How to make DIY wedding favour boxes

By Wedding Offshore Team

You can make good wedding favour boxes at home with very little: a box or some card, something to stick it together and one or two finishing touches repeated on every box. The trick is to make one first, work out how long it takes and then do the rest in batches. This guide walks you through the method, from choosing your box to filling and storing them.

Choose how you will make them

There are three routes, and the right one depends on your time and confidence.

Fold ready-made flat-pack boxes. The quickest option. They arrive flat, fold into shape and only need decorating and filling.
Cut and fold your own from card. The cheapest in materials and the most flexible on size, but it takes the most time and care.
Buy plain boxes and decorate them. A good middle route if you are short of time and want the box to look finished.

If you are not sure, order one or two ready-made boxes and try them, and cut one from card for comparison. You will quickly see which suits you.

What you need

Boxes, or card thick enough to hold its shape when folded
A pencil, a ruler and a pair of scissors
A craft knife and a cutting mat, if you are cutting your own (take care, and cut away from your fingers)
Double-sided tape or glue that works on card
Ribbon, twine or paper bands to finish them
Tags, stickers or a pen for names and messages
Tissue paper or shredded paper for padding
A tray or crate to keep finished boxes flat and safe

Plan the size around what goes inside

Decide what is going in before you decide the box. Measure the largest item, then leave room for padding and for the lid to close without strain. A box that is slightly too big can be padded out. One that is too small cannot be rescued, and it will spoil the whole batch if you only find out at the end.

If you are not sure what to put inside yet, our guide to what to put in wedding favour bags has ideas that work for boxes as well.

Make one first, step by step

Treat the first box as a test. Once it works, copy it.

Make a template. If you are cutting from card, trace around a box you already own, or carefully unfold a spare one and trace its outline. Mark every fold line.
Cut out the shape. Use scissors or a craft knife and ruler, and cut a little at a time.
Score the fold lines. Run a blunt edge, such as the back of a butter knife, along a ruler on each fold line. This gives a clean, straight fold.
Fold and test. Fold along the lines and check that the box closes. Adjust the template now, not after you have cut fifty.
Fix the tabs. Use double-sided tape for a neat finish. Press firmly and hold for a few seconds.
Decorate. Add the finish you have chosen. Keep it the same on every box.
Fill and close. Add the padding, then the filling, then close the lid and tie or label it.

Time yourself on the first box. Multiply that time by the number you need to see whether the plan is realistic, and add a little for mistakes.

Decorate on a budget

You need one or two finishes, repeated. Good, low-cost options include:

A length of ribbon or twine tied in the same knot on every box
A paper band, or belly band, printed or handwritten with your names and the date
A tag with a short message or the guest's name
A sticker or stamp in one colour
A small sprig of dried flowers or greenery tucked under the ribbon

Test any decoration on one box before you do the lot, and make sure it will not fall off or get crushed when the boxes are stacked.

Fill and seal them safely

If you are filling boxes with food, wrap each item separately, so nothing sticks to the card, and write the main ingredients on a tag so guests with allergies can decide for themselves. Do not seal edible favours too early. Fill them in the last few days, and keep them somewhere cool and out of direct sun.

For non-edible favours, you can fill them well in advance, which gives you one less thing to do in the final week.

Work in batches and plan the last mile

Do the same step for all the boxes before you move on to the next step. Cut them all, then fold them all, then decorate them all. It is faster than finishing one box at a time, and every box ends up looking the same.

Ask a few friends or family members to help, and give each person one job. Keep finished boxes flat in a crate or tray, labelled, away from damp, and out of reach of children and pets.

Decide how the boxes will get to the venue and who will set them out. Pack them in a crate or a sturdy box, with a spare or two in case of damage. Check with the venue whether you can drop them off early and whether someone is available to put them on the tables.

Where to save, and what to avoid

Buy plain and customise, rather than buying printed boxes in colours you may not end up using.
Reuse your decoration across favours, place cards and table signs, so everything matches without more cost.
Avoid glitter and loose decorations, which fall off, make a mess and are hard to clear from venue tables.
Do not start too late. A rushed box shows, and rushed buying costs more.
Do not skip the test box. It is the cheapest insurance you can buy.

Next steps

Make one box, time it and decide whether to carry on or buy. If you would rather skip the folding, our ready-made favour boxes are quick to fill and finish, and you can see everything on offer in our wedding favours collection. If you are still weighing up the budget, read our guide to wedding favour ideas on a budget first.

Asked and answered

How long does it take to make wedding favour boxes?

It depends on the design and on you, so time one box and multiply. Working in batches, with helpers, is much quicker than making them one at a time.

Can you make favour boxes in advance?

Yes, if they are empty. Make and decorate the boxes early, and keep them flat and dry. Leave anything edible until the last few days.

What can you use instead of a favour box?

A favour bag, a small jar, a wrapped item with a tag or a card envelope can all work. Choose what suits the gift, and what you can easily repeat.

What if the box is too small for what I want to put in it?

Test the fit before you commit to a batch. If it is too small, choose a smaller gift or a bigger box. Adding padding to a box that is slightly too big is easy, but squeezing something into a box that is too small is not.