Ah, the minutiae of wedding planning that makes the bride-to-be wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night. Wedding favors. It seems like a pretty straightforward decision. But then you find yourself agonizing over how much to spend, what will send the right message, how to incorporate the favors into the theme of the wedding, and what, exactly, they should be. Before you tear your hair out trying to figure out what to get, take a deep breathe. Wedding favors are your way of saying thank you to the guests. Thank you for coming to celebrate the happiest day of my life. Start from there, and the rest will follow. Here are some suggestions for the bride-to-be to put her mind at ease.

The Failsafe Option

Personalized cookies and candies will never go wrong as a favor for the guests. Whether its m&m’s with your initials stamped on them or cookies with the wedding date adorning the front, your guests will love them. Upside: They tend to be extremely cost effective, sweets rarely go to waste, and they are no muss, no fuss. Downside: Everyone and their mothers have done it. No one will remember going to that wedding with the personalized chocolate bars.

Themed options

From ethnic weddings to themed, favors that tie in to the overall vibe of the wedding are always a hit. For instance, for the beach wedding, flip flops with the date of the wedding marked on them are a cute and practical gift for the guests. For a Japanese wedding, hand painted fans and Kaeru frog charms are a great way to say thank you for coming. There are hundreds of websites out there to help you find the right gift for almost any themed, ethnic, or religious wedding.

The Extravagant Favors

Lucky you, you have the bankroll of a Trump. If you do, then you need to have the favor to match. A personalized bottle of champagne for each of the guests to open at a later date is a great thank you. Plus, when they do open it, they will remember what a wonderful time they had at your wedding. Gift certificates to local restaurants, personalized charms for the women, and cufflinks for the men are all ways to spoil your guests.

The Destination Wedding

If your guests have traveled far to be with you on your big day, you need to give a special thank you. I like the idea of welcome baskets, which is a sweet way of telling them you’re glad they came. Find out what hotel each of the guests is staying at and send the baskets ahead so they are there to great them upon arrival. Include items that will make their trip special, such as a map of the area they are staying in, an umbrella if you are someplace rainy, a sun hat if you’re in a sunny location. Include thoughtful little items that tell them that you are overjoyed they spent their precious vacation time and money to come witness your wedding.

In the end, remember you do need one favor for each guest. If you have children at the wedding, keep in mind that they probably won’t be thrilled to get a gift certificate to a fancy restaurant but would love one for Chuck E. Cheese. Also, keep your guests in mind. Don’t stick them with things you wouldn’t want yourself. Make the decision, get it done, and concentrate on enjoying your big day.