While it’s universally agreed that no one attends a wedding for the sake of wedding favors, they are a nice touch.  Personalized keepsakes that result from creativity and thoughtfulness are perennial favorites.  Then there are those that don’t quite make the grade:

1.  Bubble blowers.  To clarify why I've added this as a tacky favor:  bubbles given at an indoor ceremony/reception are useless.  This means that guests will have no opportunity to use them during the actual festivities, so home the bubbles will go.  And, if wedding guests have small children, in the floorboard of the car the bubbles may very well spill.  By all means, distribute bubble as an alternative to confetti, but as a "Thank you for coming to our special day" gift, a tiny tub of bubbles just doesn't express much sentiment!

2.  Shot glasses.  Some guests would get a kick out of these.  Grandparents, the officiate, and certain others may not.  Shot glasses featuring a caricature of a drunken couple are even tackier.

3.  “In lieu of favors please give money to the Nudist Camps for Nuns fund.”  A note indicating the couple spent money that otherwise would’ve gone to favors on a cause could be a nice idea.  Unless the couple chooses, say, a political candidate or another highly controversial issue as their stand-in favor. 

4.  Cheap picture frames.  While I have seen some nice brushed silver magnetic mini photo frames as favors, most are too horrific to surround a photograph of a loved one! To solidify that image:  anything pastel with shells or stars glued on it, sprinkled with glitter and an obvious Made in China stamp on the back.

5.  Plants.  While some couples have purchased these to symbolically represent the starting of new life, this symbol won’t survive for those with no back-yard and no green thumb.  Plus you are introducing multiple small tubs of soil into a busy place filled with people wearing their nicest clothes.  Not the wisest favor choice!

6.  A photo keychain.  With a picture of the couple inside.  Which can’t be removed. Cute for the couple? Of course!  But who else other than your doting parents and grandparents is going to put a photograph of someone else's wedding on their keychain?

7.  Knick knacks.  You know the ones:  doe-eyed figurines, plastic birds, etc.  Basically any item whose future consists of sitting on a shelf collecting dust falls in this category.

8.  Wedding bells.  Small replicas of the matrimonial symbol can be purchased at many a specialty store … but that doesn’t mean they should be.  This is an item that can only logically be used at the reception.  If the bell makes it home with guests, they will probably dispose of it quickly before any member of the household turns it into a musical instrument.  Speaking of musical …

9.  Any noisemaker.  These are acceptable at birthday parties for young children, but even then they’re accepted with a teeth-gritting smile.

10.  Religious tracts.  It has happened.  A wedding taking place at a church is no excuse for conversion pamphlets in place of keepsakes.  Again,  favors are supposed to be a reminder for your guests of their time with you at your wedding; try to pick a favor that will be displayed, used or enjoyed for years to come.

Don’t be discouraged by this “tackiest of” collection.  For those stumped for ideas, there is one timeless favor, bound to please guests unless the ceremony is outdoors in the middle of August:  chocolate.  It’s hard to go tacky with edible treats!