OOT bag Help!!!

How much should be budgeted for the OOT bags? I have seen so many great OOT bags and ideas since I joined the forum. We have approximetely 40 people going with us. I really like the personalized mugs and koozies but things are starting to add up very quickly. Any advice?? Ideas??

Thanks,

Taryn

We did the same with one bag per couple or one per single. And then tried to keep it simple other than choosing one *main* favor, which is our travel mugs. The rest are dollar type items (puzzles, pens, spf lip balm, anti bac lotion, gum etc). good luck!

I have used coupons (as I have mentioned in a few threads) to get stuff super cheap. (i.e. the cheap sunscreen thread--found sunscreen at Target for $1 and used $1 off coupons--just paid tax--someone else found this, but its a great example).

I will try to add up all my costs and post them.

I agree with everyone else. We're going to do bags per couple/family, get one main favor, and then everything else will be dollar deals. Coupons always help & we'll be looking for things you can get in a pack for a $1 (like hand sanitizers 3 for a $1, etc). So I think it can definitely be done on a budget. Happy planning!

I find that if you sign up for accounts or newsletters with vendors, they will send you offers of free shipping (which adds up!) and discounts. Example.. right now Oriental Trading Post just sent me an offer of 15% of $49 of purchases plus free shipping (Key code WCX8305). If you sign up for Michael's Crafts Newsletters they will send a weekly coupon for 40% off one item... and lots of the cashiers will take more than one coupon if you ask. Also, check the dollar aisles at Target and Walmart.

A BDW bride posted an interesting sight for OOT bags under $5: http://bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/t47552

Lots of BDW brides post helpful links.

It's definately a matter of sticking to your budget and not going crazy! Make a list and stick to it. The fiance has had to talk me down from the ledge a few times. lol

I just went to my girlfriends wedding in Mexico last month at Azul Sentori. She did oot bags. She did one bag per couple. She did have some rooms with two girls so those rooms got one per person. But overall it worked out price wise. She got so many compliments and since the hotel supplied beach towels she was happy she didn't do them also. The bag was perfect for the supplied towel and for suntan lotion. But here's the best. She saved money by not filling it. each bag was embroidered with beading and she put an itinerary in each bag that i made for her and it was perfect. if the bag means more to you then just add some hand sanitizer or koozie and an itinerary. It does add up quick but what will they use more! Good luck!

Shana

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taryn20 How much should be budgeted for the OOT bags? I have seen so many great OOT bags and ideas since I joined the forum. We have approximetely 40 people going with us. I really like the personalized mugs and koozies but things are starting to add up very quickly. Any advice?? Ideas??   Thanks, Taryn

You could a cup and koozie. Your koozie might not have your name and date on it, but if you go to Oriental Trading they have some cute tropical koozie.

The OOT bags we did for our guests were $18 to $22 depending on single or couple. I micro-managed my budget and bought a lot off ebay to keep prices low. You can actually search for "lots" on Ebay to find things. An example, my English/Spanish dictionary came from EBay and only cost $.42 cents each with shipping. I also hit the dollar stores for multiples for $1.

You can see my siggy link to see ours.

I received compliments on everything I had in our bags. The things that were seen all around the resort were our mugs and the bags themselves but our guests told us all kind of examples were everything else were used, especially the recovery kits and the Oh SH*T Kits!

I agree with everyone else. I posted my own thread before reading this but I got a ton of stuff at The Christmas Tree Shops (also try Bed Bath and Beyond) and bought mugs off ebay for less than $1 each and bags off ebay for about $2 each. So far I spent $7.50 per bag and I am making 16 bags. I plan to buy more odds n ends for the bags but this is a great start for me. I would stick to an amount and make a list of what you want. I was able to find things relatively inexpensive so now I have more room to buy more stuff or just be done. Either way all the guests will appreciate them and love that you thought about them beforehand. Congrats and good luck!

We are only doing oot bags for our wedding party. I bought really good bags ($20 each)...

For all guests, we are going to buy travel mugs and have our wedding location put on it.

Back to the oot bags, we are also putting in towels, photo albums, floating tubes for the pool as well as the typical dollar store items...

I am trying to force myself from continuing to buy more things... it's hard when I keep getting more ideas....especially from here!