The short version: The best wedding favors are ones guests use: a champagne flute for the toast, a can cooler for the bar, bubbles for the send-off, or seed paper they plant at home. For a typical wedding of about 125 guests, personalized favors cost roughly $1–$6 per guest, including setup. Print your names and wedding date in one color to keep costs down, order up to the next price break when you're close to one, and place your order 6–8 weeks before the wedding.
What Couples Actually Spend
According to The Knot's 2026 Real Weddings Study, the average U.S. wedding in 2025 cost about $34,000, with an average of 117 guests, or about $292 per guest. Favors are a small slice of that budget, but they're the thing guests take home. Spending a dollar or two more per guest on something useful is often the difference between a favor that's kept and one that's left on the table.
Real Costs for a 125-Guest Wedding
Here's what popular favors cost if you order about 140 pieces (125 guests plus extras). Each total includes an estimated $50 setup fee for a one-color imprint, before shipping. Prices come from our current price grids and depend on quantity.
| Favor | Minimum | Pieces ordered | Estimated total | Per guest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laminated Hand Fan | 100 | 140 | ~$137 | ~$1.10 |
| 2 oz. Acrylic Shot Glass | 100 | 140 | ~$211 | ~$1.70 |
| Rubberized Sunglasses | 150 | 150 | ~$222 | ~$1.80 |
| Seeded Paper Ornaments | 125 | 140 | ~$281 | ~$2.25 |
| 10 oz. Kolder Kaddy Can Cooler | 50 | 140 | ~$295 | ~$2.35 |
| 16 oz. Glass Can | 144 | 144 | ~$351 | ~$2.80 |
| 2 oz. Bubbles | 250 | 250 | ~$380 | ~$3.05 |
| 2-Bottle Wine Bag | 200 | 200 | ~$392 | ~$3.15 |
| Votive Candle | 96 | 140 | ~$448 | ~$3.60 |
| 16 oz. Pilsner Glass | 12 | 144 | ~$455 | ~$3.65 |
| Champagne Flute Glass | 72 | 144 | ~$561 | ~$4.50 |
| 4x6 Aluminum Picture Frame | 50 | 140 | ~$663 | ~$5.30 |
The price-break trick: sometimes more costs less
Many items get cheaper per piece at set quantities, and occasionally the jump is big enough that a slightly larger order costs less in total. Champagne flutes are a good example. At 140 pieces they're about $4.98 each (about $747 with setup), but at 144 pieces they drop to about $3.55 each, about $561 total. Four more flutes save you about $185. Pilsner glasses and lighted hurricane glasses work the same way. Before you order, check the price grid on the product page, or call us and we'll find the best quantity for your guest count.
Wedding Favor Ideas by Style
For the toast and the bar
Drinkware favors get used at the reception and kept long after. Champagne flutes double as the toast glass and the favor. Glass cans and pilsner glasses suit a more casual or brewery wedding. Can coolers are a crowd-pleaser at outdoor and backyard weddings, and lighted hurricane glasses (about $7.93 each at 150) are a fun upgrade for a late-night dance party.
For the send-off
Personalized bubbles make for beautiful exit photos, and many venues prefer them to rice or confetti. Check with your venue first. The 250-piece minimum works well for larger weddings, or you can split the order between the ceremony and the reception.
Beach, shore, and outdoor weddings
For a summer ceremony in the sun, give guests something that keeps them comfortable: hand fans printed with the ceremony program on the back, sunglasses in your wedding colors, or SPF 30 sunscreen (about $2.53 each at 100–249 pieces) in a welcome basket.
Plantable and eco-friendly favors
The Knot found that 28% of couples include eco-friendly options in their weddings. Seeded paper favors grow into wildflowers when planted, and the Pine Tree Growables Planter (about $3.22 each at 150) sprouts into a tiny tree, a sweet "watch our love grow" message. Cork coasters are another natural-material favor that guests use at home. See our eco-friendly products guide for more.
Keepsake favors
For a smaller guest list, or as a gift for the wedding party, choose something that ends up on a shelf: a 4x6 picture frame engraved with your names and date (minimum 50), or a votive candle that doubles as table décor before guests take it home. Note that votives take about 15 business days to produce.
Welcome bags for out-of-town guests
A 2-bottle wine bag (about $1.71 each, 3-day production) printed with your names makes a ready-made welcome bag. Fill it with local snacks, water, sunscreen, and a weekend schedule.
Showers and bachelorette parties
The Bride Stress Reliever (about $3.19 each at 150, 3-day production) and the Wine Bottle Stress Reliever (about $2.13) are a fun touch, and acrylic shot glasses (about $1.15 each at 100) are a bachelorette-weekend classic.
How Many Favors to Order
- One per guest for most favors, like glassware, bubbles, fans, and can coolers.
- One per couple or household works for larger keepsakes like frames and candles, and it can cut the order nearly in half.
- Add about 10% for the wedding party, vendors, last-minute guests, and breakage. If you're within a few pieces of a price break, order up to it.
- Leftovers aren't wasted. Extra glassware or frames make thank-you gifts for parents, hosts, and your wedding party.
Personalization Ideas
- Names and date: "Emily & James · 06.12.27" is classic and fits almost any item.
- A monogram or your initials inside a simple heart, wreath, or circle.
- A short message: "Thanks for celebrating with us," "Let love grow" (on seed paper), or "Cheers!"
- Your wedding hashtag, so guests share photos.
Keep it to one imprint color where you can. Each extra color adds another setup fee plus about $0.30 per piece. Our art team provides free design help, and every order includes a free digital proof. Read it twice, because names and dates are the most common mistakes. See our artwork guide and our pricing guide for details.
When to Order Your Wedding Favors
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 3–4 months before | Choose your favor, request a sample if you'd like to see it in person, and settle on your design. |
| 8 weeks before | Confirm your guest count estimate and finalize your wording. |
| 6–8 weeks before | Place your order. Production takes about 3–15 business days after proof approval, plus shipping. |
| 2–3 weeks before | Receive and check your favors, then assemble any packaging or signage. |
Your wedding date can't move, and we don't offer rush service, so build in a cushion. If you're short on time, the wine bag and bride stress reliever have 3-day production. Spring and summer weddings should have favors ordered by March or April.
Common Wedding Favor Mistakes
- Choosing something decorative instead of useful. Trinkets get left on tables. Glasses, coolers, fans, and plantables go home.
- Ordering exactly your guest count. You'll want extras, and the next price break may cost less anyway.
- Waiting too long. The final month before a wedding is busy enough.
- Skipping the proof check. A misspelled name or wrong date is printed on every piece.
Planning a reunion, bar or bat mitzvah, or milestone party too? See our guide to personalized favors for every celebration.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wedding Favors
How much should I spend on wedding favors?
Most couples spend about $1–$6 per guest on personalized favors. For a 125-guest wedding, hand fans or shot glasses run about $140–$210 total, can coolers about $295, bubbles about $380, and champagne flutes about $560, including a typical setup fee.
How many wedding favors should I order?
Order one per guest plus about 10% for the wedding party, vendors, and extras. Larger keepsakes like frames or candles can be given one per couple or household. If you're close to a price break, ordering up to it can lower your total cost.
When should I order wedding favors?
Order 6–8 weeks before your wedding. Production takes about 3–15 business days after you approve your proof, plus shipping time. Since your date can't move, extra time protects you from delays. Spring and summer weddings should order by March or April.
What are the most popular personalized wedding favors?
Champagne flutes, glass cans, can coolers, bubbles for the send-off, hand fans for outdoor ceremonies, seeded paper and plantable favors, votive candles, and picture frames. All can be printed with your names, wedding date, or monogram.
What is the minimum order for personalized wedding favors?
It varies by item. Pilsner glasses start at 12 pieces, picture frames and can coolers at 50, champagne flutes at 72, votive candles at 96, and many other favors at 100–250. Call for a quote on smaller quantities.
What do you put on wedding favors?
Most couples use their first names and wedding date, a monogram, or a short message like "Thanks for celebrating with us." A wedding hashtag encourages guests to share photos. Keeping the design to one color keeps the cost down.
Ready to choose your favors? Shop wedding favors, or call us at 888-926-6385 and we'll help you find the best quantity and price for your guest count. We've been helping couples celebrate since 2004.