How To Make DIY Sweet Wedding Favours: Step-By-Step Guide

September 16, 2026

Sweet bag favours are the best value favour going: cheap in bulk, eaten rather than binned, and the only favour that gets a reaction at the table.

This is the full method - what to buy, quantities, assembly, labelling and storage - so you can make a hundred in an evening and forget about them until the morning of the wedding.

Step 1: choose the sweets

This budget-friendly option suits couples who want a nostalgic, crowd-pleasing touch for a spring or summer reception. Decide on your selection about two months before the big day, keeping your venue's temperature in mind to prevent any melting. A sensible tip is to sample your favourites first to ensure they taste as good as you remember.

Retro British sweets are the winner every time: rhubarb and custards, sherbet lemons, cola cubes, pear drops, kola kubes, aniseed twists.
Buy two or three varieties, not six. A mixed bag of three colours looks styled; a mixed bag of six looks like a pick-and-mix spillage.
Match one sweet colour to your wedding colours and let that one dominate.
Avoid anything chocolate for a summer wedding, and anything that sticks to the bag.
Buy in 2kg or 3kg catering bags rather than small packets - it's a fraction of the price per gram.
Order a small bag of each first and taste them. Cheap boiled sweets vary wildly.

Step 2: work out the quantities

Perfect for the organised couple who loves precision, this step is best tackled as soon as your final RSVP list is locked in. Calculating your amounts early ensures you never run short on the night while keeping costs firmly under control. As a practical tip, always factor in a small buffer for unexpected plus-ones or last-minute additions.

Allow 50g to 75g per bag. Anything more and the bag won't stand up on a place setting.
50g is roughly six to eight boiled sweets, depending on the variety.
For 100 guests at 60g, you need about 6kg of sweets plus 10% for spares and breakages.
Weigh one bag properly, then use that bag as your eye guide. Scales for every bag is a long night.
Buy 10% more bags than guests. Some will tear and some guests bring someone.

Step 3: bags, tags and stickers

This creative step suits couples looking to align their packaging with their overall wedding theme and colour scheme. Finalise your stationery choices alongside your other table decorations to ensure everything looks cohesive on the day. For the neatest result, choose high-quality materials that can withstand being handled by busy hands during transit and set-up.

Striped paper bags are the classic look and cheapest option - the sweet shop reference does the styling for you.
Clear cellophane bags show the sweets off but need a neater fill.
Small glass jars look wonderful and cost four times as much. Consider them for a smaller wedding only.
Personalised stickers to seal the fold: names, date, one line like "thanks for coming" or "sweet dreams".
Round stickers seal the bag and act as the tag in one go - cheaper and quicker than punched tags and twine.
Print the guest's name on the sticker and the favour becomes the place card too.

Step 4: the assembly line

This social task suits couples who want to involve their wedding party, family, or close friends in a fun pre-wedding activity. Gather your helpers a few weeks before the ceremony to turn a tedious job into an enjoyable evening of catching up. A helpful tip is to assign specific roles beforehand so your production line runs smoothly and efficiently.

Three people: one opens bags, one fills, one seals and stacks. A hundred bags takes about an hour.
Use a plastic scoop or a jug, not your hands, and keep a bowl of water and a tea towel nearby.
Fold the top twice before sealing - one fold pops open in transit.
Stack finished bags upright in shallow boxes, sorted by table.
Put on something to listen to and do it in one sitting. Stopping halfway means doing it twice.

Step 5: storage and transport

Ideal for proactive planners, this final stage helps you tick a major task off your to-do list well ahead of schedule. Prepare your completed favours about a fortnight before your wedding day to keep your final week completely stress-free. Always remember to store the finished packages in a temperature-controlled space to preserve their freshness and appearance.

Make them two to three weeks ahead. Boiled sweets keep for months, so the bag is the limiting factor, not the sweets.
Store somewhere cool, dry and dark. Sunlight through a window makes boiled sweets sticky and cloudy.
Never store in a garage or a shed - damp gets into paper bags.
Transport upright in boxes with lids, labelled by table.
Hand one labelled box per table to the venue coordinator. Don't set them out yourself on the morning.
Make ten spares and keep them in the car. Somebody always needs one.

Key things to remember

Weigh one bag, then trust your eye for the rest.
Print the guest's name on the sealing sticker and the favour becomes the place card.
Store them upright and out of sunlight, and never in the garage.

Frequently asked questions

How many sweets do you put in a wedding favour bag?

50g to 75g per bag, which is roughly six to eight boiled sweets. For 100 guests at 60g each you need about 6kg of sweets plus 10% spare.

What sweets are best for wedding favours?

Retro British boiled sweets - rhubarb and custards, sherbet lemons, cola cubes, pear drops. Pick two or three varieties in colours that match your scheme, and avoid chocolate for a summer wedding.

How far in advance can you make sweet wedding favours?

Two to three weeks ahead. Boiled sweets keep for months, so the bag is the limiting factor - store them upright, cool, dry and out of sunlight.

How long does it take to make 100 sweet favour bags?

About an hour with three people working production-line style: one opening bags, one filling, one sealing and stacking by table.

Do you sell wedding favours?

Not as a favour range. We make greeting cards, art prints, enamel pin badges and party bits in the UK, and the badges, confetti and prints work well on a wedding table. Bulk favour supplies like organza bags, seeds and sweets come from elsewhere, and any outside link here may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you.

More ideas you might like

Pokémon Deluxe Character Guide: The 100% Official ultimate character guide to every Pokémon ever discovered. For Pokémon fans of all ages.

This official deluxe character guide is the ultimate comprehensive companion containing details on every single Pokémon ever discovered. It makes a truly wonderful gift for Pokémon fans of all ages, perfect for dipping into or reading cover to cover.

British Retro Sweet Hamper of Old Fashioned, Sour and Chewy Sweets Mix

This delightful hamper is packed with a nostalgic mix of old-fashioned, sour, and chewy British retro sweets. It makes the perfect gift for anyone with a sweet tooth who longs to recapture the classic flavours of their childhood.