Crafting Wedding Memories: Handmade Souvenir Secrets

Handmade wedding souvenirs are a thoughtful way to add a personal touch to your big day and show your guests how much you care. From scented candles and soaps to edible treats and eco-friendly plant kits, there are endless possibilities for creating unique and memorable favours. Whether you're showcasing a hobby, involving family members, or injecting your personality into the celebration, handmade wedding souvenirs are a labour of love that your guests are sure to appreciate. With careful planning and creativity, you can make your wedding day even more special and give your guests a lasting reminder of your commitment to each other.

Homemade baked goods

Choosing the Right Treats

Select recipes that hold up well over time and can be prepared in advance. Cookies, cupcakes, and pies are excellent options that can be made ahead of time and frozen if needed. If you're baking in a warm climate or during the summer months, opt for treats that are less likely to melt or spoil, such as shortbread cookies or brownies.

Presentation and Packaging

Presentation is key to making your homemade treats look attractive and appealing. Opt for cute boxes, tins, or cellophane bags to package your baked goods. You can also add a personal touch by including a tag with your family recipe, allowing guests to recreate the treats at home. Consider decorative touches like ribbons, twine, or personalised stickers to enhance the overall appearance.

Enlist Help

Even seasoned bakers can benefit from extra help. Don't hesitate to enlist your bridal party, family members, or friends to assist with baking, decorating, or packaging. It can be a fun group activity and will help reduce the stress of preparing for your big day.

Timing and Planning

Careful planning is essential to ensure your homemade treats are a success. Create a timeline for baking and preparing your favours, allowing enough time for cooling, decorating, and packaging. If possible, bake your treats in advance and freeze them to reduce stress as your wedding day approaches.

Examples of Baked Goods

• Cookies: Choose a variety of flavours and shapes that reflect your personal style. You can even customise them with icing or decorations in your wedding colours.
• Mini pies or tarts: Individual-sized pies are a charming and unique option. Consider flavours like apple, cherry, or lemon meringue.
• Cupcakes: These can be easily customised with different flavours, colours, and decorations to match your wedding theme.
• Brownie bites: Rich and fudgy brownies are sure to be a hit. You can even offer a variety of toppings, such as nuts, sprinkles, or dried fruit.
• Cake pops: Cake pops are a fun and portable option. Decorate them with icing and sprinkles to match your wedding colours.

Remember, when choosing your baked goods, consider the season, the weather, and any dietary restrictions your guests may have. With thoughtful planning and preparation, your homemade baked goods will be a delicious and memorable favour for your wedding guests.

Self-jarred preserves or honey

• Choose a fruit with meaning to you and your partner. Consider what's growing when and where you're getting married.
• Make the preserves with just a few ingredients: fruit and sugar, and sometimes pectin and an acid like lemon juice.
• Once cooled, pour the preserves into sterilised jars.
• Seal the jars with lids and add a personal touch with custom labels or decorative fabric covers to match your wedding theme.
• If you're making honey, you can follow a similar process. Start by choosing a honey jar that is distinctive and attractive. You can buy new jars or recycle old ones.
• Warm the honey buckets and filter them through a reasonably fine nylon filter to exclude very fine granules of wax or anything that will make the honey cloudy.
• Remove any air bubbles introduced during the mixing, filtering, and decanting process by laying a sheet of cling film on top of the scummy layer and confidently lifting it off.
• Tilt the bucket at an angle to get the last of the honey out and fill your jars.
• Add custom labels or decorative fabric covers to match your wedding theme.

Your guests will surely appreciate the time and effort you put into making these thoughtful wedding favours!

Handmade craft gifts

Clay, Paint, or Yarn Crafts

• Clay magnets: Handcraft clay magnets in the shape of mountains and feathers, then paint them with gold detail. These can serve as both escort cards and favors for your guests.
• Trinket dishes: Create small ceramic trinket dishes for each guest, especially meaningful if you and your partner share a love for pottery.
• Mugs: Make personalized mugs and even use them for after-dinner espresso at the reception.
• Trinket trays: Craft ring or trinket trays for your guests, a useful and memorable gift.

Painted Canvases

Small painted canvases: Order a bulk of small canvases and paint scenic views from your wedding venue or portraits of the guests themselves. Add a heartfelt message on the back of each canvas to express gratitude for their presence.

Knitted or Crocheted Items

• Hats, scarves, or can koozies: A charming favor, especially for a winter wedding.
• Simple jewelry: Make delicate jewelry pieces like bracelets or earrings that your guests can wear as a memento.

Wood-Burned Items

Engraved coasters: Engrave intricate designs or meaningful words onto small wooden coasters, a rustic and long-lasting gift for your guests.

Something scented

Scented wedding souvenirs are a creative way to add a personal touch to your wedding and can be a memorable olfactory experience for you and your guests. Here are some ideas for something scented to give as handmade wedding favours:

Candles

Scented candles are a wonderful way to create a lasting olfactory memory of your wedding day. Choose essential oils that capture the essence of your wedding location, such as balsam fir for a mountain venue or citrus and coconut for a beach ceremony. Alternatively, blend you and your partner's favourite scents to symbolise the joining of your lives.

To make your own scented candles, start by purchasing eco-friendly soy wax. Melt the wax and blend in your chosen essential oils. You can also add dried flowers, herbs, or a bit of glitter to the wax for a unique finish. Pour the wax into small jars, teacups, or vintage tins, and add a cotton wick. Once the candles are set, personalise the labels with your wedding date or a sweet message.

Soaps

Homemade bar soap is a more complex but luxurious DIY wedding favour idea. Begin with a melt-and-pour soap base, such as glycerin or shea butter, and add essential oils like lavender, eucalyptus, or citrus. You can also add exfoliating ingredients like oatmeal or coffee grounds. Pour the soap into moulds that match your wedding theme—simple rectangular bars or custom shapes like initials or hearts.

Perfume or Cologne

Give your guests miniature bottles of perfume or cologne featuring your wedding scent. You can even have the bottle engraved with your monogram to make it extra special.

Potpourri or Dried Flowers

Dried flower petal confetti holds scent incredibly well and can be used during your wedding exit toss. Your guests will be whisked away by the tossing of scented petals!

Mini bottles of homemade liquor

If you and your partner are passionate about brewing or fermenting your own beverages, you can bottle a custom drink. The options are endless: moonshine, limoncello, craft beer, and more. Personalise each bottle with a tag or label that not only adds a charming touch but also serves as a playful reminder that the drink was made especially for them and not professionally brewed.

For example, a groom who teamed up with his bride's uncle to brew a special batch of beer for their wedding added personalised tags to each bottle. This not only made the favour unique but also added a playful reminder of its origins.

When crafting your own liquor, consider choosing a drink that holds a special meaning for you and your partner. Perhaps you both share a favourite cocktail or have a family recipe that you can recreate. If you're having a destination wedding, you could even incorporate local ingredients or flavours that reflect the culture of your chosen location.

Careful planning is essential when creating homemade liquor wedding favours. Ensure you have the necessary equipment and ingredients, and always taste-test your creations to ensure they meet your standards. Don't hesitate to enlist the help of friends or family, as the process can be time-consuming.

Frequently asked questions