Scent Favours vs Candles, Sweets and Succulents: Which Wedding Favour Is Best?

An honest comparison of four popular wedding favours on what matters: carrying home, lasting after the day, guests, season and venue rules, with a five-minute way to decide.

Of the four most popular wedding favours, sweets are the safest crowd-pleaser, succulents are the most decorative, candles are the most familiar, and scent favours (small bottles of the scent used at the wedding) are the most personal and the easiest to carry home and use. The right choice depends on your season, your venue's rules, your guests and how much you want the favour to remind people of the day itself. This guide compares them honestly on the points that matter, with a simple way to decide.

The quick comparison

| | Scent favour | Candle | Sweets | Succulent | |---|---|---|---|---| | Ties back to the day | Strongly, if the room was scented | Somewhat | Somewhat | Somewhat | | Easy to carry home | Yes, small and capped | Usually | Yes | Fragile, can tip | | Lasts after the wedding | Weeks of use | Until it burns down | Days | Varies, needs care | | Suits almost every guest | Most guests; skip for anyone who avoids fragrance | Not for guests who can't use open flame | Not for some dietary needs | Not for guests without light or interest | | Summer heat | Fine | Can soften | Chocolate can melt | Fine | | Venue rules to check | Rarely | Often (open flame) | Sometimes (outside food) | Rarely |

Sweets: the crowd-pleaser

Macarons, chocolates, sugared almonds and cookies are easy to love and easy to source. Their weaknesses are practical: many are eaten on the spot (which is not a bad outcome), chocolate can soften in a warm room or car, and you need to plan for allergies, dietary restrictions and children. Some venues and caterers also have rules about outside food, so ask before you order.

Choose sweets if you want something guests enjoy that night, and your caterer is happy to plate or package them.

Candles: familiar, but check the flame

A small candle is a classic favour and feels cosy, especially for fall and winter weddings. The questions to ask are about flame: many venues restrict open flames, so guests may not be able to light a sample on the table, and some guests live in rentals, condos or homes with small children where they prefer not to burn candles at all. Wax can also soften in summer heat. If you choose candles, Health Canada's candle safety guidance is worth a quick read: never leave a burning candle unattended, and keep it away from anything that can catch fire.

Choose candles if your wedding is in the cooler months and your guests are likely to use them at home.

Succulents: beautiful on the table, harder to take home

Small potted succulents double as table décor, which is why they are popular. They are also the most awkward to carry home: soil spills, pots tip in cars, and guests who travelled by plane or train often leave them behind. They need light and occasional care afterwards, which suits keen plant owners more than everyone.

Choose succulents if most guests live locally, drive home, and you want the favour to be part of the table design.

Scent favours: the most personal

A scent favour is a small bottle of the scent your guests spent the evening in. When it is opened at home weeks later, it brings back the day in a way few objects can. Ours are a 30 ml amber glass bottle, capped so it travels safely, with three black reeds tied on the outside with satin ribbon and a printed tag with your names and date. Guests uncap it, add the reeds and have a small reed diffuser. They are blended by hand in Toronto with premium fragrance oils from our Hotel Collection, inspired by the world's great hotels, and come in a set of 50 or a set of 100.

The honest caveats: scent is personal, so a few guests may prefer not to use it, and it makes the most sense when the room itself carries the same scent. A fresh, light scent such as Thé Blanc, our signature white tea scent, suits the widest range of guests.

Choose scent favours if your venue is scented (or you would like it to be), guests are travelling, or you want a favour that feels like the wedding rather than a party bag.

How to decide in five minutes

Is the venue scented, or will it be? If yes, a scent favour completes the story.
What is the season? In summer, rule out chocolate and soft wax.
Are many guests travelling? Rule out anything fragile or heavy.
What are your venue's rules? Ask about open flame and outside food.
What would you keep yourself? That instinct is usually right.

Some couples combine two: a sweet to enjoy that night, and a scent favour to take home. If you are still choosing the scent for the room, see how to turn your wedding scent into favours guests take home, and for more favour ideas, unique wedding favour ideas for Canadian weddings.

Quick answers

What is a good alternative to candle wedding favours? A small reed diffuser bottle of your wedding scent. It gives the same cosy, home-fragrance feel with no flame, and it is easy to carry home.

Are succulents good wedding favours? They look lovely on tables but can be awkward to carry home and need care afterwards. They suit weddings where most guests live nearby and drive.

Do edible wedding favours get eaten or wasted? Most get eaten, often on the night. Plan for allergies and dietary needs, and avoid chocolate in summer heat.

How long does a scent wedding favour last? It is used over the following weeks rather than in one evening. Velour and Vellum's favours are a 30 ml bottle with three reeds; flipping the reeds now and then refreshes the scent.

How far ahead should I order scent favours? At least six weeks before the wedding. We send a proof within two business days and ship two to three weeks after approval, within Canada.

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