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Welcome Bags

Online Users: 1,300 guest(s), 2 user(s). Replies: 16

SweetSunset Posts : 159 Registered: 1/15/09

Welcome Bags: Posted: Feb 23, 2009 7:16 PM; We're doing a destination wedding in Key West and I've just started reading about welcome bags. Our guests will be traveling out of town and will have to make their stay arrangements themselves. I thought a nice welcome gift would be appropriate. Did anyone who had a destination wedding have welcome bags? And if so, what did you put in them? I'm trying to get some ideas. Thanks!

florida , december_2009

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LilMrsSunshine Posts : 195 Registered: 6/25/08

Re: Welcome Bags: Posted: Feb 23, 2009 7:27 PM Go to message in response to: SweetSunset; We aren't having a destination wedding. I am from Ohio and we are getting married in Houston so my entire family has to travel to Houston so I wanted to do the welcome bags. We are putting bottled water with personalized labels, tourist brochures from Houston, homemade cookies a CD and some other type of Houston souvenir. Hopefully this gave you some ideas.

april_2009 , florida , december_2009 , houston

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mrsJLA Posts : 445 Registered: 5/25/08

Re: Welcome Bags: Posted: Feb 23, 2009 9:35 PM Go to message in response to: SweetSunset; IMO You don't need to get over-personal... but this is what we put for OOT guests (per bag) - 2 bottles of water, crackers (salty), granola bars, something sweet (like a couple hard candies), travel size shower poofs & travel size bath bubbles/shower gel (since hotels usually don't give quality stuff or enough for a 4 person family, unless you stay in a top of the line place.... also monogrammed bars of soap would be cute), a notepad and pen that matched our theme, brochures with things to do, simple stuff like that. We made monogramed sticker labels to put on the outside of the bags to personalize them as well. All in all I think it was less $10 a bag/ 1 bag per couple or 2 bags per family of 4+.

I think you should at least include water and a few snacks so that people don't have to hit the minibar/ snack bar and spend oodles on a quick bite to eat when they arrive.

We also figured that going overboard on monogramming for OOT gifts was too expensive, since the water bottles, etc. would get tossed anyways. We wanted to give them things they could use, and take home easily. Also, since your wedding is in Key West, maybe you can do baskets with a Beach Towel in one of your colors and water and travel sizes of sunscreen and aloe and portable snacks for the poolside/beach.
Jaime :)
Wedding Pictures and the Furbabies:
http://web.me.com/me182a

Edited by: mrsJLA on Feb 23, 2009 11:04 PM

december_2009 , southern_shore_new_jersey , october_2008 , florida

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forlife77 Posts : 12 Registered: 2/23/09

Re: Welcome Bags: Posted: Feb 24, 2009 10:52 AM Go to message in response to: SweetSunset; Hi!! I am excited by your post as we are getting married in Key West 2 weeks before you!

Tell me more about your plans! We've only booked the ceremony, we still need to book hotels, and reception, ect.

I also plan on giving my guests welcome bags. I plan on getting them Key West beach bags, filled with waters, a towel, sunscreen, snacks, something personalized from us (haven't figured that out yet!), and the wedding weekend itinerary. Thats all we've thought of so far - I'll be watching this thread for more ideas!

Tasha ~ November 2009 Bride to be ~
Marrying the Man of my Dreams!
10 Years as Friends; 7 years in Madly in Love, Engaged for 2 - Its about time and we are so ready!

november_2009 , florida , december_2009

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TRACYJOHNSONBRA... Posts : 42 Registered: 2/8/09

Re: Welcome Bags: Posted: Mar 2, 2009 6:42 AM Go to message in response to: SweetSunset; I work at a hotel and here is some advise for any one who is blocking rooms. Check with the hotel before hand about their policy on Welcome Bags. Some like mine are a little pickier because they have guests not recieve their bags. In terms of blocking rooms, check with the manager and be specific if guests will be paying with their own card. If you get it on the reservation it will likely happen. Also be aware of the hotel's cancellation policy for unused rooms. Also make sure that when you block a room for a guest you will be paying for that the card is valid. Also when you make the reservations, be aware of what name you used to block the rooms. Then let your guests know. It makes it easier to find the reservations in the computer. For my sister's wedding last March, i had gotten rooms at the hotel I work at for a good rate. I had put the original reservations under my name with my last name identifying the group. I then let my future brother in law as well as my family know what I did. It worked out well. I have done the same for my wedding this year. One less thing to worry about.

reservations , montana , march_2009 , florida , hotel , december_2009 , favors , welcome_bags

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Toast Posts : 480 Registered: 9/10/08

Re: Welcome Bags: Posted: Mar 2, 2009 8:44 AM Go to message in response to: TRACYJOHNSONBRA...; we did not have to put a credit card on file or put a deposit down for our room block. we were able to do 2 nights worth of a room block too for the out of town guests. They got a discounted rate, and there is free buffet breakfast included! And we get our room or free the night of the wedding. Not all hotels are the same or have the same policy. So, I would just call them to find out their policies and rates.

reservations , montana , march_2009 , florida , hotel , december_2009 , connecticut , october_2010 , favors , welcome_bags

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bex1975 Posts : 60 Registered: 1/15/07

Re: Welcome Bags: Posted: Mar 25, 2009 3:37 PM Go to message in response to: SweetSunset; Another suggestion...we included post cards in out OOT bags with a pen. We attatched a note and asked the guests to write what their favorite memory was of the wedding/vacation. It was so great to read them after we got back. Plus, there are things you miss and these post cards help refresh your memory.
Just a thought....

florida , december_2009

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FutureMrsGillum... Posts : 23 Registered: 1/24/09

Re: Welcome Bags: Posted: Apr 9, 2009 1:48 AM Go to message in response to: SweetSunset; I am getting married in Key West to in April of next year, and we are doing welcome bags also. We are kinda lucky because my fiancee's uncle lives in Hollywood and is helping us out with buying some of our items and we are picking them up on our way down. We are putting a map of key west that I downloaded, I am putting together a folder with menus from different places, a bottle of Barefoot Chardonnay( which is pretty cheap but has a good crisp taste and sounds fitting for the location), personalized sunscreen (theknot.com), a beer koozie, and a couple beach toys that i picked up after summer was over. Our big splurge is the wine, and the toys may seem silly but who can say NO to a frisbee and sand, especially since we are from ohio. I even found beach bags that are really cute for a dollar a piece at walmart a month or two after summer was over.
I think that people will really appriciate the thought that you put in no matter what. Maybe throw in a bottle of water or two and Thank you card for their travel. Good Luck!!!

Tara

april_2010 , florida , december_2009

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CatStandish Posts : 2,767 Registered: 6/20/08

Re: Welcome Bags: Posted: Apr 9, 2009 7:56 PM Go to message in response to: FutureMrsGillum...; I can't copy things anymore into here (very annoying, mind you). So I will direct you to my albums -- click on the The DIY Projects album and you'll get to see my OOT Guest bag.

We contracted with Spring Hill Marriott to have a block of rooms reserved up until September 3. Our OOT guests have until September 3 to make their reservations and get the group rate (which is $40/night off of the regular rate). We are not responsible for paying for any of the rooms. However, if after Sept 3 we wish to hold rooms, we can -- BUT those rooms would be charged to us if they are not filled. They will also let us know if we end up needing more rooms.

The OOT Guest Bags are made from the re-useable grocery bags (the ones they charge between $1 and $2 for, depending on the store). I got them for a steal at a store that was going out of business -- four for $1. I went to Michaels and bought some felt stickers and stuck them over the logo.

We will be including:

2 bottles of water per person (getting cute lables at Oriental Trading Company)
2 bags of chips per person
1 jar of jelly made by local person
1 tube of crackers
1 homemade soap (see DIY folder)
2 sweet things per person (might be cookies, might be candy bar)
Map to the church (and back)
Map showing how to get to local eating establishments
Itinerary
Thank you note

(yeah, sounds like they might have a lot, but these are grocery bags...they will hold a lot)

I like that postcard idea though.

And I spoke to our hotel about the bags. I asked them if they wanted me to come by and put them in the rooms after they were ready that day or if they would prefer to give them to the guests at check in. They said they would give them at check in, I just needed to put something with the guests' names on the bags so they would know who to give what to. However, the BRIDAL PARTY will not be having theirs handed out to them by the hotel. I'm meeting each of them as they arrive and will give them theirs. (Their OOT Guest bag contains a bit more stuff)

Misty

april_2010 , florida , december_2009 , september_2009

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SweetSunset Posts : 159 Registered: 1/15/09

Re: Welcome Bags: Posted: Apr 10, 2009 11:24 AM Go to message in response to: FutureMrsGillum...; FutureMrsGillum2010 - Key West is so romantic, such a perfect place for a wedding. I've got pretty much everything booked for my wedding there. Let me know if you have any questions with any vendors, its a small island so not really too much to choose from. Your Welcome Bag ideas are cute!! Did you know that Key West has its own winery? Go to www.thekeywestwinery.com, they have some crazy wines there. Also check out www.margaritaville.com; go to the shops tab and click on Key West. Lots of accessories there. Also www.shopkeywest.com.

april_2010 , florida , december_2009

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ArubaBride2010 Posts : 17 Registered: 8/21/07

Re: Welcome Bags: Posted: Apr 20, 2009 10:05 AM Go to message in response to: SweetSunset; I just came across the cutest bag called Welcome to Our Wedding Canvas tote by Kate Aspen. Since I'm having my wedding in Aruba I would like to do a welcome bag for my guest and these will be perfect. Now I just have to fill them and get them to Aruba which can be costly.

Amy

april_2010 , march_2010 , florida , december_2009

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sabnrob06 Posts : 1 Registered: 1/28/08

Re: Welcome Bags: Posted: Jun 28, 2009 2:15 PM Go to message in response to: SweetSunset; Hi,

I am also doing welcome bags. I called the local tourist info center and asked if they had anything free-map,menus,etc-that they could give me. They sent me a huge map (Cocoa Beach,Fl) along with various menus,coupons and sunscreen. There will also be bottles of water, some sort of snack-chips or cookies and these really cute mats that roll out to lay on the sand. I got them at Big Lots during the winter and they were $1.25 each.

Good Luck.
Sabrina

november_2009 , florida , december_2009

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MicheleInGA Posts : 3 Registered: 8/9/09

Re: Welcome Bags: Posted: Aug 11, 2009 11:59 AM Go to message in response to: SweetSunset; We received a welcome bag once and it had a bottle of wine, local map, area coupons, popcorn, chocolates and a personal thank you note.

florida , december_2009 , august_2009

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wzq103 Posts : 2,771 Registered: 9/11/12

Re: Welcome Bags: Posted: Sep 19, 2012 4:35 PM Go to message in response to: SweetSunset; A-line White One Long Sleeve Open Back Knee-length Prom Dress With Applique
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wzq103 Posts : 2,771 Registered: 9/11/12

Re: Welcome Bags: Posted: Sep 27, 2012 8:18 PM Go to message in response to: SweetSunset; Black Strapless Sweetheart Layered Drape Hi-low Prom Dress With Beads
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