Fresh favor ideas for your summer wedding

"Wedding favors, no matter what the season, should always belong to one of the following categories -- something your guests will actually use or something they'll eat," says Sarah Pease, founder and president of New York City's Brilliant Event Planning. Here are seven fresh alternatives to the usual summer wedding favors that are sure to be crowd-pleasers.

Grilling Gear

Hunt down matching turner and tong sets to hand out to guests at a casual outdoor or down-home backyard wedding, or when there are classic barbecue favorites on the reception menu. Who doesn't love to grill? "Personalize them by purchasing ones that have wooden handles and branding them with your initials and wedding date," says Pease. Shop around at wholesale and restaurant supply stores for a great bulk deal and use decorative ribbons to tie the tools together for a stylish presentation.

Beach Bags

If you're all about going green on your wedding day, why not send guests home with a gift that will help them make a difference too? Hand out environmentally friendly bags they can reuse over and over again on trips to the beach. It's easy to find bags that will fit right in with your wedding style or theme. IKEA offers colorful bags for just $1.50, while Envirosax has some available in unique graphic prints.

Sunscreen

Are you planning to say "I do" on the beach or lakeside? Put a fresh spin on the personalized water bottle favor by buying mini bottles of suntan lotion instead. Pease recommends Alba Botanica's SPF 30 4-oz. bottles in lavender. Have fun designing personalized labels for the front of each using your monograms, or better yet, your favorite vacation photo.

Wine Totes

A bottle of wine as a favor at a vineyard wedding? That's a no-brainer. Here's an even better idea -- wine totes for guests to take home their signature bottles. Totes are both practical and romantic, says Pease, because "they're handy for impromptu picnics, going to see a classic movie or concert in the park, or dropping by a friend's house for dinner."

Lemonade Mixes

A summer ceremony wouldn't be complete without a quintessential seasonal favorite -- homemade lemonade. Here's an easy DIY idea: "Purchase dry lemonade mix in bulk and pour it into pretty glass jars," instructs Pease. Then, adorn each jar with a coordinating ribbon and personalized gift tag to create favors that are sure to be a hit.

Citronella Candles

Looking for a classic favor with a more useful and seasonal twist? Trade in the regular scented candles for citronella candles. When tied with a simple ribbon, the candle fits perfectly into a more formal wedding scene but still represents causal, bug-free summer fun. Use decorative candleholders for added personalization.

Ice Cream Coupons

Ah, summer -- sigh! Don't those hot, humid nights and three scoops of your favorite ice cream flavors just belong together? For your summer soiree, treat your guests to ice cream as their favor. Head over to your local parlor and snag coupons for each guest. Just make sure that they don't have an expiration date (especially if it's not a national chain), so your out-of-towners will have the chance to use it on their next visit. Pease offers this up as a safe favor option for the couple "who really wants to do food favors but doesn't want them to melt away." For more personalization, see if the parlor owner is up for letting your stationer design one-of-a-kind coupons that match your invitation style.

Photo: Isabel Lawrence Photographers