The wedding favours taking off for 2026 - from socks to seed packets

Loved by nearlywed couples planning their big day, wedding favours are a wedding staple, with new data revealing searches are up significantly ahead of the 2026 wedding season. But industry experts say 2026 weddings will shift away from one-size-fits-all gifting favours, with a stronger focus on personalised touches that guests actually want to keep.

With this in mind, gifting and accessories brand Sayers London has revealed the most in-demand wedding-favour ideas for 2026, alongside insights into how fiancés are rethinking tradition to create more memorable experiences for their guests.

Top 7 men’s wedding favour trends for 2026:

1. Socks - 80% three-month change

While it might be considered a more niche wedding favour, socks are leading the charge, with searches up 80% in the last three months. They are a practical wedding favour which can also be personalised. They are often customised with colours, initials, or inside jokes, ensuring guests will actually reuse them long after the celebration.

2. Chocolate - 50% three-month change

A timeless crowd-pleaser, chocolate favours are seeing a 50% surge in demand. While classic at their core, couples are elevating them as wedding favours with premium finishes and often personalised, turning a simple sweet treat into a more giftable experience.

3. Bracelet - 39% three-month change

Jewellery-based wedding favours are also on the rise, with bracelets up 39%. These pieces strike the balance between sentimental and stylish, offering guests something they can wear beyond the day itself, often tied into wedding themes, colour palettes, or meaningful symbols.

Interestingly, cufflinks, card holders, hip flasks, and handkerchiefs are all seeing steady growth in searches, indicating they remain firm favourites and have potential for personalisation. Whether it’s engraved initials on cufflinks and hip flasks, embossed names on card holders, or embroidered messages on handkerchiefs, these favours allow couples to add a bespoke touch. 

Top 7 women’s wedding favour trends for 2026:

1. Compact Mirror - 100% three-month change

Compact mirrors have seen a 100% increase in popularity over the past three months, offering a stylish favour that guests can carry with them long after the day. They are easily personalised with engraved initials or wedding dates and strike the balance between beauty and function, making them a go-to favour for couples tying the knot this year.

1. Seed Packet - 100% three-month change

Also seeing a 100% increase is seed packet wedding favours, which tap into the growing demand for sustainable gifts. From custom packaging to personalised messages, these favours allow couples to create a gift that quite literally grows over time.

      3.    Plants - 89% three-month change

Plants are emerging as an extension of the sustainability favour trend and are up by 89% over the past three months. Whether it’s small potted succulents, these wedding favours can be customised with tags, pots, or packaging that reflect the wedding aesthetic, offering guests a living keepsake that continues to evolve beyond the day itself.

Further insights:

• 93% of female Pinterest users are searching for wedding favour inspiration, suggesting they are likely to be the ones coming up with wedding ideas.

• Searches for ‘Wedding Favour’ are up by 50% over the past quarter, showing nearlywed couples are starting to think of ideas ahead of wedding season.

• Searches for matchbox wedding favours are up 40% year-on-year.

• Bottle openers used as wedding favours are becoming less popular, with a 60% year-on-year decrease.

Alex McMillan, Founder and Accessory expert at Sayers London, comments:

“Seeing such a variety of wedding favours highlights that nearlywed couples are becoming more authentic and experimenting, making trending favour styles their own. This is also a testament to wedding planners who give each of their clients a genuinely personalised experience, allowing them to put their own spin on emerging styles.

"Going into the 2026 wedding season, I believe we're going to see a mixture of personalised wedding favours, whether that's from hipflasks for men or compact mirrors for the ladies. If you aren't a fan of personalised gifts, there’s likely to still be a strong appetite for simple favours that still feel thoughtful. Traditional wedding favours such as chocolate, of course, aren't going anywhere, so there are plenty of options to play with when creating your own vibe for your special day."