Wedding favors—gifts for guests—may have evolved over the years, but the practice of giving them is alive and well.

Most couples present favors during their reception, but you also can include them in hotel welcome packages or distribute the favors during a next-day brunch.

Event planner Summer Newman told Brides magazine she sees favors as a tangible symbol of thanks from a couple to their guests.

“It goes back to gracious hosting,” Newman said. “Favors tell your guests that you appreciate them coming out to celebrate you.”

The goal is to select items guests actually will want to keep—or enjoy in the moment, Alyssa Brown wrote for MarthaStewart.com.

“Gone are the days of monogrammed candies and wasteful tchotchkes that'll end up in the garbage,” Brown said. “Now, couples are more interested in giving their guests something meaningful that'll remind them of the experience they had at your wedding, or else something edible they can enjoy right away.”

If you’re leaning toward offering favors, you may be wondering how much to budget for them. In her interview with Brides, Newman recommended $10 to $20 per guest. For food items, though, you can go as low as $5 per guest.

Fun fact: Wedding favors date back at least as far as 16th-century England, when couples gave love knots made of lace and ribbon to their guests. The love knots symbolized the couple’s bond.

A bit later, European aristocrats began the trend of giving each guest a small gift known as a “bonbonniere.” These gifts, also given at other celebrations, were small boxes made of porcelain, crystal, or metal. They were filled with confectionaries. You could say the bonbonniere set the mold for the gift-wrapped boxes of sweets some couples give guests today.

Now all you have to do is select your favors. Here are your ideas.

1.     Packets of seeds for herbs or flowers in customized packaging

2.     Packages of coffee, whole or ground beans

3.     Brides magazine suggests filling test tubes with cocoa mix and adding customized tags. You could take the same approach with tea leaves.

4.     Speaking of chocolate, it’s hard to disappoint with chocolate favors. Try engraved bars, packets with a variety of treats, or s’ more kits.

5.     Give mini bottles of wine, Champagne, or liquor. Or… give guests mini cocktail kits.

6.     Soaps

7.     Give packets of seasoning blends, meat rubs, or spices.

8.     Frosted sugar cookies

9.     Butterfly garden kits

10.  You also can go with favors that tie in with your theme. Are you planning a movie-themed wedding? Give guests gourmet popcorn kernels. Will your wedding have a disco vibe? Give guests disco ball keychains. Are you thinking of a summer wedding? Give guests travel-sized sunscreen, sunglasses, and flip-flops in a cute beach bag. Another summer option would be s’more kits.

11.  Luggage tags

12.  Engraved shot glasses

13.  Jars of honey, jam, or maple syrup

14.  Go Texas with Lone Star magnets, barbecue sauce, hot sauce, pecans, Texas wildflower seeds, or mini bottles of tequila.

15.  Wine charms

16. Small bottles of olive oil

17. Unique bottle openers

18. Tiny succulents

Note: If you find the idea of favors wasteful, consider donating to a charity or nonprofit that resonates with you. If you’re passionate about animals, for example, contribute money to a local rescue organization. If your wedding has a theatre theme, donate to a local performing arts organization. You can put the donation information on your wedding website and invite guests to make donations of their own.

You can also use your wedding’s photo booth prints as wedding favors, which would be meaningful to guests and help you manage expenses.

About the Author: Roger Igo is the founder and CEO of the special events venue, The Bell Tower on 34th. He is the author of “Keep On Going, The History of The Bell Tower on 34th,” a former radio host, a graduate of CEO Space International, and an alumnus of The Disney Institute.