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Ugh. For some reason I’ve been having a really hard time coming up with something awesome and inexpensive for favors. All I know is there has to be an edible aspect, since that’s the one thing I love most about favors.
When we first started planning the wedding, I thought, ‘Oh, just throw some purple M&Ms in a box and be done with it.’ You might remember this from my Photoshop Goodness post:
Quick, simple, easy, and edible. But curses to all the wedding websites and blogs out there! The more I researched, the more stories about great favors I read. Everyone has, for example, different Cajun spices because they met at a Cajun restaurant, or so-and-so candy because they both love it, or Starbucks mugs because they both used to work there, or maple syrup from their parents’ maple trees, etc.
I’m jealous of everyone coming up with something cool and meaningful, but for the life of me I could not think of anything that would work for us! For a moment I thought Cougar Gold Cheese would be neat, since it’s made at the college Mr. Cola and I met at, but it doesn’t come in tiny containers (and I’m not going to mess with cutting up the big ones!). And we love garlic, but not everyone does (I would love to do a garlic buffet, instead of the popular candy buffets, but probably only about 1/6th of the guests would probably like that).
Keep researching, obviously! And then, Martha came to the rescue again. I saw this super cute picture of a display of several different favors, allowing guests to choose their own. Brilliant!
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I LOVE this idea. It gives us the option to have several different (edible, of course) favors, as well as an excuse to make an interesting display table, freeing up space on the dining tables.
I’ve just found some cute boxes/container ideas that I ordered samples of, and will share those with you when they arrive. Now I just have to think up some ideas for what to put in the boxes! Maybe San Francisco area treats…?
Did you struggle with an aspect of your wedding planning that you initially thought would be super easy?
Great idea! Letting guests choose their own favor sort of reminds me of the “Choose Your Own Adventure” books that I read in middle school. Cute!
I would just be a little worried that some people would take one of each, and then some wouldn’t get any.
I love love love Cougar Gold- we just ordered 2 wheels (because they only ship to AZ during certain times of the year). I think that would amazing! Very cute Martha idea I agree @Miss French Fries!
Mmmm… Cougar Gold! Go Cougs! 
I looooooove that cheese, so sad that it doesn’t come in small size (you should forward that idea on to Ferdinand’s though, I can think of quite a few Coug brides who would jump on that idea!)
I love your mixed favor idea! Are you worried that people will get all grab-happy and take more than one each?
Great idea! You could do a couple of homemade treats, and fill out the spread with some store bought stuff. That way it isn’t as time consuming.
@ Miss Root - I did e-mail them the suggestion of smaller sized cheese packages, but nobody responded 
And I think I’ll make a sign to go on the table that says something like “Thank you for coming. Please choose a favor.” So guests will know to choose….and maybe I’ll also put out some extra boxes, just in case!
I love this idea! If I had the time I’d totally be doing it - but as it is I’m making fudge for our favours and I think I’ll be too busy in the kitchen doing just the one type of favour!
Maybe Ghiradelli or Scharffen Berger (in Berkeley) chocolate? Fortune cookies from the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory? Or maybe if you are able to find cookie cutters of SF landmarks, you could make your own? Something with sourdough bread? Cute idea to mix up the favor choices!
My FI and I met at WSU too! We met in an 8 am public speaking class in good old Todd Hall freshman year in 2004.
I actually have a chunk of Cougar Gold in my fridge at home leftover from Thanksgiving. I am trying to save it but I know it won’t last long. I wish this cheese would work as your favor! Maybe you could buy some and serve it as part of your hor dourves?
We thought about doing this except I knew there would be some people getting greedy and taking all three.
In the end- we just chose one cookie favor, three just seemed so difficult after a while.
I actually did this at my wedding. We had bottled our favorite rib rub and our rib sauce. We also had little pine trees for planting and custom lighters (hey, it was a while ago). Most of our guests actually did take one of each. Fortunately (or not!) some didn’t take anything, but we did have several people ask for the rub and sauce, which ran out very quickly! Make a sign….I wish I had!
I seriously love the garlic bar idea. We are similarly garlic-insane (pickled, roasted, sauteed, we’ve never seen a clove we didn’t like). I thought we were alone!
I love the garlic idea too! And you’re not too far from Gilroy, isn’t that the garlic capital of the US, or something like that?
If you still want to do candy, I want to suggest TCHO chocolate from SF. They’re really new but the chocolate is super delicious. They do dark chocolate in “flavors” based on different cacao beans.
@ clarerichardson, Snow and Guinea Pig - Oh, how do I wish I could do a garlic buffet too! So. So. SO! Wish I could! But I haven’t figured out a good way to do it that would involve very little work on the part of myself or my family, who I don’t want to burden with another project. Most of the garlic things I love the most, like garlic bread, garlic bruschetta, garlic stuffed potatoes…are all things that need to be served warm, and our caterer just doesn’t do special requests like that. And I’ve yet to find anyone when I google “garlic caterer california.” Sadness.
I love this idea because (brace your self) not everyone likes sweets. *GASP* I know! It would be great to do a sweet, a salty, and a non-edible or non-right now edible (like a seasoning or honey or something).
Just be careful because some people will take more than their “one” favor.
Garlic buffet whaat! Someone definitely needs to do this.
I’ve never seen different favors before but it looks like a great idea. That Martha. Always up to something.
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Mrs. Cola, Mountain View, CA Age and Occupation: 27, Product Communications and Promotions Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Managing Partner and Senior Designer Engagement Date: March 5, 2009 Wedding Date: June 2010 Venue: The Mountain Terrace, Woodside, CA About Me: I’m a Washington State native, enjoying life in Silicon Valley California with my fiancé, our three kitties and one leopard gecko. I like reading wedding blogs, Photoshopping wedding design mock ups, making lists, and planning, planning, planning! I’m a bit of an anomaly, on one side I’m a very girlie girl, I collect shoes, I lay out my outfits 4-6 weeks in advance, and I’d never leave the house without my hair curled and makeup on. But on the other side, I’m a total tomboy, I love to go camping and hiking, play drinking games (hey, I’m Irish!) and most of my closest friends are guys. My fiancé and I are planning a DIY-focused wedding with a balance between easygoing (what he wants) and chic and stylish (what I want), and are tying it all together with elements in lavender, sage, butter cream and chocolate.
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