Weddings are one of the first large expenditures a couple will have. The extras alone can cost thousands of dollars and can be extremely overwhelming - especially to those couples who are on a budget. As much as you dream of the perfect "Platinum" wedding when you are young, not all brides can afford to invest $20-$50,000 in an elaborate dream wedding. To alleviate some of those "budget busters", brides can instead opt to cut costs on bridal accessories such as the tiara, garter or veil, attendant accessories like the flower girl basket, or the ring bearer pillow, and finally, wedding favors for the guests, especially if you are craft savvy and can do it yourself.

Although shot glasses, coasters, key chains and matchbooks are somewhat traditional wedding favors, these items do not necessarily memorialize the glorious event, and most often find their way, (at best), to the back of a junk drawer or, (at worst), to the bottom of the trash can.

Instead of traditional items, why not chose wedding favors that commemorate not only your special day, but also your personal style? There are many options now for wedding favors, and if your budget only allows for minimum expense, there are many great do-it-yourself ideas for wedding favors:

* Bubbles are a great do-it-yourself wedding favor. Simply print up special labels on your home computer, personalize with the name of the bride and groom, and their event date, and to small plastic bottles of bubble liquid . Add even more flair to your bubble favors by adding a decorative charm. Bubbles also make for a great honeymoon send-off, won't stain your gorgeous wedding gown, and are environmentally safe.

* Most people love food - and better still, candy! A little care package of sweets, sealed with a ribbon and a commemorative charm can be put together easily and inexpensively, and makes a wonderful favor for your guests.

* Another great candy favor idea is the "Hershey's Kiss Rosebud Favor" - a few kisses, (symbolism built in), a little cellophane and florist's wire, and "voila!" a thoughtful, yet incredibly inexpensive wedding favor.

If you don't have the time or talent to create your own wedding favor ideas, there are still less expensive and customized options available.

* Flower seed wedding favors - loaded with metaphorical references such as "Love is Blooming", or "Help us plant the seeds to grow together". The packages are printable making for an inexpensive and personalized wedding favor. These work well for bridal and baby showers, too.

* Tea packs are becoming a popular wedding and bridal shower favor. Again metaphors abound. "Love is Brewing", for instance. Again, the packaging is printable allowing for easy customization.

* Don't have time to make your own personalized wedding favor bubbles? You can buy them - and here's a secret - they're not much more expensive than making them yourself.

Whether you "do-it-yourself" or set out to buy an inexpensive wedding favor for your guests, your wish is to give them a commemorative favor that they will cherish as a pleasant reminder of your special day. Remember, it doesn't have to be expensive to be worth keeping.

In the end, whether inexpensive or not, if it's thoughtful, you'll have achieved the most important goal - your friends and family will know it's from the heart.