Anyone NOT making welcome bags??

[Paul'sSoulMate]

I am NOT making welcome bags because there are about 6 people (3 couples) coming with us, so we decided to get them the couples massages at SGOR. My FI is making CD's with our favorite songs on them because the massage basically teaches you how and then you choose your oils and head back to your room to "practice". I didn't feel like adding another thing to my list of things to do, nor did I feel like dealing with customs.

[carod69]

we have a very small wedding group. with this economy not too many people can afford to get the time off work or to go away. i was thinking of doing a small little gift for the wives of the couples coming. any ideas of what i can give them? they all arrive the day before me as well so i would like to have them placed on the reception table - beach BBQ reception

[Prettyhazardous]

Hey guys.

We are doing OOT Bags. We started planning our wedding 11 months out and we put the OOT bags in our budget. Thus far we budgeted $400 for them and we expect to have ab 40 guest (including ourselves). I too had never heard of OOT bags be4 this site but now they are just necessary. I really love the idea of them and to be honest I am enjoying finding diff items at low prices for them. I plan to put (keep in mind I'm and 8 day cruise bride) homemade puzzle books, hand sanitizer, sign and sail card holders w/ keychains, pens, note cards, highlighters, postcards, welcome letter/brochure, snacks, travel mugs, tissue packs, homemade soaps and possibly first aid kits. Lemme tell ya Vistaprints, OTC and Michaels have become my new fav places to shop. I'm buying a few things everytime we get paid and I plan to have my bags completed by July. Also my favors will just be decorated raffia fans for females and electric (handheld) fans for guys. We will give out our OOT bags at the Cocktail party/meet and greet on the 1st day of the cruise. I don't think anyone has to have OOT Bags but I think it's a nice gesture since ppl are spending sooo much to come to our wedding. We're also doing T-Shirts for the group but we're giving them out before we leave Maryland.

[Prettyhazardous]

Sweetie there are numerous threads on here that give you ideas of what to put in them. I basically printed out the full list (it's on a sticky in the OOT forum) and crossed off everything we didnt need, then everything we didnt want, then everything we couldn't afford lol, and came up with my list although I think I did add the homemade soaps bc thats the new thing I'm into-making soaps. Good luck.

[jmiranda]

Im not making them. I prefer to spend that money on doinga nice welcome dinner for everyone. We are thinking of doing a welcome dinner in the beach.

 

I really love the idea but I cant see myself taking all the stuff to Mexico.

[Krista_H]

I'm going to do them and hand them out BEFORE we go - they can decide what they would like to bring with them and what they don't want. Also, it saves from having duplicates (they bring it with them and I bring it for them).

[uconncruiser]

I was thinking instead of doing an OOT bag (which I had never heard of until BDW!) - perhaps doing a dual picture frame with one side a picture of us and the other side a poem. I think this will cost the same as the OOT bag and it will be more useful...they can always toss the picture of us and the poem and re-use the frame!

[islandbride317]

I will probably do some simple OOTs, as I estimate that our group will be less than 15-20 people, when all of the bookings are said and done. I want to keep the spending on each below $15 per person, with perhaps one monogrammed item (a travel mug?) and some other "I didn't think to bring that" necessities our guests might need. I will be using the bags in place of favors, so I feel like it will even out as far as spending is concerned.

 

But I have to agree with everyone else, though: they are not mandatory, but if you can squeeze them into your budget, they might me a nice gesture/unexpected surprise for your friends and family that have come to join you for your big day!

 

Christie

[sjmacphe]

Hey ladies, I am glad to know I'm not the only one who is feeling sort of unsettled about spending tons of cash on OOT bags, but I really like the idea. I am hoping to order travel mugs with our names as well and put some stuff inside the mugs, maybe get some sort of generic tote.

 

I also want to make everyone a CD, does anyone know where people get personalized CD labels (preferably in Canada)? Thanks! -Steph

[Positanobride10]

It seems the etiquette is to give either favors or OOT bags/boxes. You don't have to. I don't think people will be offended. They are there to celebrate with you not get free stuff. I went to a destination wedding last year that did not have OOT bags, no one said anything or cared.