100 Layer Cake

We’ve been seeing lots of chatter around our dear wedding blogosphere about whether or not to give out favors. Dilemma! We like the idea because it means you get to make something crafty and delicious for your guests, especially if you’re having a wedding that requires your guests to travel to be with you on your wedding day. But a crafty favor really doesn’t have to be expensive or extremely time consuming.

Remember when Martha did a little feature on regional favors? Hers were of course insanely cute and intricate and probably too complicated for the average DIYer, but the idea is perfect. Kristina did a similar project for her wedding in Palm Springs a few months ago.

Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley are known for two things: Citrus (obviously) and dates. Dates being the clear winner in the delicious category, she approached her favorite date stand, Flying Disc Ranch, at the Santa Monica farmers market about purchasing a bulk order. They were so insanely nice and helpful and excited that someone wanted to support a local farm, that they offered to deliver the order to Kristina’s rental house a few days before they wedding. Cannot say enough good things about both Flying Disc Ranch and supporting local food production through your wedding (or any party)!

Here’s what you’ll need to complete a project like this:

The round craft punch is from Michaels. Polypro bags are from Surfas (which is like the coolest food/cooking supply store ever). Avery full sheet labels are from Staples. (These are basically just one huge letter size label that you can run through a printer.) Ribbon/butcher twine can be from anywhere, obviously. And of course whatever delicious thing you want to give away.

First, design your little labels within a 2 inch circle. Fill a letter size page with your finished labels so the document looks like this, but bigger (you can fit 15 on a page):

Print the document using the giant letter-sized label paper, and then punch out! If you flip the punch over you can see your guidelines through the little transparent window. The rest should be pretty self explanatory. Fill bags with (in this case) dates, tie the top with your ribbon, and slap a label on the front. We recommend recruiting your friends for the last part. Filling bags and affixing labels is the perfect project for creatively-challenged fiances, family members, and friends.

Here’s what you end up with:

Kristina used 4 or 5 different black & white ribbons to tie off her favors, which was kind of a cute addition. Variation within a theme is always fun. Choosing a favor like dates, or something that doesn’t spoil and can be purchased ahead of time, can seriously reduce last minute stress leading up to the wedding. Especially if you’re doing everything yourself. Standing in the kitchen baking 400 cookies the day before your wedding might seem like a good idea in your early days of planning, but trust us, when it comes down to it you’ll be so stoked to be getting your nails done and/or laying by the pool instead!

You could also use this same idea for a little box full of chocolates or even a hang tag if you just print on plain cover stock.

And for those who aren’t as handy with Illustrator, you can download a variation of these labels to use yourself right here:
DIY Favor Labels

(bottom photo by Michéle M. Waite)

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