Must-Have, Easy-To-Recycle Materials For DIY Wedding Favors

Weddings are ideally one of those rare events that you say the ‘sky’s the limit’ when it comes to budgeting. But in these difficult economic times, the sky isn't always the limit. Often, the limit is an all-too-tight budget.

Recycling is the ‘in’ thing now with budget weddings. The ‘something borrowed’ requirement is no longer limited to the bride. Same thing goes with wedding favors.
Going the DIY route is a cost-efficient way of coming up with personalized and unique wedding souvenirs. Here’s a quick list of some materials you’d want to have handy to easily put together your eco-friendly wedding favors.

1. Mason jars or any small jars with a lid.

What used to hold preserved food can become an integral part of easily putting together some extraordinary ‘take-home’ remembrances of your big day. Mason jars are made of glass, small in size, and fitted with a tight metal lid.
To transform them into wedding favors, you can choose to still fill them with preserved food, like jams or spreads. If you’re handy with wax, make it into a beautiful candle votive! Thinking of something more practical for your mason jars? Drill a hole on the lid, buy some fancy straws, and voila, you just got yourself a recycled (and easily customizable) juice bottle.

2. Cupcake holders/baking cups.

Remember that party you planned last year when you overstocked on these really elegant cupcake holders? Well, they just might play another role at your wedding party!

Fill them to almost-overflowing with small, succulent sweet treats, wrap them up with clear cellophane, and then tie a dainty ribbon. Not only do your cupcake wrappers get a second lease on life, your guests also get to take home some sugary bites to remember your wedding by!

3. Old, colorful fabric.

When working with wedding favors on a budget, special packaging is key. How do you not spend too much on prettified packaging? Well, bring out those old clothes with interesting prints or patterns!

Make sure to they’re clean and disinfected before you use them, most especially if you plan to use it as an alternative packaging for food souvenirs. The great thing about fabrics as packaging is 1. They’re sturdy 2. They’re flexible, 3. They can be further recycled!

4. Sturdy boxes.

Of course, boxes make for great storage…and they’re awesome to recycle as wedding favors too! Thick, well-made boxes, whatever the size or material it’s made of, can hold a variety of treats or trinkets that your wedding guests will surely appreciate.

You can tuck in some refreshing mints if you have small boxes, or perhaps a couple of personalized notepads and pens if you have bigger ones. The content possibilities are endless! If you want to give them a more uniform look, you can either paint, wrap, or decoupage them.

These are but four of the many materials in and around your home that you can use as wedding favors. Think outside of the box (or think of the box, as cited in this post), and be innovative. Add a dash of creativity, a bit of ribbon here and there, and you’re bound to dish out some really rockin’ wedding favors out of recycled materials.

Chrissy Michaels is a wedding planner and recycling advocate. She had already made countless DIY eco-friendly wedding favors for friends and family.