CANADIAN OOT BAG info...where to shop!

[MJKH]

Ok, so just indulge me for one more minute...IF we decide to distribute the oot items at home ahead of time, what do people think about keeping everything in its packaging, putting all of the items out in big pretty baskets, giving everyone a bag and having them take items that they think they will actually use (i.e., the tylenol over the ibuprofen)...rather than putting them in baggies and having folks get things they wouldn't ever use???

[MJKH]

I definitely wouldn't take a chance on anything with nuts, or any soft, gummy or licorice type items.  But I bet if you bought things like plain m&ms, smarties, aero bars, coffee crisp, etc. you'd be ok.  There is lots of advice online...you can google your question and read a bunch of opinions on the subject.

 

 

Originally Posted by lindsayraz 

Does candy expire? I'm thinking of buying a bunch right after Halloween when all the Halloween candy is on sale. But our wedding is in March ... so will the candy be good by then?

 

[Natalie2012]

Hey Ladies....

Just an FYI.....Mini sewing kits are back in stock at Michaels and still only $1.50!!!!

[torilynnsmith]

I did "wedding week survival kits" but I am including them in our OOT bags.  Each kit contains

 

-shout wipes

-pepto chewables

-advil 10 ct tubes

hand sanitizer

-mini altoids

-lip balm SPF

-nail polish remover wipes

-gatorade singles

-sewing kit

-extra safety pins

-hair elastics

-nail file

 

I think that is it.  We will be include them in our OOT bags.  They are the "guts" of the OOT bag for sure but I just prefer the look of it all packaged in a ziiploc with a bag topper. 

 

I am giving my OOTs out at our destination.  I think it will have more of an impact on our guests and will really kick the vacation off right.  R~ said handing them out before worked really well for her so if you like that go for it I would do one way or another though as I think if you were to give out something 6 weeks before and still have something upon arrival it jsut wouldnt have the same impact

 

Originally Posted by MJKH 

So I just finishing catching up on thefuturemrstgunn's thread, and now am leaning towards doing a wedding survival kit rather than a welcome kit and handing them out when we have our friends and family (those attending the wedding) over for an open house before Christmas.  Ohhhhh...THIS is a tough one!  Have you all now finally made a decision?  If it saves people time and money by giving it to them ahead of time (perhaps along with a packing list), great!  But, I'm just worried most of it would be forgotten over the next 6 weeks and perhaps just left at home.  I guess we could do the survival kit for everyone before we leave, but maybe have some snacks/treat bags delivered to each room too.  Nuts, bar snacks, chocolate bars, treats of any kind are just not around the resort...not that there will be a shortage of food or anything...hmmmm...HELP!!! 

 

I would think you would still need the same amount of items as if you were going to create the OOT bag and I would be nervous people would either over-indulge or not go for it at all as they may not understand the concept?

 

I dont know I am so set on giving them out at the resort that I am probably not a good "opinion" i just think that the impact of receiving a bag of goodies when you arrive for SOMEONE ELSES wedding is just so cool! You really feel special and appreciated.  I feel that impact would be forgotten once they get to the destination if you were to do it before.  
 

Originally Posted by MJKH 

Ok, so just indulge me for one more minute...IF we decide to distribute the oot items at home ahead of time, what do people think about keeping everything in its packaging, putting all of the items out in big pretty baskets, giving everyone a bag and having them take items that they think they will actually use (i.e., the tylenol over the ibuprofen)...rather than putting them in baggies and having folks get things they wouldn't ever use???

 

Originally Posted by Natalie2012 

Hey Ladies....

Just an FYI.....Mini sewing kits are back in stock at Michaels and still only $1.50!!!!

 

[JMikla]

I dont know I am so set on giving them out at the resort that I am probably not a good "opinion" i just think that the impact of receiving a bag of goodies when you arrive for SOMEONE ELSES wedding is just so cool! You really feel special and appreciated.  I feel that impact would be forgotten once they get to the destination if you were to do it before.   

I think giving them out ahead of time is pretty thoughtful too and very impactfull.  It shows you were thinking of them and you took the time and thought to spend the $$ that they might have on travel sized items instead of them buying them and you providing them the same stuff they packed once they get to the destination. Especially if you are including SPF & Aloe, Pepto, Advil etc.  Things people would have bought anyways.

 

I think both ways are fine, but doing it before hand does have some merits

 

[charitydawn]

If you go to walmart the aloe vera gel is 2$ for travel size.
 

Originally Posted by JMikla 

I looked on the Avon website and I can't find the $1.89 Aloe.  Is it only available through a representative 

 

 

[MJKH]

Sorry, I go back and forth between calling them oots/welcome bags/wedding survival kits...I lump all of the elements of the bag together at this point!

 

I know...I think we could go back and forth on the merits of both...especially when space is a concern travelling down...AND, other than my FI and the girls on BDW, nobody knows about our welcome bags...which is another decision i'm waffling on.  Today I was thinking "ummm, are we crazy to think that between our arrival at the resort and suppertime, my FI and I can get all of the bags put together and distributed????"  Maybe I need to get my BF on board too.

 

Is it just me or is everyone agonizing over decisions like these??? I'm driving myself crazy...123 days to go!
 

Originally Posted by JMikla 

I think giving them out ahead of time is pretty thoughtful too and very impactfull.  It shows you were thinking of them and you took the time and thought to spend the $$ that they might have on travel sized items instead of them buying them and you providing them the same stuff they packed once they get to the destination. Especially if you are including SPF & Aloe, Pepto, Advil etc.  Things people would have bought anyways.

 

I think both ways are fine, but doing it before hand does have some merits

 

 

[lindsayraz]

I was at Costco today (man, what a zoo!) and grabbed a big box of Ring Pops that I thought would be cute to add to the bags, since they're kind of wedding themed.

[MJB3172012]

Thanks for sharing!! There are a few things on here I haven't seen in other posts.

Originally Posted by MJKH 

Hi there DBs!!!

 

So, just trying to work my way thru the updates on this site since we've been away...you've certainly all been busy!!!  I had 2 X 2 gigs added to my iMac while we were away and wow-wee...it sure makes these pages load faster.  Holidays were great but it's nice to be back and into a normal routine again...and now we move on with more wedding plans ; )

 

I decided to "try out" some of the items I had picked up for the welcome bags on our own holiday...in my humble opinion, here's how things went:

 

- those $1 collapsible water bags with the carabiner attached actually worked out really great...filled easily from a water fountain, no spills...and when it's 35 degrees out and you're drinking water like crazy, you take advantage of a public fountain anywhere you can.  I do think it will be different though in Mexico where drinking water from taps and fountains, even at resorts with filtration systems, is not recommended.

- I forgot a little bottle of isogel/hand sanitizer and what a mistake that was!  We flew thru the Kleenex wet wipes and small packs of kleenex we had brought as a result.  

- sunscreen...while getting ready in the morning, I'd apply from our larger bottle and use the travel bottle during the day while we were out.  Worked very well.

- ear plugs...thank god we remembered to pack a set each in our carryons...during our overnight flight to Frankfurt, my entertainment system didn't work and the two little kiddies across the aisle screamed/cried/jumped/sang/fought all night long!!!!  I'm thinking now we may put some in each welcome bag...we also used ours a few nights to help getting to sleep with strange noises, etc.

- remember those little shower sponges from Dollarama ($1/pack of 3)...I took one and LOVED IT!!!  But I'm a shower gel girl and nowhere in Europe did we have faceclothes either...

- flip flops...a big YES...I don't care how fancy the hotel/resort is, it's just nice to schlep around the room with something on your feet.  So now I'm debating on putting them in the welcome bags (so the ladies can use them all week long) or putting them out at the reception (which was the original plan).

- we used up every last drop of hand laundry soap we had brought and even went out to buy more

- those Colgate Wisp thing-ies...neutral on these.  I found them awkward to use as they were so small, thin and stiff.  BUT, if you don't have access to a toothbrush, one of those would still be better than nothing.

- bug spray...I don't normally have any issues but my FI gets bit a lot and usually develops huge welts...we were feasted upon one night while asleep in Venice, and I woke up with three bites on my foreheads and a trail of bites across my shoulder and down my arm...GROSS.  Not to sound vain, but if I woke up on my wedding day covered in bites like that, I'd...not be happy!!!

- blotting powder sheets for shiny faces...used these a lot and might pick some up for my girlfriends bags...

- taking a bottle of nailpolish along that matches your manicure...YES...but now for the second time, my bottle of OPI exploded/leaked on a flight home.  ALWAYS put the polish in a little ziploc!

- nailpolish remover sheets/pads in the little tear-away packs...SUPER good!

- I hate the way my feet feel after a few days in the sand...ground in dirt and dry heels...LOVED the little bamboo heel scrubbers I bought from Minimus.

- ibuprofen (or your preferred pain reliever)...we apparently had a lot of aches and pains on this trip...'cause we ran out about 3/4 of the way thru the trip.

- remember our wet bikini bags from La Vie?  I saw very similar ones all over on our trip and they were asking between 7 - 10 EUROS for one!  That was a super great deal for $1 each that we got!!!

 

Ok, that's all I can think of for now.  Hope you're all doing well!

 

[beachbum21]

Hey there!

We are handing ours out at the resort, we're going to get everyone together for a welcome party/dinner or something and do it then. It's a lot to carry, but i'm not worried about putting them together, i'll recruit the girls and we'll have it done in no time i'm sure Just keep it simple so it doesn't take too long.  I wouldn't be able to get to everyone before the trip so i would still be handing some out there, i'd rather do all of them all at once and see everyone's reaction and they can use the stuff during the week. Just my two cents! I agree with Tori, I think it will be more impactful when you get there, it might lose a bit of the impact beforehand.

 

 

Originally Posted by MJKH 

Sorry, I go back and forth between calling them oots/welcome bags/wedding survival kits...I lump all of the elements of the bag together at this point!

 

I know...I think we could go back and forth on the merits of both...especially when space is a concern travelling down...AND, other than my FI and the girls on BDW, nobody knows about our welcome bags...which is another decision i'm waffling on.  Today I was thinking "ummm, are we crazy to think that between our arrival at the resort and suppertime, my FI and I can get all of the bags put together and distributed????"  Maybe I need to get my BF on board too.

 

Is it just me or is everyone agonizing over decisions like these??? I'm driving myself crazy...123 days to go!