Are CD Wedding Favors a good idea?

Question

We were thinking of giving out CD's with our wedding and reception music on it as wedding favors to our guests. Songs like our first dance, father daughter dance, and other special dances or songs to us and our family.
I've talked to my Mom, Dad, Grandparents, close friends, and they all think that it is a great idea. I've also heard the negatives. That it is very expensive, it can ruin your computer, it is illegal?! Would this be a good idea or a bad idea?

Answer 1

Some say they are great, others say they are tacky. They are illegal too…is it worth it?



CD Wedding favors have become a hot topic on wedding message boards. People saying they are tacky and get thrown out, other people insisting that their guests loved their CD favors that they gave out. Most people are confused as to whether or not it is actually illegal to make and distribute them.



Here are some things to consider when deciding whether or not to go the CD wedding favors route:



With just 50 different guests at your wedding, you’ll have 50 different tastes in music. Even though you both love the songs you selected, they may not have wide appeal for most of your guests. Is Grandma Bertha going to like that Radiohead song you included? Wait, does Grandma Bertha even have a CD player? Not that you have to please everyone though, and if the songs you select are really a part of the two of you that people will “get” then by all means go for it!



It takes time to burn all those CDs. A. Lot. of. Time. Not to mention that you will want to check each one in case some of the CDs don’t “take” as you know happens when you burn those darn things. You don’t want any guests to get a bum CD!



Legal and ethical issues should be considered too. Yes, it technically is a copyright violation to burn CDs and distribute them even if you aren’t getting money for them. Combine this knowledge with the fact that your names will likely be somewhere on the packaging, and there is permanent evidence who did it! Okay, so they music industry isn’t going to crash your wedding and arrest you because of those CDs, but you might think about ethics since you are, in essence, stealing. If you have anyone in the music business coming to your wedding, skip the CDs, things like this are sensitive these days with all the layoffs. Speaking of layoffs, with the music industry hurting so bad right now you never know when they will start prosecuting people for those wedding CDs to prove their point.



In my opinion, I have received these as favors and usually don't ever listen to them again, however have heard from others that they really liked it. My cousin gave them out and she wished she never started the project as she had over 300 guests and it took way too much time.

Answer 2

Wedding Cd Favors

Answer 3

Cd Wedding Favors

Answer 4

I agree that it is a really fun favor idea.



Now for your other questions...



If you buy the cds in bulk and you print the covers at home then it won't be so expensive. I would guess maybe each cd will cost you $.25 and then the plastic case will cost you maybe $.75 depending on what quality you get. Then you'll need paper for the covers and obviously whatever it costs you to purchase the music.



I don't know what you mean by "it will ruin your computer" - burning cds certainly doesn't ruin anything on your computer. You'll just use a program like itunes, Roxio or Windows Media Player and burn the cds that way. The only thing that will affect your computer is if you download the music first, then that will take up space on your hard drive, but it's not really a big deal.



Yes distributing music that way is illegal. But do I think that you're going to be hauled into jail for making a few wedding cds? No.



Go with your idea!

Answer 5

This Site Might Help You.



RE:

Are CD Wedding Favors a good idea?

We were thinking of giving out CD's with our wedding and reception music on it as wedding favors to our guests. Songs like our first dance, father daughter dance, and other special dances or songs to us and our family.

I've talked to my Mom, Dad, Grandparents, close friends, and they all think...

Answer 6

Its a cute idea and I might listen to it once and a while. That would honestly depend on our tastes in music though.



It will not ruin your computer. Good grief, I'd like to know who told you that.



It is illegal however, you can probably still do it if you'd like and be OK. There is always a possibility of that being a legal problem.



It will take some time to burn that many CD's. Can you get some help from friends and other family? If not I wouldn't bother with it.

Answer 7

I agree with some of the other posters. The songs you choose for your wedding will only be special to you and your husband. So it would be a waste. I would just make a cd of your wedding songs for you two as a keep sake. And think of a better favor to give out they won't go to waste.

Answer 8

I got a cd for a wedding favor and I listened to it once. I never listened to it again becasue it was all lovey dovey kinds of songs. If you want other favor ideas that are cheap check here....

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Answer 9

I tihnk for family it could be at treat but for other people it may not be ever used. IF you think you should have favors, then figure something that is useful to everyone at the reception. And, yes it is illegal.



I have never gone to a wedding or anniversary where I received a favor. Instead the decoration at each table was given away, with a seat number under the decoration or a sticker under the winning seat.

Answer 10

CD's are really expensive, unless you do them illegally. To do it legally, you need to buy a copy of every single song. If you have 50 guests, and 10 songs on the CD, then that's 500 songs you need to pay for. In general favours should be consumable. Make them food or something which will be used up, because they won't mean as much to the people you give them to, and will just become clutter if they can't be used up.

Answer 11

Hi and congratulations!



Your heart is in the right place, but I don't like the idea and it's not for the reasons (legal, computer, etc.) that you stated.



The reason is.....those are songs YOU and YOUR fiance like. As far as your other guests....I don't envision myself playing a CD of someone's wedding music.....sorry! I think for the price that you would pay and the time involved, not many people would use it.



Really, I much prefer to get something edible....usually something that is edible right on the spot. Like a small bag with Hershey Kisses or M&M's, or mints, etc.

Answer 12

ya know i work in a tuxedo shop and most wedding tuxedos that were worn at a wedding that had that as a favor get retuned with the cd in the pocket and no one calls to ever pick it up. plus think of how many times people will actually listen to them.....its a great idea for wedding party members and close family but do something more useful for yoru guests like magnents with a wedding quote or your engagement photo....

Answer 13

It is not expensive. It is cheap. BUT giving someone an hour of YOUR favorite music is rather self-centred. Music is a very personal thing as it reaches your soul. Your favorite song might make their teeth shudder. I know that if someone gave me Celine Dions' "MY Heart will go on", I would probably have a seizure the moment it played! As for the technical aspects, it is possible to pass on a "bug" or "virus" that might be lurking in your computer to your friends. Downloading music via I-Tunes where you PAY for the song is legal but this is supposed to be for your own personal use. Saying that, reproduceable CDs now have a 25 cent fee attached that is sent to the Musicians' Union to cover royalties due to artists. Of course, that is based on a person copying the music of one artist. This is a legal grey area when you are making multiple copies of numerous artists. No one will turn you in for a wedding CD - unless, of course, you give them music that drives them NUTS. Celine Dion might turn me into an FBI stoolie.(LOL)

Answer 14

I got one of those as a favor one time and never played it once. It's not because I don't like music, it's because I didn't like the bride & groom's choice in music. So yes, I think they are a waste. Just give an edible favor that you know anyone will enjoy.

Answer 15

I think that's a delightful idea.

As a DJ I compile my songs from either discs I OWN, or buy the music.

I see no problem with

1. asking your DJ to make these up for a nominal fee (I'd do that and include that in my fee)

2. presenting them as GIFTS - I'm unsure of the letter of the law, but if there's no money being exchanged for these, what harm?

Answer 16

I will honestly tell you, if I were a guest, I would probably leave that favour behind. To you, your wedding and the music you play are special and important, but your guests aren't honestly ever going to listen to it again.



Give out something more practical like edible favours that guests can enjoy on the way home.

Answer 17

Go to www.kickcreations.com to check out some other ideas for personalizing your favors!

Answer 18

It's a really good idea i have been to weddings that have done this before you can even have a company do it for you or make them yourself. It's not illegal but you have too put the name of the song and the artist (So your giving them credit) As for cost it all depends on if it's Professional how many guests things like that.

Answer 19

PugMom stole that whole answer from the site below. Unless she is the original author and owns the copyright, she just told you not to commit copyright infringement by committing copyright infringement. LOL!



Personally, I have found no legal evidence that it is against the law. I plan on doing CDs as favors too. It's true you can't please everyone with your taste of music, but you can't please everyone with the chocolates you'd give out or the trinket they'd probably throw away. The favor is supposed to commemorate the wedding, which the CD will do. Go with what you want, not what every single guest will love.



Also, to cut down on costs, you could give out one CD per couple instead of one to each individual.

Answer 20

Extremely interesting question, hope we'll get some good opinions

Answer 21

i think that would make a great favor very unique

Answer 22

I often end up submitting the same thing on other sites