Wedding Guest Welcome Bags
More and more brides these days are presenting out of town guests with a carefully planned, well-stocked “Welcome Bag” in their hotel suite. It’s a truly generous, thoughtful idea for guests who have traveled from far away to attend your wedding, and it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.
Some of our favorite ideas for stocking an out of towner Welcome Bag is to pull together some local specialty items, or use things that follow the theme of your wedding. A wedding in San Francisco, for example, can stock their welcome bag with Ghiradelli chocolates since they are a famous local treat. A french themed wedding’s welcome bag might include Lorina French Limonada, macarons, a french baguette and cheese for guests to enjoy. The ideas are endless, but there are a few items that are cost-effective that should always be included in a welcome bag:
A Welcome Letter – Draft one quickly on your home computer welcoming guests to the area, and expressing your appreciation for the guest traveling to your wedding
A Local Map - If guests are staying for the entire weekend, a local map will help them explore the town without getting lost. Another helpful tip is to point out local points of interest that are near the hotel – restaurants, shopping centers and cultural or historical landmarks, along with driving directions.
Bottled Water - Hotels charge an arm and a leg for bottled water; give your guests at least two small bottles of water in their welcome bag and they will love you for it. Personalize them by printing out your own labels and replacing the generic ones with labels that match your wedding theme.
Nautical Blue & White BAGGU
Two Advil - Wedding revelers will appreciate the thoughtfulness, and are likely to get good use out of the pain relievers after knocking back your signature cocktails. This is an especially good idea if you’re inviting guests to a morning after brunch, where they are expected to attend and be lively.
Some Type of Snack - Whether you choose a local snack, a themed snack or home baked goodies, giving your guests something to nibble on after a long day of travel is a great welcome gesture.
Once you’ve planned what to put in your out of towner welcome bag, you need to find the right bag to put it in. Instead of buying paper or plastic gift bags, consider getting a tote that your guests can keep as a memento. It only costs slightly more than a gift bag, and becomes a keepsake instead of a throwaway item.
For an eco-friendly bag that comes in a rainbow of colors and patterns, check out the BAGGU reusable shopping tote. Washable nylon BAGGU totes come in a pack of 3 for under $20. Super lightweight, they fold into their own little 5 inch square pouch for easy travel – perfect for a destination wedding, and just the right size for out of town guests to pack them in their suitcase for the journey home.
