donation and small gift vs bags?

[niki2rude]

i have been considering something other than the welcome/gift bag idea. i have been considering getting everyone a small gift that will be presented on the tables at the wedding reception and also do a donation on behalf of everyone to 2 foundations we believe in.

Has anyone else done this before or is a welcome/gift bag really still the etiquette/expected for a DW?

[merocket59]

You can do something other than a welcome bag, they are a nice geasture but not mandatory, the donation idea sounds really nice.

[LIW]

FH and I will be doing this exact thing.

 

After many discussion, we decided that doing large OOT bags would be a financial and logistical hassel.

 

Instead, we've decided to give our guests travel mugs, which we can hand out a head of time, or at the airport, and then make a donation to 2 charities that mean something to us. I think it's a nice gesture, and honestly, a better use of money, plus, the less things we have to bring with us, the better.

[tchuchuca]

we decided to get rid of the OOT bags and are buying a nice box of Godiva chocolates to be at each place setting with a note that we've donated to the American Heart Association (my dad passed a few years ago from a heart attack). Our guest list is about 25, which by any means isn't as big as some of the ones here, but it would be a PITA to get everything down to Mexico!