Leather Wedding Favours UK: Unique Guest Gifts
The Grain Store
Leather wedding favours from Tanner Bates: something your guests will actually keep
Wedding favours can be one of those details that feels like it matters more in the planning than it does on the day. A small bag of sweets, a miniature candle, a token that ends up on the table at the end of the evening.
The ones that work - the ones guests actually take home and keep - tend to have two things in common. They are made well, and they feel personal.
We have recently connected with
Tanner Bates, a small leather goods company based in Dartington, South Devon, and their work is genuinely worth knowing about if you are thinking carefully about favours.
Who Tanner Bates are
Tanner Bates was founded almost 15 years ago by John Hagger, a former saddler who trained in Walsall - the heartland of British leatherwork - before returning to Devon to build something of his own. The company is now run by Rick and Matt, who between them bring more than two decades of experience in the craft.
They are not a factory. They are a small team of artisans working by hand in a workshop in rural South Devon, making pieces in small batches and sometimes to order. Their leather is sustainably sourced from small, world-renowned tanneries using traditional vegetable and bark tanning methods.
The result is leather that ages well. That develops a patina over time, becomes more itself the more it is used, and lasts long enough to be passed on.
What they make for weddings
The range of things Tanner Bates can produce as wedding favours is broader than you might expect:
- Personalised keyrings, embossed with initials, names, or a date
- Leather cardholders and wallets with custom details
- Custom belts for groomsmen, best men, and ushers
- Bespoke leather-bound guest books and photo albums
- Leather pouches for wedding rings
- Personalised leather coasters
The personalisation is what makes the difference. A keyring with your wedding date on it is something a guest might carry for years. A leather cardholder with their initials is something they will use every day. These are not tokens. They are objects with a small piece of your wedding built into them.
Bulk and bespoke orders
Tanner Bates work with couples on both standard designs and fully bespoke
wedding commissions. If you have something specific in mind - a shape, a size, a particular design - they are set up to work with you on it.
For larger orders, it is worth getting in touch early. Handmade in small batches means these take a little more time than mass-produced alternatives - which is also exactly why they are worth it.
You can contact Tanner Bates directly at info@tannerbates.co.uk, or explore their wedding favour range at tannerbates.co.uk.
A note on choosing favours that last
As a dry hire venue, we care a lot about the details couples bring into the space. The flowers, the lighting, the food, the small things on the tables that tell guests something about the people who invited them.
Favours that are made with that same level of care tend to sit differently in a room. Guests notice when something has been thought about.
If you are planning a wedding at The Grain Store and thinking through the details, we are always happy to share supplier recommendations.
You can get in touch here: https://www.thegrainstoreweddings.co.uk/contact
