do yourself a favor

Go Green
To give or not to give. That is the question when it comes to wedding favors. On one hand, you want to leave your guests with a momento to mark the occasion (and show your appreciation). On the other, favors can be expensive and wasteful. CD’s, a common choice, are incredibly energy- and resource-intensive to produce and almost never get recycled. In fact, each month about 100,000 pounds of CD’s become obsolete (useless, outdated or unwanted), which, in turn, adds to the millions of discs that end up in landfills and incinerators each year. Forgoing the token tchotchke or hard-as-a-bricks petit fours in lieu of a bulk donation to an organization or charity is one option for the bride and groom. But here’s another: Choose a seasonal food or local product that represents who you are and where you’re from, and buy them in bulk. Not only will you support small producers and your local economy, you’ll also save on shipping and packaging costs. Plus, farmers who sell their products locally almost always use fewer pesticides, as crops are harvested at their peak and sold immediately. If you’re having a summer wedding in Georgia, put out baskets of peaches as guests leave. When they're in season, peaches cost around $1 per pound (2-3 peaches), or around $50-$75 total for a 150-person wedding. Sweetgrass flowers or prailines are easy and inexpensive to source in Charleston, South Carolina, and Vermont dairies almost always keep mini wheels of cheese on hand. From Brooklyn? Look for honey produced by urban beekeepers—1-ounce jars usually come in packs of 60 or more and cost less than $1 each. Regional favors reflect your heritage and look best simply (and sustainably) packaged—no fancy downloadable labels necessary.

Save Green
The average couple spends more than $400 on wedding favors. By purchasing local products in bulk, you can save as much as 75%.