9 Ways To Ace Your Wedding Welcome Bags
If there’s one thing that’ll never go out of style, it’s the art of gift giving. And no better way to honor your guests who traveled near and far to celebrate with you than with good old-fashioned wedding welcome bags. We love to see couples show off their wedding style with this warm first impression for their guests upon arrival. Because this is the kind of touch they’ll remember forever. Trust us!
Photo by The Happy Bloom with curated gifts by A Signature Welcome
If you’re stuck on what to include, take a gander at our list of ideas below:
1. A pretty container they can reuse
The wrapping is just as important as the contents, so whether you decide to use a wicker basket or sweetgrass tote, a wooden box or wire basket, a cloth-tied bundle or linen paper box, you have endless options for making that first impression count. We love to see the creativity at play when couples tie their wedding style or destination into this aspect, and it builds that immersive experience for the guest even more.
Custom totes are great! But if you want your guests to reuse these containers long after the wedding, we’d recommend leaving it neutral and adding a nice personalized tag instead.
Photo by Patricia Lyons
2. Important details about the wedding
The best way to take care of your guests (and make sure no one tries to call you while you’re peacefully getting your hair and makeup done) is to provide them with all the important info they’ll need for the wedding day. This includes details on where to park, any transportation arrangements, a reminder of the ceremony time, dress code notes, a heads up if you’re having an unpluggeed ceremony – even an illustrated map of the area if you wanna get artsy with it!
Photo by Alba Rose Photography with curated gifts by Loved and Found
3. Recommendations for the area
Going along with the map idea, guests who are unfamiliar with your wedding destination will praise you for giving them a recommendation list for where to eat + drink and what to do in those hours they’re not kicking it with you on the dance floor. Let this card share with them why you chose the destination + love it so much – think of it as your personal blueprint to the city so they can see it through your eyes!
Photo by The Happy Bloom with curated gifts by A Signature Welcome
4. Something to nibble on
Snacks are instant mood-boosters *Cue flashbacks to those amazing Snickers commercials* Put your guests in the best kind of mood with thoughtful snacks and bonus points if they’re locally made! What a great way to give another nod to your destination’s culture.
Photo by Jacqui Cole with curated gifts by A Signature Welcome
5. Something to cheers
Sparkling water, mini champagne bottles, a bottle of wine for them to toast to the weekend with, your guests will love having something to pair with their snacks. One of our favorite ideas is to gift a bottle of wine from the town you got engaged in or perhaps a local soda from the town where you first met. Don’t stop believin’ that you can make every little detail personal 😉
Photo by Erich Mcvey
6. Something to help with the post-wedding recovery
If you’ve ever been to a wedding, you’ll probably be able to translate this pretty quickly. Wedding guests who have a little too much fun with the open bar (or chicken + waffle station) will make you a saint for including some Advil, tums, water bottles, band-aids, mini sewing kit, stain remover and any other necessities you might find in a well-stocked hangover kit.
Photo by Joel Serrato
7. Something to help them relax
Ahhhhhh… to be primped and pampered. Spa-worthy gifts are always a good idea, so whether it’s a scented candle, body scrub, sleep masks or luxury chocolates, what a great surprise + delight they’ll remember forever. Throw in something cozy for the ladies like a pashmina, and they might even wear it to the wedding!
Photo by Jose Villa
8. Something unique to the couple
Brainstorm together on some specific treats your guests could receive and immediately think “This is so them!” Think about those quirks that make your relationship standout for the rest, or even just the things that are special to each of you. Maybe you want to honor a family tradition and share the story with your guests. Maybe you want to give a nod to the place (or way!) you got engaged. Whatever it is, the most meaningful gifts are the ones that make the biggest impact and are always carried home.
Photo by Samm Blake
9. A personalized note
Sweet, thoughtful and personal notes are the perfect cherry on top to a wedding welcome gift. They further enforce how much your guests mean to you and how thankful you are that they traveled all the way, took time off from work, etc. to celebrate this amazing life step with you. And if this is the kind of touch you need to outsource because, let’s face it, there’s never enough time in the day… there are services out there that will become your new best friend.
Photo by Jillian Mitchell
If you’re anything like us, it won’t take you long to step in time with the welcome bag research. And can we honestly call something this fun “research”? All the warm fuzzies will reflect right back on you! Talk to your planner about how you can deliver these to your guests. If you coordinate in advance, many hotels will be able to hand the welcome bags to your guests as they check in or leave them in their rooms so the treats are awaiting upon arrival. We’d love to hear how you plan to get creative with it in the comments below, so don’t be a stranger!