Is anyone giving welcome gifts vs. welcome bags?

[michelle08]

I am thinking since I really don't even know if all my guests will like the welcome bag thing...

 

Is anyone doing like a welcome basket or a paper bag or even like a bottle of tequila or some other gift??

[dallas_texas09]

I was considering a welcome bag but I also like the idea of giving a bottle of tequila. I think it's very fitting if you're getting married in Mexico. And honestly, who wouldn't want a bottle of tequila?!

Also, since both my fiance and I are from the Philippines I also thought of giving some sort of Filipino candy...thought it'd be a good way to share a part of our 'home' to our guests.

[beachbride08]

I have been trying to determine which would be best myself. My thought was to do welcome bags with stuff people might forget (toothbrush, sunscreen, etc.), and also including postcards, brochures of things to do, and a bottle of tequila. My plan was to arrive early to pick out the local items to put in the bag and to have the bags be given when they check in, but I'm not sure how that will work out if guests arrive before or when we do. Plan B would be to give them the gifts at the welcome party as a thank you for coming. I think either would be appreciated.

[SusanK]

We are doing a welcome BOTTLE for our guests. We orderd large personalized sports bottles for each of our guests to use at the resort. I was originally going to do some sort of bag along with the bottles, but with 100 guests it was becoming logistically impossible to haul everything down. So I discovered I was able to stuff most of the contents neatly inside the bottle. I have to order extras of a few items that I had only planned on giving one per room/bag, but it will be worth it because I can have everything stuffed and ready to go before we leave. It will save a lot of space and time, otherwise I would have had to do all the stuffing once we got there. Inside the sports bottle we included:

-welcome letter

-photo share letter (we set up a snapfish account for all our guest to upload their digital pics to when they get home)

-a reminder itinerary (time, date, and location of the welcome meet-and-greet and ceremony)

-some basic first aid

-Shout wipes

-Advil

-travel candle

-personalized matches

-after-sun aloe

-Pepto

-chapstick

-flip-flop shaped note pad

-hmmm...I think that's most of it.

 

I hope they'll like it. We didn't include any sunscreen, lotions, shampoo, etc., because Dreams provides all of that on a daily basis. We also didn't do any munchies because it's an AI w/ room service and mini-bar included so we figure they'll have all the food they need, and more!

[michelle08]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Susan101207 We are doing a welcome BOTTLE for our guests. We orderd large personalized sports bottles for each of our guests to use at the resort. I was originally going to do some sort of bag along with the bottles, but with 100 guests it was becoming logistically impossible to haul everything down. So I discovered I was able to stuff most of the contents neatly inside the bottle. I have to order extras of a few items that I had only planned on giving one per room/bag, but it will be worth it because I can have everything stuffed and ready to go before we leave. It will save a lot of space and time, otherwise I would have had to do all the stuffing once we got there. Inside the sports bottle we included: -welcome letter -photo share letter (we set up a snapfish account for all our guest to upload their digital pics to when they get home) -a reminder itinerary (time, date, and location of the welcome meet-and-greet and ceremony) -some basic first aid -Shout wipes -Advil -travel candle -personalized matches -after-sun aloe -Pepto -chapstick -flip-flop shaped note pad -hmmm...I think that's most of it. I hope they'll like it. We didn't include any sunscreen, lotions, shampoo, etc., because Dreams provides all of that on a daily basis. We also didn't do any munchies because it's an AI w/ room service and mini-bar included so we figure they'll have all the food they need, and more!

That's a good idea!!!! I am just stuck on the actual bag itself...I don't want to spend alot of money on them if people won't use them and I don't really see our guests hauling their stuff to the beach, etc...I could be wrong but if they aren't going to like the bag, I would just rather put it all in a disposable paper bag and decorate them...

[SusanK]

I agree Michelle. Before I decide to stuff the bottles, I was going to use paper gift bags (you can order them online in bulk from www.papermart.com) and then print out our logos on large clear adhesive labels and affix them to the bag. It was just too pricey to get personalized beach bags for so many guests, and I was worried that they wouldn't be used much after the week... to which my brutally honest friends agreed!

[rodent]

Susan what do you mean by this?

-photo share letter (we set up a snapfish account for all our guest to upload their digital pics to when they get home)

 

I use snapfish all the time. I'd love a way for people to be able to upload to my account. How did you do this? All I know how to do is to have them share fromt heir own account & then email it to me. But, that's not as great, because you can't get them off (for free) in a high resolution to use for projects outside of snapfish. And they also ahve to make an account.

 

Did you just make a generic account like "[email protected]" & give everyone the password?

 

I like the idea of putting everything in a bottle. I don't want a bunch of stuff to pack. I don't think bags are essential. Guests may also have a full bag & don't need a lot of extra stuff to pack. I'm still deciding between canvas bags or paper. But, now I think I might just stuff it in a bottle.

[MsShelley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Susan101207 We are doing a welcome BOTTLE for our guests. We orderd large personalized sports bottles for each of our guests to use at the resort. I was originally going to do some sort of bag along with the bottles, but with 100 guests it was becoming logistically impossible to haul everything down. So I discovered I was able to stuff most of the contents neatly inside the bottle. I have to order extras of a few items that I had only planned on giving one per room/bag, but it will be worth it because I can have everything stuffed and ready to go before we leave. It will save a lot of space and time, otherwise I would have had to do all the stuffing once we got there. Inside the sports bottle we included: -welcome letter -photo share letter (we set up a snapfish account for all our guest to upload their digital pics to when they get home) -a reminder itinerary (time, date, and location of the welcome meet-and-greet and ceremony) -some basic first aid -Shout wipes -Advil -travel candle -personalized matches -after-sun aloe -Pepto -chapstick -flip-flop shaped note pad -hmmm...I think that's most of it. I hope they'll like it. We didn't include any sunscreen, lotions, shampoo, etc., because Dreams provides all of that on a daily basis. We also didn't do any munchies because it's an AI w/ room service and mini-bar included so we figure they'll have all the food they need, and more!

that's pretty much the welcome bag I did, even with the See & Share Photo card, I think that will come in handy....

[michelle08]

Susan, do you have a picture of this bottle?? I'm glad your friends were honest and told you that they wouldn't use it...

[KAMEYER70]

We have decided against the OOT bags. The Fiesta Americana wants to charge $5 for bag delivery and $3 for simple letters (i.e., a welcome letter). I think it might still have the welcome letter delievered so everyone is aware of the weekend events and start times, but we have decided to skip the OOT bags.

 

That being said, we are having custom coozies made and will give each guest one at our welcome/rehearsal dinner.