Welcome Bags For Your Wedding Guests

Choosing to have a destination wedding means asking family and friends to travel great distances in order to join you on your special day. One way to show your appreciation is to provide a welcome gift that your guests will receive upon their arrival. A bag filled with an assortment of goodies that will hint at and prepare them for the fun that awaits is the perfect way to kick-off your wedding celebration and show your guests how excited you are that they have decided to join you.

As part of the package, you should include relevant information about the wedding and the location. Be sure to include the itinerary of planned events, maps and guides of the area, and perhaps information about activities that may interest them. Your guests will appreciate the gesture, especially if they accidentally left their invitations and itinerary at home. Ideally, you want your gifts to be meaningful, maybe even giving a hint of some of the activities planned for the week. Keep in mind that the quality of items included is more important than the quantity. A couple of thoughtful items will mean more to your guests than a bunch of junky souvenirs.

Here are some ideas of items that could be included:

• Custom-labelled bottles of water
• Sunscreen
• T-shirt
• Hats
• Luggage tags
• Local map of the area / guidebook
• Locally made rum (Jamaica) or tequila (Mexico)
• Macademia nuts or cookies (Hawaii)
• Postcards
• Beach towel
• Spanish-English dictionary
• CD of local music
• Flip flops monogrammed with the couples’ names and wedding date

Keep in mind that the items you choose should be non-perishable and don’t require refrigeration, as hotel rooms can make it tricky to keep things cool. Also remember that guests have limited rooms in their suitcases, so items should be easy to pack and compact.

Although decorative baskets look nice, they are bulky and next to impossible to take home. Instead, choose something with a local flair, like a woven bag in bright colors from a Mexican market or a monogrammed beach bag. Other alternatives if you’re on a tight budget may include using cellophane and ribbon, or purchase simple gift bags from your local dollar store. Maybe even include tissue paper in the same shades as your wedding colors.

Think of how excited your guests will be to check into their hotel after a long flight and transfers from the airports and find your gift waiting for them. The excitement and energy your welcome bag will generate will immediately get everyone in the mood to enjoy the celebration, while also letting your guests know how much you appreciate them and the fact that they have chosen to join you for this special occasion.

--------------------------------------------------

Cathy MacRae is a certified wedding and event planner, and owner of Creative Weddings and Occasions and Del Sol Destination Weddings. Located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, she plans wedding for couples in and around the Calgary and Banff area. She is also a destination wedding and honeymoon travel specialist helping couples plan their weddings in paradise all around the world. For more information about planning your own wedding or for advice from Cathy, please contact her at info@creativeweddingsandoccasions.