I’ve been looking far and wide for a great guest welcome bag.  I found a few and posted a poll to help me decide.  Reader Lisa also suggested a great boat tote that is very affordable.  In the end, I went with a bag that is not even in my previous list.  And it’s cheaper than all of the bags in my list except one.  And here it is…

It’s the Striped Canvas Bag from Paper Mart.  I ordered 25 of the blue ones (received in only 5 days) and I love them!

The stripes, the color, the rope closure are perfect for my nautical-themed wedding.  They’re a little big for a guest welcome bag, but the guests would be able to use them for a lot of things (e.g. beach bag, overnight bag, everday bag, etc).  They’re fully lined and has a zipper pocket inside.  The material is not the thickest, but it looks sturdy enough.

They cost more at $4.75 each than the boat tote, but I think they’re worth it.  I highly recommend them.

More and more couples now offer extras at the wedding for the comfort of their guests. It is a nice gesture and guests would definitely appreciate them.

Image from WeddingAces	Guest Welcome Bags Help your out-of-town guests familiarize themselves with the area by providing them with important information like a local travel guide, recommended restaurants, map. You can also add items they may find useful during their stay like bottled water, mints, first-aid kit.
Image from Style Me Pretty	Refreshments Stand / Water Bottles Summer is a very popular season for weddings. Summer tend to get really hot so keep your guests hydrated with refreshments.
Image by Katie Moos	Fans Help your guests beat the heat. Fans are perfect for a summer wedding.
Image by Heidi Ryder	Shawls If your wedding falls at that time of the season where temperature is a bit unpredictable, guests would appreciate something they can use when the temperature changes. A shawl would be great for my May wedding.
Image from Amorology	Parasols If your wedding is in the middle of the day like mine, guests will appreciate parasols to keep the rays out of their faces.
Image by Gerald Pope	Umbrellas Predicting showers? Most venues have a backup plan, but it’s better to be prepared when you need to go out or walk to somewhere. Besides, they are a nice prop for beautiful photos.
Image from TheKnot	Flip-flops They’re the dancing shoes of the future, don’t you know?
Image from Knot Member Monitosgirl	Bathroom Baskets Things happen and providing guests with items that will help with those little accidents is a very thoughful gesture.

What extras are you including at your wedding?

I’ve been shopping for welcome bags to give my out-of-town (OOT) guests.  But I can’t decide so I need your help!  Here are the bags I’ve been looking at:

1.  Canvas Zipper Tote Bag
Size:  15.5″ x 12″ x 2.5″
Color:  natural
Features:  zippered top, braided rope handle, bottle pocket, small side pocket

2.  Double Pocket Canvas Tote
Size:  16.25″ x 11.75″ x 5″
Color:  natural
Features:  2 front pockets, hook and loop closure, pinstripe lining

3.  Daily Boat Tote
Size:  18″ x 9.5″ x 4″
Color:  white and royal blue
Features:  1 front pocket

4. Baggu Reusable Bag
Size: 18″ x 10″ x 4″
Color: white and navy
Features: folds into 4×4 pouch

5. Bridgewater Eco Bag
Color: natural jute
Features: eco-friendly

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Old Navy has reusable bags right now for only 99 cents! They’re great as out-of-town bags. The colors are lime and navy. The lime has “peace hope green” on it while the navy has “old navy”

Photo from MarthaStewart

If you are having guests coming from out of town or you’re having a destination wedding, a welcome basket (often called OOT bag) for your guests would make a nice treat.  Ask the hotel to put your welcome packages in your guests’ rooms or hand them when your guests check in.  Be warned that some hotels charge for these services, so don’t forget to ask.

Packaging
The more popular packaging used for OOT (out-of-town) packages are gift bags, tote bags, gable boxes, and baskets.  Brides on a strict budget may want to consider using gift bags.  If you are willing to spend a little more, I suggest opting for tote bags which guests could re-use.  Baskets are pretty and reusable, but bulky to take home.

Stuffers

• Welcome and thank you note
• Event info – helpful info regarding the event including itinerary; a must if you’re having a wedding weekend
• Travel magazines and brochures – helpful info regarding the area including restaurants, activities and coupons!
• Maps and directions
• Bottles of water - hotels do not provide these for free and everybody needs water especially during warm weather
• Snacks – for those midnight cravings
• First aid kit
• Entertaining items – items like playing cards for adults, activity books and puzzles for kids can keep your guests entertained

Other Stuffers

• Items that are local/unique to the area (e.g. Cape Cod chips for Cape Cod, cheese for Wisconsin, small bottle of wine for the wine country (SF), Metrocard (subway passes) for New York)
• Items that are special to you
• Post cards – a lot of couples include an extra post card pre-addressed to the couple for their guest book
• Useful items for the type of destination (e.g. sunscreen and beach towels for beach destinations)

Click here for online stores that sell packaging and stuffers.

Kate Parker Weddings - Newport welcome basket

If you’re too busy to put together your own welcome baskets, you can also buy them – like the one above from Kate Parker Weddings.

Traditionally, couples register for home items to help them start their new life. In present times, more couples have already established a home of their own before they marry, and home items are things they no longer need.  In response to this growing trend, other types of registries emerge.  Couples now have more options when it comes to wedding registries.

Wedding Registry Direct allows couples to register for wedding products and services from photography to cakes.  It’s one way to tell your guests, “I want you to help me pay for my wedding.”  Admit it brides, weddings are expensive and it would be awesome if guests choose to contribute or help with your wedding.  But of course, etiquette says you are not allowed to ask your guests exactly that.

What are your opinions about this type of registry?

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Photo from INeedWeddingHelp.com

The first wedding I attended in the US was a friend/coworker’s.  I was “fresh-off-the-boat” then and I was not familiar with the gift-giving etiquette in the US.  Gift-giving rules/etiquette from my country was very different.  I have educated myself with wedding guest etiquette in the US since.  Looking back, I felt so stupid with the gift I gave my friend/coworker.

So here’s what I’ve learned from my mistake:

• If you’re not sure, ask.
• The internet is your best friend.  You can find almost all the answers to your questions online.
• If you’re coming from another country, educate yourself with the traditions and etiquette of the country you’re currently in.

And here are the answers to the more important gift questions I had:

How much should my gift cost?
Some would suggest using the price-per-plate as basis.  But it’s preferable to base the value on your relationship with the couple.  The closer you are to the couple, the higher the value.  Other factors you might also want to consider are your finances, travel and lodging expenses, expenses on other related events.  Do not spend less than $50.

TheKnot.com suggested the following:

• Coworker and/or a distant family friend or relative: $50-$75
• Relative or friend: $75-$100
• Close relative or close friend: $100-$150+

By the way, monetary gifts are always appreciated.  Even though the couple has a gift registry or has not said anything about what they prefer, monetary gifts are usually what is most preferred.

Can I send a gift that is not in the couple’s gift registry?
It is suggested to refrain from doing so.  Gift registries are there for a reason… so guests could know what the couple wants.

Can I bring my gift to the wedding?
There’s really no rule about bringing a gift to the wedding.  But weddings can be very hectic and stressful for the couple, so shipping the gift to them before the wedding is the more thoughtful option.  You can, however, bring monetary gifts to the wedding.

When should I send my gift?
You have up to about a year after the wedding to send your gift.  But try to send your gift within two months of the wedding.

Do I still have to send a gift if I am unable to attend the wedding?
While the bridal shower is the only wedding-related event that requires a gift, it is common practice to send a gift for the wedding even when you’re unable to attend.

Up next on the Wedding Guest Etiquette Series: Giving a toast

I love favors, even those that I can’t eat or don’t have use for.  I also love creative packaging.  And favors usually have the cutest packaging.

Click on product name to shop

Mini Picnic Basket Favor

Suitcase Gift Boxes

Bird Nest Favor Holder

Mini Bamboo Steamers

Read on…

Spending some time doing your own favors can save you money.  Below is a popular monogram candy jar favor.  The cheapest I found was $1.25 each jar (contents not included) with purchase of at least 96.

If you do it yourself, you only spend about $0.83 each jar or maybe less, plus cost of candy.  In addition, you get full control over the design of the label.  You can customize it anyway you want.

Materials:
Jar $2.99/4
2″ round labels $0.46/20 + $5.10 shipping  (you can try your local office or paper store to save on shipping)
Label template – for 2″ round labels from www.labelsbythesheet.com

Where you can buy bulk candy:
www.bulkfoods.com
www.ilovesweettreats.com
www.bulkcandystore.com
www.economycandy.com
www.candywarehouse.com
www.metrocandy.com

Click here for the complete list of Wedding Resources.

I loved doing the favor tags.  It was easy to do.  You can do at least 15 on one sheet.  These tags didn’t have the eyelet by the holes.  If you don’t have an easy-to-use eyelet setter, I don’t recommend doing them.  Besides, they’re still pretty, even without the eyelet.

Contact me if you want favor tags made.