Here are some cunning ways I've found to source cheap gifts for your loved ones without resorting to taffeta bags of almonds...
How to find cheap wedding favors for your guests:
Look into stores that are going out of business and ask for a discount price on the last of all of one stock. I recently found ninety mini plaques with inspiring quotes on them for $1.50 each - down from $10 a piece!
Buy in bulk from a wholesaler. Look for retail wholesale suppliers for bulk candy or chocolate and hotel suppliers for mini soaps etc. You may be able to place a one-off order or find a friend who owns a cafe, restaurant or motel who can arrange the order for you.
Look on eBay/TradeMe or Etsy for bulk deals and end-of-lines from wholesalers and retailers. Be wary of trying to match colours you see on a computer screen to your fabric samples though- it seldom works! (spray paint does though...)
Head out after Christmas and look for sales. Look for discounted "gourmet" cookies. You can either use the cookies as-is on your table or pull them apart and repackage the presents. Last year I got twelve packs of Christmas crackers worth $35 for under $5 — that's less than fifty cents per favor. Or look for cheap chocolates (check they don't expire before the wedding date), candy and fudges.
The super cunning can also buy cheap marked down christmas cake to have handy if you don't quite have enough slices of wedding cake to go around. A large iced Christmas cake bought in Januray sets me back about $5, lasts for another six to eight months and can save paying an extra $100 for another tier on the wedding cake. I'm keeping an iced fruit cake handy for fussy purists who wont like my awesome chocolate cake.
Gift baskets are often on sale after January too. Look at the contents and see if you can pull the basket apart and repackage the gifts — mismatched favors wrapped in complementary wrapping paper (or wallpaper) make for a unique centrepiece too.
Cheap jewelry stores often have bargain bins full of out-of-season jewelry. Take to them with a set of pliers and you have some fabulous embellishments for centrepieces or favors.
Consider buying a whole roll of cellophane from a florist to wrap up your favors. It's far cheaper than buying single sheets and you can use the cellophane for future Christmas and birthday presents too.
Instead of fancy handmade boxes, pick up some white paper sweet bags from your local dairy or sweet shop and decorate them with stamps or preprinted stickers. You can seal them with a sticker, sealing wax or ribbon and they can double as name place tags too.
Recommended Online Sources
- Cooking.com Great wedding gift registry items
- Find your perfect wedding invitation. Free Shipping on orders over $150.
