Creative and Fun Wedding Ideas Made Simple Creative and Fun Wedding Ideas Made Simple
Tying the knot in an outdoor summer ceremony often means a fabulous setting. A beautiful beach wedding, vintage garden nuptials—but, too often, it includes bugs, too! So if you can’t beat them, prepare for them—by making your own bug repellent wedding favors! Such a practical and thoughtful gesture your guests will surely appreciate. Plus you can make these insect sprays safe and natural using fragrant essential oils, then package and personalize them so creatively to suit your theme. (*this post contains affiliate links)
Recipes for DIY Bug Repellent
Ward off those pesky bugs with do-it-yourself concoctions of essential oils that do the job naturally—while smelling amazing, too! Check out these totally doable recipes we found.
1 – Homemade Natural Bug Repellent (recipe from My Merry Messy Life)
2 – Natural DIY Bug Spray (recipe from Free People)
3 – DIY Mosquito Repellent Spray (recipe from Dear Crissy)
4 – DIY Homemade Bug Repellent with Essential Oils (recipe from Don’t Waste the Crumbs)
5 – DIY Insect Repellent (recipe from Shoosha Baby)
6 – DIY: Natural Bug Repellent & Bug Bite Soother (recipe from Daily Dose of Greens)
7 – DIY Bug Spray (recipe and labels from Evermine as seen above)
Ready-to-Give Bug Repellent in Candle Form
Not too keen on blending and bottling liquid repellent? Go for the handy alternative of candles in jars or tins—ready-made or else hand-poured (should you still want to DIY).
1 – Citronella Minis in Sea Salt & Hibiscus (available from Flashpoint Candle)
2 – Soy Citronella Candles (tutorial rom Pretty Life Girls), with packaging in paint-dipped jars for the 4th of July
3 – Red White and Blue Homemade Candles (from Growing Up Abel)
4 – 6 Piece Scented Mason Jar Candle Set (available from Wayfair) – in summery hues of yellow, orange, and green
5 – Mini Metal Tin Bucket Citronella Candles, Yellow, Set of 6 (available from Amazon)
6 – Citronella Cup Mini Candles (available from Rakuten Global Market)
Supplies for Making Your Own Bug Repellent
If you do choose the DIY route for mixing liquid bug spray, here are the basic supplies you’ll need. From contents to packaging, these will ensure you’ll be giving wedding favors you’ll be proud of!
And if you plan to set up a bug spray favors table, see the witty decorative signs you can source (and the lovely inspiration from real weddings below!).
1 – TerraShield Essential Oil “Outdoor Blend” (available from Amazon)
2 – Clear Plastic Spray Mist Bottles with Pump Spray Cap — Travel Size, 2 Ounce (available from Amazon)
3 – Reusable Chalk Labels (available from Amazon) – just look for the size to fit your bottles
4 – Bug Spray Wedding Decor Sign (available from Zazzle)
5 – Smitten Not Bitten Wedding Decor Sign (available from Amazon)
Setting Up a Bug Spray Station at Your Wedding: Charming Inspiration
Finally, for a pretty display of your wedding favors, take ideas from these bug spray relief stations from five actual weddings that caught our eye!
For a country cottage look, a vintage dresser or kitchen sideboard makes a charming base for a bushel basket-ful of favors, with signage in an antique carved frame (1 – Sixpence Events). While simple, store-bought frames and fresh flowers in a vase and on a tray are lovely for an intimate garden wedding (2 – Eggwhites Catering).
For a casual, boho-themed wedding, a pair of tin garden buckets and a handwritten chalkboard sign keep it sweet and simple (3 – Gayle Nerva). Repurposing available pieces—like a tray turned into a sign and a fancy bin for holding the favors—works, too! (4 – via Pinterest). And for a beach or tropical location, setting up a little folding table with a box and vaseful of bright blooms may be all you need (5 – Oh My Love Weddings).
Who’d have thought that keeping bugs away could lead to such a practical and pretty summer wedding favor idea!