What To Include In Hotel Welcome Bags
“What should I include in my hotel Welcome Bags for my out of town guests?” is a question I get a lot as a Wedding Planner from my couples. So, I wanted to share some thoughts and ideas with you so that you can create your own perfect Welcome Bags!
When creating a Welcome Bag for your out of town guests, there are 3 different categories of items that I typically recommend to include in your bags. Always include something helpful, something fun and something local.
Helpful - Let’s start with the something helpful. Your something helpful should be just that, helpful. Your guests are coming in from out of town and might not be familiar with the area so, providing them with some information about local attractions, your favorite restaurants in the area or even information about local transportation options can be super helpful for their stay. You should also include information about your wedding so include things like the Ceremony and Reception start times and locations as well as directions to the venues. If you plan to provide shuttle services for the hotel guests to and from your wedding, include the shuttle times and information so they know when and where to catch the shuttle bus back and forth. You can get info cards to include in your Welcome Bags online pretty inexpensively from places like Minted.com, BasicInvite.com, Zazzle.com and Vistaprint.com. If you are getting married outside in a warmer month, pop in a mini bottle of sunscreen and/or bug spray to keep guests protected from the sun and the bugs . You can even get cute personalized labels that match your wedding theme.
Fun - Include something fun in your Welcome Bags for your guests. This can be something they can use to keep them entertained during their visit such as a stack of playing cards or mini games. If your guests have children; some cute coloring books and a pack of crayons could be a nice touch as well. Other fun items you can include in your Welcome Bags could be things like some mini bottles of champagne or include you and your fiancé’s favorite sweet and salty snacks for your guests to enjoy! That is something I always recommend that my couples include because, it’s a great way for your guests to learn a little something about the two of you and enjoy a yummy snack. Label each snack with whoever’s favorite it is out of the two of you. You can even provide your guests with a little post wedding recovery kit as well to help them get back on their feet after a fun night of dancing and partying with you. This mini kit can include things like bandaids, Tylenol, gum or mints, mouth wash, antacids, eye drops, mini bottles of water, some Emergen-C and chapstick/lip balm. You can get these little kits personalized as well which makes them even more fun! Check out Etsy for some cute options.
Local - Bring your guests the local experience right to their hotel room. I always think adding in something local for your guests to enjoy is a great way to get them excited about their time in the area! It could be something specific to the state, region, county or even neighborhood that your wedding is taking place in. Local treats are always a good way to go! For example, for my Philadelphia area couples, including Philly soft pretzels, a gift card to Rita’s, or mini bags of Wawa coffee could be a fun touch. You can never go wrong with something edible. It’s a little hard to get a Philly cheesesteak in a Welcome Bag but, you could include a nod toward Philly Cheesesteaks by including something like cheesesteak inspired snacks. You can put in some items from your favorite area sports teams or some locally made food, beverage or skin care products that you love.
You can get creative with the bags themselves as well! You can stick with a more traditional paper bag option in your wedding colors or you can think outside the bag. Use a cute box tied with a ribbon, a fabric tote bag with your names and date printed on them, a fun basket, a cute makeup bag or travel case, or a wooden box with your names and date on it. Etsy and Pinterest have some great options you can check out! You can customize the container your Welcome items come in to fit the style or location of your wedding. For example, if you are getting married on or near the beach, you could put these goodies in a beach bag. Incorporate your wedding theme or wedding colors wherever possible to keep things cohesive and beautiful and to get your guests excited about the main event, your wedding day!
Get creative with your Welcome Bags and just have fun with it! Welcome Bags aren’t a necessity however, they are definitely a nice and thoughtful gesture and something that your out of town guests will really enjoy! These goodies are a great way to thank your guests for traveling in for your event and helping them feel welcomed and appreciated. Thoughtfulness goes a long way!
Happy Planning!
Love,
Naticia
