Atlantis welcome bags

[Leah2012]

LOVE your bags! What an amazing job you did! Glad everyone loved them!!

[MichCraw]

Amazing job! Hope your wedding was a hit! Atlantis what a great resort!!!

[MrsWeiss1211]

Hey Steph,

 

Awesome OOT bags!  Wondering where you went to find the water and snacks and how much I should expect to pay for these?

 

You're the best btw!

[dominiqueamber]

If you can bring the snacks with you - You can find bottles of water at anywhere (except Atlantis) for $1 but they don't have cheap snacks around like we do here (because it has to be shipped in). To give you an idea in Nassau you can expect to pay $4 for one apple. 

[skp1]

I've been out of town a few days but I was going to say the same thing.  If I had to do it again I'd buy all the snacks at home and carry them in my suitcase and just buy the water in the Bahamas.  We stopped at City Market in Cable Beach which you literally drive past on the way from the airport.  It's pretty large so we expected it to be like a normal supermarket.  Boy were we wrong!  the selection is worse than a 7-11 and the prices are crazy!  We spent $125 and we only had 17 welcome bags.  I think the water bottles were like $.79 or $.89 each but they didn't have 12 or 24 packs so we had to find a box and load individual ones into it so we could carry it.  Most items didn't have prices and finding an employee to ask was ridiculous.  We wasted A LOT of time in there.

[MrsWeiss1211]

whoa... thanks ladies!  You girls just saved me a ton of money and time!

 

looks like another item to add to our costco list!

[dominiqueamber]

That's the best supermarket on the island because it's for tourists! I really wanted some things but because they didn't have prices I was afraid to ask. I love that they have sandwiches most of the time (because eating on the island can get expensive) that you can take to the beach or eat in the car. They have some on bread and some on bagels with lettuce, tomato and cheese for $3-$4. But their selection is like Walmart compared to the others that are really like a 7-11 or Sams.

 

Originally Posted by skp1 

I've been out of town a few days but I was going to say the same thing.  If I had to do it again I'd buy all the snacks at home and carry them in my suitcase and just buy the water in the Bahamas.  We stopped at City Market in Cable Beach which you literally drive past on the way from the airport.  It's pretty large so we expected it to be like a normal supermarket.  Boy were we wrong!  the selection is worse than a 7-11 and the prices are crazy!  We spent $125 and we only had 17 welcome bags.  I think the water bottles were like $.79 or $.89 each but they didn't have 12 or 24 packs so we had to find a box and load individual ones into it so we could carry it.  Most items didn't have prices and finding an employee to ask was ridiculous.  We wasted A LOT of time in there.

 

[cabowedding11]

Can you email me your templates?

[bondgirl0072010]

Wow! Your OOT bags are phenomenal!! Great job! Your guests will be set
 

Originally Posted by skp1 

It’s finally time to post my welcome bags - why do we still call them OOT bags when everyone is OOT at a destination wedding J  This project has morphed since I started wedding planning 10 months ago – adding and subtracting items, spending more and more money, etc.  There were just so many great ideas on BDW but I really had to stop and think about what I wanted.  Our event is only a 3-4 day weekend trip and it’s not an all-inclusive so that was my first way to narrow it down – no rainy day back up plans and no drink containers/tip carriers.  I also was very conscious about making the items gender neutral so everyone could enjoy them.  And lastly, I wanted it to be easily packable – I attending an out of town wedding where the favors were these cute tea light lanterns but my suitcase was so full I couldn’t pack them.  All my welcome bag items will either be consumed on premises or packed flat.

 

So here goes…first the bag.  I started out the same as the other BDW brides and thought I would use Vista Print for everything.  I ordered 2 sample bags with free promos and they are OK but on the small side.  I decided I wanted to do actual beach bags and since I’m not making that many I figured I could splurge a little here – give the guests something they will really use again.  I am using the 2 vista print totes for the kids so they aren’t going to waste.  I was going to do the traditional boat tote but then this striped bag kept popping up in my on-line searches and I fell in love.  They are 100% cotton canvas with a zipper closure.  I kept seeing them as bridesmaid gifts but they are also used for corporate promotions so the guys should like them too.  I ordered them through Motivators.com and they were a pleasure to deal with.  I designed the logo myself (for those of you who have seen my other posts, you’ll recognize my palm tree). The bags are large and good quality.  I wish they had an inside pocket, but the 2 outside ones are really deep.  I’ve already been using mine at the pool and beach.

 

http://www.motivators.com/6867-custom-items.html

 

 

I made the tags in Word, printed them on cardstock, glued them to colored cardstock and tied the ribbon – all supplies left over from other projects.  Since I was trying to get things done early I had these printed before I knew my guests so I just handwrote their names in later.  I tried uploading the template but the format and font is all messed up becasue I'm a different computer.

 

For the contents, I didn’t want to throw things in haphazardly since the bags are pretty large.  I decided I would divide the stuff up into smaller baggies and use wedding vows as the theme.  I made the labels really early so you’ll see it’s a little different than my later DIY projects once I found my official “tree.† Here is everything that’s inside:

 

 

Welcome brochure - welcome note from B&G, itinerary, guest list, things to do, fun facts about Bahamas, photoshare info, how to contact B&G, direction to wedding site.  All the typical stuff.  See separate thread for details.

 

http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/thread/73815/atlantis-welcome-brochure#post_1614425

 

Nassau map which I’m going to get from airport when we land.

 

Activity booklet filled with wedding themed games and info.  See separate thread for details.  I was going to do the custom pens from Vista Print but once I started making the booklet, I realized guests will appreciate a pencil so they can change their answers.

 

http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/thread/71042/activity-book-pictures-and-template

 

2 bottles of water with wedding logos – we are buying the water once we arrive in the Bahamas.  The labels I designed in Word – got the template from the Knot DIY board.  Again, one of my older projects.

 

 

 

 

“For Better or for Worse†– tissues, shout wipes, toothpicks, mints, sunscreen, aloe – the standard BDW stuff.  Sure guests probably won’t need some of this but it’s so darned cute.  See separate thread on toothpicks.  I don’t have a thread on the mint books, but I got that template from another BDW bride.

 

http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/thread/70884/diy-toothpick-books

 

“In Sickness and in Health†– first aid kit with band-aids, Advil, tums, pepto – again standard items.  I got the stick figure template from another BDW bride.  All the items are sealed – it costs more but I know people are funny about open meds.

 

“For Richer or for Poorer†- $5 casino chip – no explanation necessary

 

 

“To Have and to Hold†- these are the actual gifts for the guests (we’re not doing favors at the wedding since there is quite a bit in here) – iPod travel speakers, monogrammed baseball hats, magnets, keychain, Life is Good sticker and CD of some of our favorite wedding songs.  I know, I know, CDs are so yesterday, but giving everyone an iPOD shuffle wasn’t in the budget.  It didn’t cost anything and people can upload it into their iTunes account.  We had stacks of CDs and labels at work that no one uses anymore (we all use USBs now).  I created the label in Publisher using one of their predesigned formats.  The only expense was for sleeves since I didn’t want to deal with cracked jewel cases.  The magnets and key chains are DIY and speakers and stickers are store bought.  I had the hats done at a local embroidery shop but designed them myself. 

 

http://www.origaudio.com/products/the-six-pack

 

http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/thread/73247/diy-tile-magnets

 

http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/thread/64577/personalized-wine-charms post #17

 

 

“As Long as You Shall be Hungry†– snack items to be purchased in Bahamas – pretzels, nuts, cookies, chocolates, etc.  For demonstration purposes I just used stuff around the house.

 

For the kids bags there is an underwater camera, Trader Joe’s Snaquariums (seems appropriate for our location), marine coloring kit (not pictured here - they must be buried in with other stuff), water and the same hat as the adults.  When we pick up the food in the Bahamas I’ll look for some beach toys to stick in there too.

 

 

That’s everything, and as usual, my posting is super long.  Now, to pack it all up…..we leave in 6 days! 

 

water_bottle4.doc

[Aruba Bride]

Wow! Great job!!