Wedding welcome bags can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and contain a variety of different goodies. Whether you are considering welcome bags for your wedding party, close friends and family, those traveling far or for everyone, there are some do’s and don’t to remember.

Wedding bags show a glimpse into the theme of the wedding as well as what is to come and can  contain some wedding day essentials. While most bags contain items such as water and mints, some couples get more personalized and add special touches highlighting local foods and beverages. Typically, welcome bags are one per couple/ hotel room. If you have it in your budget, you can get them for your wedding party as well, if you aren’t already giving them a gift.

Some things to consider adding to your welcome bags are:

Water bottles– easy to include and you can create custom wedding labels on etsy.

A local favorite beverage– In Carmel, and surrounding areas, there is no shortage of local wines. Mini Vacay Wine is great for local, quality, canned wine.

If wines aren’t your things, check out California Seltzer Co for local seltzers. 

Fresh fruit–  Fruit is an easy one to put in the bag. Bonus if there are any local farmers markets in the area. 

Chocolate- Who doesn’t love a little sweet treat? We recommend Lula’s Chocolates. They offer cute, 2 piece chocolate favors and also have vegan and dairy free options for guests with allergies.

Wedding itinerary– While adding some yummy goodies is fun for your guests, adding the wedding itinerary and directions is important information for your guests to have. Even though you most likely have all of this on your wedding website, having a hard copy keeps you from getting a million texts asking what is going on or where to go. Make sure to include any special instructions for guests who are invited to things like a welcome party or post wedding brunch. You may also consider including local brochures for activities in the area.

Thank you gift– Thank your guests for coming to your special day with a little thank you gift. Depending on your budget, you can get custom glasses, candles, drinkware.. There are so many different possibilities. You can also highlight a local favorite, such as Big Little Boxes.

Hangover kit- Add some travel size tylenol, pepto and other small toiletries for your guests for the day after having too much fun at your wedding.

When creating welcome bags, here are some things to remember

Do’s:

– Make is small so it’s easy to travel with or something that can be consumed over the weekend trip

– Add a personal touch

– Stick with your color scheme/ theme

– Incorporate local favorites

– Include a hangover kit

Don’t:

– Make is so big and bulky it’s hard to travel with

– Add things that most people won’t even use (consider if it would be something you would use/ keep if it was given to you.)

– Forget to add the wedding itinerary

– Forget the thank you and welcome note

– Forget to make an execution plan on how/when to get the gifts to your guests

Whether you get gifts for all your guests, or just those traveling from afar, you now have a starting guide on what to add and what you don’t want to forget.

Need more advice on wedding welcome bags, or any help planning your wedding? Contact Pocketful of Plans to see how we can make your big day unforgettable.