favors don’t have to be expensive to make an impact, but they should be personal and thoughtful. If you have more money to spend, feel free to splash out – but budget-friendly favors can be equally – or even more! – meaningful.
How Can I Transport Favors to My Wedding Location?
Small favors can be stashed in a suitcase, but larger favors may need to be shipped to your destination. Call the wedding venue ahead of time or consult with your wedding planner to find out how.
Ready to book your destination wedding, honeymoon, or romantic vacation? Contact us here to get started!