Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What could I put in these gift bags at my wedding? (Just like the colour)

90 replies

Plin · 02/04/2025 16:26

I know it’s very style over substance. But I’m having an English-Sikh Punjabi fusion wedding. My fiance is of Indian origin and im trying to bring in more Indian elements to bring balance to the wedding.

I would like to put these bags out on our tables to add colour as I have gone quite understated with tableware/decor.

What could I put in them? I am totally stuck. Choc? Nuts? Dried fruit? Has to be cheap!

Running out of time!

What could I put in these gift bags at my wedding? (Just like the colour)
OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
NOTANUM · 04/04/2025 00:59

I would skip favours entirely - no-one will notice or care.

The bags are gorgeous but the men won’t take them home and many will be lost at the reception.

Rachie1973 · 04/04/2025 00:59

God, not painkillers if you have kids attending!

Ive been given some great and not so great favours over the years.

CD of couples fave music…. So not my taste lol

a poem from the bride and groom. Eek!

Vaseline lip balm…. Not sure where they were going with that one!

A million packets of seeds.

chocolate…. In August.

gloves! A winter wedding with fireworks, the favours were a pair of gloves each. That was quite cool.

My daughter got married during Covid, at the ‘30 people stage’. They handed out bags with a face mask, mini serving tongs and a mini bottle of hand sanitiser. Was funny at the time, looking back….. hmmm lol.

caringcarer · 04/04/2025 00:53

Love heart sweets.

DPotter · 04/04/2025 00:46

A lottery ticket

mathanxiety · 04/04/2025 00:17

Spice is far too on the nose.

saltinesandcoffeecups · 03/04/2025 22:55

I wouldn’t overthink it… candy of some sort. I like the scratch off idea as well.

You don’t want a lot of fiddly things to have to put together.

Love the bags! Yes you will have some that are left, but most will take them.

thinkingofausername · 03/04/2025 22:31

DO NOT GIVE SPICES
Or tea as someone else mentioned.

It would be like giving a packet of salt and a mini bottle of vinegar because that's British innit.

Casual racism never ceases to amaze me on MN!
Indian must = loves spices
Do you often gift people Oxo cubes?

LimitedBrightSpots · 03/04/2025 22:31

Fortune cookies and a scratch card.

LeilaLandi · 03/04/2025 22:09

Lovely bags! I’d be so happy as a guest regardless of what was in them! Where did you get them?!

Spottidogs · 03/04/2025 22:01

I think they're lovely and would always take a favour home. I like sugared almonds or things like Lindor.

ClearHoldBuild · 03/04/2025 21:50

FeministUnderTheCatriarchy · 02/04/2025 16:31

Breath mints. Everyone wants a mint at weddings with all the hugging and talking close together over loud music etc

You can even get personalised mints if you want to spend a bit extra but it isn't necessary.

The smell of mints makes me nauseous, an association linked to morning sickness over 20 years ago. The thought of a room filled with people eating mints would be my worst nightmare.

PoppysAunt · 03/04/2025 07:41

I agree, @WhereIsMyLight . Favours get left behind, or stay in a drawer or go to the charity shop. The bags are very pretty and you have nice ideas, but just think about the cost against outcome.
No-one is being curmudgeonly to point that out.

Blueberry911 · 03/04/2025 07:36

To the people suggesting seeds, I'm sorry but you know I'm leaving that "favour" on the table. People only take seeds home to be polite.

needapokerface · 03/04/2025 02:16

Painkillers, rehydration sachets, chocolate and an energy bar, so they are covered for the hangover your free bar will give them 🤣

Dustyblue · 02/04/2025 23:37

Lovely bags. If some guests wanted to leave them I'd be snatching the leftovers!

I like the idea of teas & spices. You could create your own spice blend.

WhereIsMyLight · 02/04/2025 21:28

AnonymousJoyceLover · 02/04/2025 20:52

Lovely bags OP & i think guests would be delighted to receive these! So many curmudgeonly opinions about weddings on MN!
We have received lovely wedding favours over the years from tiny pots of local honey; tiny tins with beeswax candles, packets of wildseeds; tiny cakes; chocolates.& Christmas decorations are some that I recall.

We've always v gratefully received them & thought them a lovely touch

Your idea is gorgeous & I think chocolate coins or relevant spices would be lovely to receive

Wishing you a fabulous wedding & long & happy married life

It’s not curmudgeonly to say people don’t always take favours. If OP is investing her time and money on these, when she has already said it needs to be cheap, she needs to know her effort might not be appreciated. I did favours for my wedding. I didn’t spend a lot because we DIY’d them but people didn’t take them. It didn’t bother us because we’d enjoyed making them together and we got a box of sweets after our wedding which we ate in the airport on the way to our honeymoon. If OP will be upset if they aren’t taken, she shouldn’t do it. Her wedding will also be lovely without adding an extra stress and expense.

These things are also cute for a little bit but it will end up in the charity shop. Or if it’s something the charity shop can’t sell, like the personalised mugs we received one wedding, they get donated to a local school to be a paint pot.

SpringIsSpringing25 · 02/04/2025 21:21

wizzywig · 02/04/2025 18:21

I'm sure there are loads of other Asian mn'ers who will respond. I'd find it really odd to get a bag of spices. I'm used to sweets (chocs), dried fruits and nuts.

Spices strikes me to be like coals to Newcastle!!

AnonymousJoyceLover · 02/04/2025 20:52

Lovely bags OP & i think guests would be delighted to receive these! So many curmudgeonly opinions about weddings on MN!
We have received lovely wedding favours over the years from tiny pots of local honey; tiny tins with beeswax candles, packets of wildseeds; tiny cakes; chocolates.& Christmas decorations are some that I recall.

We've always v gratefully received them & thought them a lovely touch

Your idea is gorgeous & I think chocolate coins or relevant spices would be lovely to receive

Wishing you a fabulous wedding & long & happy married life

Original poster
Plin · 02/04/2025 20:46

Pottedpalm · 02/04/2025 18:35

How many guests? Even if you only spend £2/3 per bag that may well add up to hundreds of £ wasted. Virtually no one wants wedding favours.

80

(for all guests)

OP posts:
Original poster
Plin · 02/04/2025 20:45

longtompot · 02/04/2025 19:10

@Plin Do you and your soon to be husband have favourite sweets? Maybe some of those in each bag

I was thinking this. Liked the choc coin idea maybe with a scratch card?

OP posts:
Original poster
Plin · 02/04/2025 20:44

WhereIsMyLight · 02/04/2025 19:02

I know that is the assumption but favours are left. They are lovely and you think it’s a nod to your husband’s culture. Your guests may think they are nice but also think I don’t need more tat at home and leave them. I might take one but I wouldn’t take one home for each of us if you’re hoping for one each.

So how would you feel if loads were left at the end? If hurt, don’t buy them. If you’re not bothered, think they’re cute and can donate the leftovers to a nursery or something, then go ahead and do them. Honestly nobody cares what your table looks like, they care that food is good and there’s plenty of it, that’s a chance to catch up with friends and family. If it’s a wedding with alcohol people want the bar to be free or failing that cheap.

Edited
Show quote history

The bar is free :)

OP posts:
Darkclothes · 02/04/2025 20:44

Plin · 02/04/2025 18:04

I assumed people would take them?

Show quote history

You'd be surprised!

A relative had favours, but on the table was also nice napkin rings. FAR more napkin rings were stolen and multiple favours were left! 😕

Goldengirl123 · 02/04/2025 20:32

Sugared almonds

lazyarse123 · 02/04/2025 19:21

No ideas other than wrapped sweets but they are lovely bags. The most recent wedding we went to the favours were a China Cup and saucer all sourced from charity shops so all different they were really pretty but a real pain to take home. A special outfit is not conducive to a big handbag so a lot got left behind which was a shame.

longtompot · 02/04/2025 19:10

@Plin Do you and your soon to be husband have favourite sweets? Maybe some of those in each bag