6 charity wedding favors to give back on your big day
There are moments during wedding planning when you might stop to consider how very privileged you are, not only to spend so much money on a single day but also getting to choose the person you marry. Every year, 12 million girls become child brides, some as young as eight. VOW for Girls campaigns to end child marriage and is one of the many charities that benefits from couples who choose to give back on their wedding day.
At this time of extravagance and expense, it's good to think about how you can be charitable and help those who need it most. Wedding favors that won't be thrown away are growing in popularity, with more and more couples choosing to donate to good causes rather than spending more money on non-essential extras. If this sounds like a something you'd like to do, read on for our collection of ideas for charity wedding favors that give back on your big day.
1. Donate to charity in lieu of wedding favors
A simple and straightforward option is to donate to charity in lieu of favors. You can let guests know what you've done by including details on a card displayed at each place setting, with information about your chosen charity to help raise awareness too.
2. Virtual charity gifts as favors
Virtual gifts can feel more tangible and meaningful than a donation, and you can include an image on the card at each place setting. Whether you buy a food basket, toys, clothing, livestock, medical supplies or a gardening pack, virtual gifts can change the lives of people across the world.
3. Handicraft favors
If you prefer the idea of gifting your guests a little something, consider handmade pieces that directly benefit communities in need. Browse online charity shops, like Habitat for Humanity, Oxfam or Save the Children, where you can buy items like candles, stationery, tote bags and key rings.
4. Ethical chocolate favors
Ethical and delicious, fair trade chocolate may just be the perfect charity favour. When choosing a brand, it's crucial to find out how much of the retail price goes back to the farmer. Tony’s Chocolonely is a good example. It openly shares the details of its supply chain and follows these five main principles: being able to trace where all its ingredients come from, paying higher prices to farmers, improving farmers’ productivity and encouraging them to adopt modern practices and diversify their crops, and investing in long-term commitment and farm cooperatives to empower farmers to work together.
5. Wedding seed packet favors
Green-fingered couples can give back with the glorious gift of flowers. Many charities offer charity biodegradable seed packs, such as basil and chilli seeds for Action Against Hunger and bee-friendly blooms for Friends Of The Earth’s Bee Cause.
6. Charity pins or badges
From rainbows and flowers to animals and religious symbols, charity pins are a great wedding favor to fund good causes on behalf of your guests.
About Vow for Girls
VOW for Girls is a growing global movement that turns celebrations into a groundswell of support for the world’s most marginalized girls. VOW's vision is a world where no child is ever a bride. Partnering with couples, brands, individuals and event professionals, VOW raises funds and awareness to support girls’ futures and greater gender equality around the globe, with a focus on reaching girls most at risk of becoming child brides, which happens to a staggering 12 million girls each year.
Celebrations of love can be a catalyst for positive social change. As couples celebrate choosing each other, they can help millions of girls choose love on their own terms. When girls have more power, voice, and choice, we all benefit. 100% of the funds raised by VOW go directly to effective community-based efforts to end child marriage. By raising funds and awareness, together, we can end child marriage in our lifetime so that every girl has the chance to live a life she loves and choose love on her own terms.
All images by Alicia Mink