Knowing how much it costs your guests to attend your wedding, particularly if it is abroad, makes a welcome bag a really thoughtful gesture.
An American trend that has become increasingly popular in the UK and Ireland, wedding welcome bags, although not required, are a thoughtful gesture for your guests and they also sets the tone for your celebration.
Have your welcome bags waiting for guests as they arrive and they will also serve as a snapshot of the overall theme and vibe of your wedding celebrations. They will also offer your guest some essentials to help make their experience more enjoyable. From important information on your wedding celebrations to snacks, hangover remedies and even footwear such a flip flops or slippers – what you put inside is up to you and your budget.
While you can start planning and researching your welcome bag and what to put in them, you won’t be able to finalise them until you receive your RSVPs to know exactly how many you will need. After all there’s no point in spending money on things you don’t need.
In order to keep your bags within budget remember that you don’t need to overload your bags with an excessive amount of items to make an impact. About five items is a good number to work with – remember guests won’t want a large number of meaningless objects. It will also be more cost effective if you buy the contents of your welcome bags in bulk.
When it comes to your packaging personalised tote bags may be beyond budget, but you can get creative with paper bags from affordable retailers and personalising them with your own tags.
Wondering what to put in your wedding welcome bags? Here are a few ideas to help you to curate your own…
- A bottle of water with customised label
- A miniature bottle of fizz for the ladies
- Guinness or craft beer for the boys
- Locally made sweet or savoury snacks
- Weather essentials – sunscreen, umbrella, hand warmers, etc.
- Hangover remedy
- Beauty essential – lip balm, hair brush, facial spritz
- A pair of flip flops or slippers
- Pack of cards or travel sized board game
- The itinerary of your day/weekend
- A handwritten thank you note for your guests
