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Updated Jan 21, 2025Your Complete Guide to Custom Wedding Matchbooks
And why they're a must-have wedding favor.
The best wedding favors are the ones your guests will actually take home, and custom matchbooks are so good, your guests will likely take two (if not more). Practical, affordable and effortlessly cool, matches do far more than start a fire. These days, they serve as stylish, highly collectible mementos. To guide you through design and ordering, we spoke with Walker Reiss, Marketing and Creative Manager at For Your Party, for expert tips on personalizing your own wedding matchbooks. From getting the order quantity right to picking clever phrases for the front and inspiration for your reception display, here is your step-by-step guide to matchbox wedding favors.
In this article:
- Wedding Matchbook Planning FAQ
- Where to Buy Custom Matchbooks for Your Wedding
- Custom Matchbook Design Ideas & Sayings
- Creative Ways to Display Matchbooks at Your Wedding Reception
Wedding Matchbook Planning: Quantities, Timeline & Travel Rules
Are matchboxes a good wedding favor?
Yes, custom matchbooks are a great wedding favor idea because they please everyone: they're affordable and easy to personalize for couples, while remaining small and practical for guests. While they've been around for decades, their popularity is reaching a new peak. As Reiss points out, they land right at the crossroads of modern design and nostalgia: "They're handmade, which is important in a world where authenticity is increasingly stylish. They also have room for personalization, which is key to a memorable event. And, finally, they're slightly retro, evoking bars and restaurants where couples' parents and grandparents might have met." Pair today's love for vintage aesthetics with the excitement of pocketing a collectible, and you have a keepsake no guest will leave behind.
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How many matchbooks should you order for a wedding?
In general, plan to order one matchbook per guest, plus a 10 to 15% buffer to account for extra-enthusiastic collectors. How you display them dictates your total: if they're going into welcome bags, you only need one per household; if they're sitting in a bowl at the bar, you'll want extra. Reiss notes that many couples end up placing a second order after the wedding for their own keepsakes—so if you want to hold onto a stash for yourselves, consider adding a 20 to 25% buffer upfront.
How far in advance should you order custom wedding matchbooks?
Couples should plan to order custom matchbooks (or any personalized favors) roughly two months before the wedding. This eight-week timeline leaves plenty of room for design revisions, supplier proofing, custom bulk production and shipping. While some retailers like For Your Party offer expedited options if you're short on time (Reiss says you can contact their team directly at customerservice@foryourparty.com for help), matches still require ground shipping due to transit regulations—so ordering early is always your best bet.
Can you take custom matches on a plane?
TSA permits passengers to carry only one book of safety matches in their carry-on bag or on their person, while strictly banning them from checked luggage. Because of this, guests shouldn't have trouble taking a single matchbook home, but couples planning a destination wedding will need to ship their custom matches directly to their venue via ground transportation.
What is the difference between a matchbook and a matchbox?
The terms "matchbook" and "matchbox" aren't actually interchangeable. Matchbooks feature a flexible fold-over cover with exposed matches stapled inside. They're smaller, thinner, slightly less sturdy and generally lower in price. Matchboxes, on the other hand, consist of a rigid slide-out tray inside a protective outer sleeve, which offers a bit more surface area for custom artwork.
Where to Buy Custom Matchbooks for Your Wedding
There is no shortage of online retailers offering custom matchbook printing. These trusted brands stand out for their extensive design libraries, easy customization tools and reliable production to ensure your favors arrive looking flawless.
For Your Party
Photo: For Your Party
For Your Party offers so much more than basic matches. Their catalog features everything from two-chamber and triangle boxes to barrel matchboxes. Once you choose a shape, you can customize a premade template or use their beginner-friendly design studio to craft your own look. (Pro tip: their alignment tool takes the guesswork out of centering your artwork). Between their specialty paper stocks, like linen, glitter and faux leather, and foil choices that range from metallic to rainbow, you might need a little extra time just to browse. Best of all, you can carry your design over to matching barware, like stirrers, cups and napkins.
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The Knot Marketplace
If you're collaborating with a local stationery designer on bespoke paper goods, they may also offer custom matchbooks or matchboxes that perfectly coordinate with your invitation suite. You can search The Knot Marketplace to find talented paper vendors in your area and browse their portfolio options. Working directly with an expert means they'll handle all the design, tweaks and production—so all you have to do is give final approval.
Etsy
As a marketplace for independent artists, Etsy is the ultimate destination if you're looking for custom favors that go beyond standard monograms—like a venue illustration or a custom portrait of you and your fiancé. You'll find wedding matchbooks from global artisans in virtually every theme, color palette and design style imaginable. You can even find metal matchbox holders for a more lasting keepsake. Just keep in mind that each seller sets their own processing and shipping timelines, so be sure to check those details before purchasing. Reading individual customer reviews is also a great way to verify quality, though Etsy clearly highlights top-rated shops with badge markers like "Star Seller."
Zazzle
Photo: Zazzle
If you're hosting a smaller gathering, Zazzle is a great option because their zero-minimum order policy lets you print custom matchboxes without excess waste. They specialize in full-color digital printing, which is perfect for vibrant graphics or personal photos. While independent artists design the templates featured on the site, Zazzle manages the production, quality control and shipping directly.
VistaPrint
Photo: VistaPrint
While VistaPrint is famous for helping small businesses print promo gear and business cards, their dedicated wedding shop translates that expertise into affordable event details. They offer 20-count matchbooks and 30-count matchboxes with white-tipped matches, giving couples full-color printing across the entire cover. Whether you customize a design template on their site or upload your own artwork, the ordering process is fast and budget-friendly.
Minted
Photo: Minted
Famous for connecting couples with independent artists, Minted brings its signature stationery aesthetic to custom match favors. It's an ideal choice if you want your matches to feature elevated typography, hand-drawn illustrations or designs that seamlessly coordinate with your wedding invitation suite. You can choose from a variety of matchbook and matchbox styles, all customizable with your choice of foil colors, paper stocks and personalized details.
Custom Matchbook Design Ideas & Sayings
Now that you know where to shop and how to plan your timeline, it's time for the fun part: picking your design details. Matchbooks and matchboxes make ideal wedding favors because their covers offer a completely customizable canvas. "Couples can personalize their custom matches in a variety of ways," Reiss explains. "First, the shape of the match is important: some couples opt for 30 strike matchbooks to channel a trendy dive bar, while others go for cigar matches for something a bit more glam. Second, the color of the paper and printing can be customized to match (pun intended) your wedding color story. Last, but not least is the design—some couples go for a photo, some go for drawings, but it's all about picking something that's complementary with the rest of the decor."
Clever Puns & Quote Ideas for Your Wedding Matches
When it comes to what you should print on your wedding matchboxes, a few classic choices naturally come to mind: your names, your wedding date and the timeless pun "A Perfect Match." While classic and beloved for a reason—and a favorite we fully support—if you're looking for something a bit more unique, here are several cute and clever sayings to consider.
- I stole this from [name] and [name]'s wedding
- You strike my fancy
- Let's get lit
- Love struck
- A match made in heaven
- Brighter together
- The light of my life
- You are my greatest adventure
- Your presence warms our hearts
- Sparking joy since [wedding date]
- Cheers!
- Come on baby, light my fire
- Sparks flew
- Soul-match
- One hot couple
- Today, tomorrow, forever
Color, Foil and Typography Customization Tips
Think of your wedding matchbooks as a natural extension of your reception design. Pull shades from your florals, linens or stationery suite so they seamlessly align with your overall aesthetic—making them an even more cohesive keepsake for guests. Let that same theme guide your choices for graphics, fonts and print methods. For instance, a formal black-and-white ballroom wedding pairs beautifully with a classic monogrammed matchbox, whereas a winery reception might call for rich burgundy tones, hand-drawn vineyard illustrations or a playful "Salute!" stamped across the cover.
Keep in mind that different printing techniques yield different vibes: metallic foil stamping adds a luxe, light-catching finish, while digital printing offers total flexibility for colorful, vibrant palettes. Lastly, consider scale. Standard matchbooks measure only about one-and-a-half by two inches, so intricate illustrations may lose detail in print and tiny cursive fonts can easily become illegible.
Creative Ways to Display Matchbooks at Your Wedding Reception
After taking time to make wedding matchbooks for your guests, you obviously want them to take them home; and that means putting them in a spot they'll see. Here are a few examples of favor displays from real couples who gave out matches.
Bar Setups
From glass apothecary jars and decorative ceramic bowls to artfully scattering them along the bar counter, there are endless ways to style your custom matches so every guest spots them when grabbing a cocktail. Plus, a bar-top setup taps directly into the fun nostalgia of classic mid-century lounge and restaurant matchbooks.
Interactive Stations
Give your match favors an immediate purpose by pairing them with interactive reception activities. Set them out at a cigar lounge, place them near a fire pit for late-night s'mores or display them at your sparkler exit station so guests are ready for your grand getaway.
Welcome Elements
Custom matches don't have to be your only wedding favor for guests. Tuck them into hotel welcome bags or pair them with candle gifts.
