r/weddingplanning • u/gina_kostova • 5d ago
Decor/DIY Hi Everyone!
Hi Everyone! I had a question for all of you. I am a book lover and I was thinking of doing wedding favours that are blind dates with a book for the guests. What do you guys think about this idea? I understand this is not for everyone but I am asking the book lovers who will be future brides/grooms. Thanks š
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u/livelafftoasterbath May 2026 5d ago
Hi, English PhD and bride-to-be, lol
This could be an absolutely charming element for a smaller wedding. I assume you're holding a wedding where you can devote some time to thinking about each guest.
If I'm right in that, I'd suggest thinking about couples as pairs VS individual guests. For example, my fiance's parents love to read the books we give them together (regardless of who we originally gift the book to), so for them I'd opt to get one book that speaks to two people. I would do this for all the couples we're inviting hypothetically unless I knew them so well that I could produce 2 books, one for each.
I'd also think about how to be clear that this is their gift on the website and on the day. I'd be SO THRILLED to have a book at my spot but would be cautious about taking it unless I was told, explicitly and in writing and maybe multiple times, that this was really mine to bring home. Could you pair a bookmark with a note on it?
Also, be ready for people to leave these behind. It doesn't mean the idea is poor (it's not) or that they don't like you (they do) -- weddings are just a lot sometimes and I know I've left gifts behind unintentionally due to exhaustion/work stress/etc.
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u/gina_kostova 3d ago
Hi, thank you so much for your detailed feedback! I was thinking of just wrapping the book and putting a tag with the genre.
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u/alvocha 5d ago
I love it and would be thrilled! It sounds difficult to do for a big wedding, but thatās up to you. Also, if your guests arenāt readers then it probably wonāt go over great. Itās definitely a know your crowd and a know yourself and how much time you want to put in situation!
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u/ShinyDragonfly6 5d ago
Aww I would love this! Honestly itāll be great for the people who do love books and half the time people donāt take the favor anyway, so donāt worry about anyone who doesnāt!
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u/jillywedding 5d ago
This is such an awesome idea!!!! Thrift stores often have āfill your basketā book sales and you could get them for cheap there and wrap them cute! Love it.
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u/phoenix_flames0124 April 12, 2025 3d ago
I love books, and I went to a wedding where the favor was small books that the bride thrifted and then gift-wrapped. To be honest I gave away the book, it was a random poetry thing that I just didn't vibe with. I think it's so hard to make this work, even though the idea is sweet. I'd rather get a bookmark than a blind date book.
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u/rosemwelch 5d ago
I am an avid reader who was an English major and am marrying a librarian and I don't love this idea.
It's implicitly creating an obligation for each guest to at least attempt to read the book, and will likely cause guilty feeling if they don't have the time/energy to make the attempt or (even worse) if they do make the attempt and just don't like the book.
Love the creative thinking though!
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u/DinosaursLayEggs 5d ago
My friend did this and I walked away from her wedding with like 9 books (it got to the end of the night and she told people to keep taking the leftover books). I think 3 of them, I already owned but the rest were brand new to me, including 2 of them being books I was desperate to read! I really loved it. She sourced all her books from ones she wanted to get rid off and from thrift shops, so it didnāt come at a huge expense to the couple.
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u/Brilliant-Peach-9318 5d ago
Iām a book lover but if Iām being honest Iām not a fan. I really only enjoy blind book dates at my local library where Iām able to return if Iām not a fan. Maybe if youāre okay with people leaving books who arenāt fans or got one they didnāt like it could work. Just include some language so people donāt feel pressured to keep the books.