Unique Indian Wedding Favor Ideas to Delight Your Guests
An Indian bride and groom standing at the alter outdoors. Image by June Bug Weddings.
Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life. You’ll remember every detail, from the delicious food to your first dance to the smiles on your guests’ faces as they enjoy the celebration.
A traditional Indian wedding has three main parts: the Sangeet & Mehendi, the ceremony, and the reception. Some modern day brides are options for a traditional Western wedding with touches of their Indian heritage added in. Either way, it’s customary to offer guests exciting favors at each celebration.
Whether you’re planning a full Indian wedding or giving a nod to your culture, you’ll need to pick the right favor to thank them for attending and give them a memento to remember the event by.
Here are some ideas you can use to pick the best Indian wedding favors for your guests!
Traditional Indian Wedding Favors
Four wooden incense holder boxes with gift tags. Image by UvraFavors on Etsy.
Orange and blue elephant tea light candle holders. Image by Jaipurstoreart on Etsy.
Indian weddings are full of opulence, color, and deep rooted traditions. It’s important to connect your wedding favors to these concepts to enhance the connection to your heritage. The best way to infuse Indian culture into your wedding favors is to use images and motifs that remind your guests of the country.
Elephant motifs are incredibly popular because they represent wisdom, family, and fertility. Elephant tea light holders mix brightly colored fabric and gold metals that are perfect for an Indian wedding.
They would look great as a colorful accent in any home and can double as a trinket tray once the candle runs out.
You can also send guests home with Agarbatti, or incense sticks, which is popular in India because it’s used in many Hindu rituals. A custom incense holder with a stick of your favorite scent is a functional and traditional favors.
Mehndi represents good fortune and the strong bond of marriage. It’s painted onto the bride’s hands and feet before the wedding ceremony.
Use this ritual as inspiration for some mehndi-inspired wedding favors! Hand Painted henna tea lights in popular mehndi patterns would make great favors.
Useful Indian Wedding Favors
Take your Indian wedding favors to the next level by making them useful for your guests! Offer personalized drinkware or hand fans that can be used during the ceremony and reception.
Guests can use the fans if the weather is warm and visit the drink station with their cups and then take them home at the end of the night! You can also offer drink charms or vinyl stickers to ensure everyone knows which item is their own.
Polti bags are another popular choice. These bags are made from rich fabrics and carried by men and women alike. They’ve been around for thousands of years, making them an Indian fashion statement!
Give guests stunning bags in your wedding colors. They can carry them during the event to keep their valuables close and reuse them in the future.
Another functional Indian wedding favor is the lehariya dupatta. This swath of luxury fabric is an iconic part of Indian fashion.
It’s versatile: the guest can use it as a shawl, draped across their outfit, or as a decorative throw for their home. So you know that your wedding favor won’t go to waste!
Edible Favors
Colored gift boxes with Indian motif on the tops. Image by MyHandcraftUS.
Edible wedding favors are a popular choice for couples hosting an Indian wedding. Guests enjoy bringing home traditional sweets, spices, and beverage blends to enjoy as a treat in their homes. Plus, the favors will easily match the Indian wedding food and drinks you provide at the reception!
Sweets are always in style, so fill your treat boxes with jalebi, fennel candy, or kaju katli. You can also offer traditional spice blends for guests to use in their kitchens, like high-quality masala blends, curries, and other aromatics.
Not only can your guests create delicious dishes after your wedding reception, but the aroma will give a lovely fragrance to your party!
Beverage blends are another great way to thank your guests for their attendance. Chai spice mixes are caffeine-free and suitable for most guests to drink.
You can choose loose leaf tea blends or individual tea bags, depending on your preference. Coffee blends are another good choice. Lavender or dessert flavored coffees are on trend and will be popular with your guests!
No matter which type of edible wedding favor you choose, you’ll need a treat box to present it in. You can go for hand-stamped cardboard treat boxes with an Indian motif.
These are super affordable and make it easy to DIY your favors from start to finish. If you’re looking to elevate your treat boxes, mini trunks are a great choice. They are sturdy enough to be reused and look very impressive on the favor table!
Personalized Keepsakes
Multiple sets of meena kari earrings hanging. Image by Stylespeaksindia on Etsy.
Your wedding day is all about you and your spouse. Custom favors are a great way to infuse your personality and give guests a memento of your special day.
If you set up a photo booth, an engraved picture frame will allow your guests to keep their photo safe. You can have your wedding date, a quote, or your names engraved on the frame. A small photo album with a customized cover would be great for guests who visit the photo booth multiple times. Since printed photos are such a novelty, guests will appreciate having a tangible image to take home.
Jewelry is an often overlooked but always appreciated wedding favor. In Indian culture, jewelry is a very important part of an outfit. Your guests will think of you and your special day every time they wear the jewelry!
And they will appreciate the accessory the next time they have to get dressed up for an event. Personalized jewelry pieces like meena kari earrings or colorful lac bangles are luxurious options that are easy to source in bulk, making them an affordable option.
Finally, you can personalize any item and turn into the perfect Indian wedding favor with India-themed personalized labels. From wine bottles to hand sanitizer, you can add these labels to your favors for instant customization.
This will help you stay on budget while giving your guests a small token of your appreciation!
How to Choose the Right Favors
A cart of Indian treats on the street. Image by Shaadiwish.
1. Match the Favor with the Wedding Theme
Your wedding’s theme and color scheme should dictate which favors you choose. A more traditional Indian wedding would call for traditional gifts, like sweets or chais. Modern Indian weddings mean you can be more creative with the favors you choose, but you can tie in Indian imagery and motifs to make it shine.
If you’re looking to put a modern twist on Indian wedding favors, gothic wedding favors are a great way to add elegant darkness and keep your guests on their toes.
You should also consider your wedding season. For example, offering a fan at a summer wedding would be practical and fitting. Choose wedding favors that will enhance your wedding and express how much you appreciate your guests.
2. Consider Your Guests
Your favor should resonate with all of your guests. That being said, it’s important to consider who is attending your wedding and how relevant and practical your wedding favors will be to them.
Consider choosing favors that guests will use up, like teas or snacks. You can also choose items that will be used over and over again, like a trinket box or custom cup. Avoid items that will collect dust or, worse, be thrown out.
3. Look at Your Budget
It’s so important to stay on budget while planning your wedding. This will help lessen the stress and ensure you don’t overextend yourself. Favors are an aspect of your wedding where you can easily cut costs while still offering interesting items.
Look for bulk deals and items you can package yourself. For example, you can buy large bags of candies and enlist your bride squad to help you create individual favors for each guest. Search the internet and local vendors for items that fit your vision AND your budget.
Conclusion
Indian weddings are especially famous for their attention to detail, interesting ceremonies, and lengthy celebrations. Your guests will travel from afar to be a part of your special day.
Your wedding day is all about celebrating the love you share with your spouse. While favors are optional nowadays, it’s important to show your guests how much you appreciate their presence during this momentous occasion.
So do some research, get creative, and choose the Indian wedding favors your guests will never forget!