The short answer: the best destination wedding favors are small, edible and local. They survive the heat, fit in a carry-on and get eaten instead of left behind. Put your personal touch on the packaging, not on things guests have to carry home.

Here's a hard truth about wedding favors. A lot of them get left on the table at the end of the night. At a destination wedding, even more get left in the hotel room, because they won't fit in a carry-on.

I make wedding favors and gifts in Key West, and before that I planned weddings here. I've cleared a lot of tables after the last dance. The favors that disappear are the ones guests can eat, use or easily pack.

The short version:

Choose favors guests can eat, use or easily pack.
Check three things: will it melt, can it go in a carry-on, is it fragile?
Personalize the label, not the item.
If you can only afford one, choose welcome bags over favors.

This guide covers favors for your guests, gifts for your wedding party and thank-you gifts after the wedding. If you're looking for what goes in the room at check-in, read my guide to wedding welcome bags for hotel guests.

Wedding favor boxes on a wooden display stand on a Key West beach at sunset, beside a pier

Welcome bag, favor or thank-you gift?

Couples mix these up all the time, and you don't need all three.

Welcome bag: waiting at the hotel when guests arrive. Practical things for the weekend.
Favor: at the reception, usually at each place setting or on a table by the exit. A small treat or keepsake.
Thank-you gift: after the wedding, for the people who went above and beyond.

If your budget only stretches to one, I'd pick the welcome bag. It gets used. If you want a favor too, keep it small and edible.

Reception table with tropical flowers and white favor boxes tied with orange ribbons at each place setting

The test: will it survive the trip home?

At a local wedding, a favor only has to make it to the car. At a destination wedding, it has to make it through the heat, the airport and a packed suitcase.

Before you choose anything, ask three questions:

Will it melt? In a warm place, favors can sit in a hot room or a car before anyone opens them.
Can it go in a carry-on? Liquids over 3.4 ounces can't. Many guests travel with a carry-on only.
Is it fragile or heavy? Glass, ceramics and anything bulky usually stay behind.

If a favor fails any of these, guests will leave it behind, however beautiful it is.

Favor ideas that work for a beach or destination wedding

Something local to eat

This is my favorite kind of favor. Guests take home a taste of the place, and nothing goes to waste.

Here in Key West, that means things like:

Key lime cookies or taffy, in a bag with a custom label
A small pack of Cuban coffee for the morning after
A mini bottle of local hot sauce, small enough for a carry-on

Wherever you're getting married, look for the treat that place is known for. Then make sure it won't melt.

Clear favor cubes filled with key lime pie candies, each with a custom tropical leaf label

Something for the morning after

A small recovery kit is always a hit at the reception. Think water flavoring, pain relievers, a snack and some lip balm. It's practical and a little funny, and guests use it the next morning. My Stay Fresh kit is a ready-made version, starting at $18.

Something for the beach

If guests are staying a few extra days, beach-friendly favors get used. Think sunglasses, mini sunscreen or a small fan. Keep it light, so it doesn't eat up suitcase space.

Favors to skip

Anything with only your names and date on it. It means a lot to you. To guests it's clutter, and it stays in the room.
Chocolate at a warm-weather wedding. Unless it goes from air conditioning to guest in minutes.
Glass, candles and full-size bottles. Too fragile, too heavy, or not allowed in a carry-on.
Big items. If it doesn't fit in a jacket pocket or a small purse, think twice.

A small, good favor beats a big one every time.

Make it personal without making it clutter

You can personalize a favor without printing your names on something guests don't need. Put the personal touch on the packaging instead.

A custom label, tag or sticker on an edible favor gives you the personal look. Guests still get something they'll enjoy, and the packaging can go in the recycling. That's how I design my snack favors: your colors, your theme and your words on the outside, and something good to eat on the inside.

Caramel popcorn favors in white boxes with custom printed labels and light blue ribbons

Gifts for your wedding party

Your bridesmaids and groomsmen travel too, and often spend more than anyone to be there. Their gift can be bigger and more personal than a favor.

At a destination wedding, the best wedding party gifts are useful during the trip itself:

A beach bag with sunscreen, a towel and a snack for the day before the wedding
Something to wear or use while getting ready together
A local treat they wouldn't buy for themselves

Give them early in the weekend, not after the wedding. They'll get to use them while they're there.

For the bride herself, my Bride to Be bag has a gold champagne flute, a handmade palm tree shell by a local artist and bubbly gummy bears in a Mrs cosmetic bag. It starts at $75.

Bride gift set with an embroidered Mrs pouch, a gold tumbler, a palm tree coaster and candy

Thank-you gifts after the wedding

Some people go far beyond what you asked. Your parents, the friend who did your hair at 6 am, the cousin who handled the shuttle. A thank-you gift after the wedding is a nice way to say you noticed.

Keep these personal. A handwritten note matters more than the price of the gift.

What favors cost

My custom favors usually run $15 to $25 each, depending on what goes inside and how the packaging is designed. Wedding party gifts are usually bigger, so they cost more.

Custom orders start at six gifts. I need your final guest count 3 to 4 weeks before the wedding, and you can add more up to two weeks before.

Getting married in Key West? Let's design yours

I design favors and gifts with local treats, custom packaging and a personal touch. You tell me your colors and your vision, and I take care of the rest, from design to delivery.

One client wrote that the boxes were "the talk of the weekend." That's what I aim for every time.

Tell me about your wedding, or see my custom snack favors. If you only need a gift or two, my ready-made gift boxes can be ordered one at a time.

Xoxo - yours, Anna ❤

FAQ

What are good favors for a destination wedding?

Small, edible favors work best, especially a local treat from where you're getting married. They don't take up suitcase space, and guests actually use them.

What wedding favors should you avoid at a beach wedding?

Skip chocolate and anything that melts, glass, candles and full-size liquids. Also skip items with only your names and date on them, since guests often leave them behind.

Do you need both welcome bags and favors at a destination wedding?

No. If you can only choose one, choose welcome bags, because guests use them during the trip. Favors are a nice extra if the budget allows.

How much do destination wedding favors cost?

Custom edible favors usually cost $15 to $25 each, depending on the contents and packaging. Simpler favors can cost less.

When should you give gifts to the wedding party at a destination wedding?

Early in the weekend, so they can use them during the trip. A beach bag or getting-ready gift is more useful on day one than after the wedding.

Destination Wedding Favors Guests Actually Take Home