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

[Plin]

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!

Indian sweets - perhaps inside a paper bag and resting on a serviette or in a small paper box to protect the fabric bag

Seeds? Could get a packet of mixed seeds and put in envelopes? Then some love hearts or mints and maybe other little things like post it notes and pen-then people have the tools to add a post it wish/message to a big board and you then frame it? Also like the idea of spices-maybe your own mix of garam massala? Paper hats for pics? Kazzoos? Think cracker contents and you prob won't go far wrong!

No, they don't always. After every wedding there are always favours left behind.

We did mini eggs too, in little organza bags.

Favours are such a waste of money. I have never met anyone who likes a sugared almond. I had wedding favour sugar almonds as my mum said it was the ‘done thing’ and now I am perplexed. Can’t believe I spent money on them.

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.

FFS yourself... Nobody but you mentioned Instagram. Just because something is an old tradition doesn't mean it can't feel dated.

No ideas but those bags are beautiful

Don’t give spices. Just imagine you go to a wedding and someone gives you a little bag of dried mixed herbs a la 1970s cuisine or some bisto granules that you have to take home to be polite. Would you use them? Nope.

Sweets/chocs/mints
Lottery tickets
Tissues
Seed packet
Spice mix with a recipe card

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.

I seen someone put the mini love heart sweets in. Or there is a place that do rock with your initials and wedding date on

Honestly I would avoid favours. I have stayed in a hotel regularly for work where in the left luggage room there was a massive box of wedding favours that they collected as left over after each and every wedding. The porters once they got to know you would actively encourage you to take bits/dump them in your room.

In some there were quite expensive items like power banks etc but they still got left. I will say that this hotel had to move tables off the dance floor for the dancing so I would imagine that many guest could not be bothered searching for their favour.

Your bags do look lovely. Are they being aimed at all guests or just female guests?

I would just put in a few chocolates

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.

A classic

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

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.

Sugared almonds

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! 😕

The bar is free :)

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

80

(for all guests)

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

Spices strikes me to be like coals to Newcastle!!

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.