No Budget for Welcome Bags

lot of people here don't feel they are necessary. I traveled for a wedding and they had them and it was the first time I'd ever seen it and I loved it. I can't really tell you now what was in it, but it has stuck with me how thoughtful it seemed. I think you could print out maps and local attraction info at home for pretty cheap on nice cardstock. Other than that maybe a few snacks, some headache meds, a bottle of water and...not sure what else.

However, I don't think it is going to make/break your guests experience if you don't have them.

I don't think I've ever heard of welcome bags either!! I've heard of favors, like at the place setting. A family member had a little candle and chocolates wrapped in like a sheer paper for hers, which I'm sure was super inexpensive! I'm utilizing my photo booth and using a photo strip holder as table assigners, and then guests can take them home with the photos they take at the wedding. There's lots of little things you could do like that!

I am not doing them but it is your choice. It is not mandatory. Either the way your friends and family are coming to support you all on your special day with or without the welcome bags.

My wedding is NC as well!!

In Raleigh. My FH and I both graduated from NC State. Ah, you are having yours in the OBX. I love Kitty Hawk.

What if instead of a bag you did a hand written note? Buy some inexpensive but nice stationary and write them a note letting them know how much it means to you for them to be there. That way you're not shelling out for welcome bags and all the misc. stuff that goes with them?

I'm probably doing brown bags with notes thanking my guests for travelling, water, a snack (granola bar?), and some pamphlets about the local area.

I'm team "welcome bags are more hassle than they're worth". First you need to talk with the hotel and see what their policy is. Some hotels charge a fee for passing them out, or putting them in the rooms in advance. Depending how many bags you have, the hotel's handling fee alone may be more money than you want to spend. Also consider the logistics...are most of you guests going to use your hotel block, are they all going to stay in the same place? Or would you have to run around to three different hotels to make sure everyone gets a bag?

I agree they're a nice gesture but definitely not necessary, don't feel bad if you don't do them.

We didn't do them, even though 100% of our guests traveled. We rented a HUGE 6 bedroom lodge with two kitchens and basically had that stocked with whatever people would need (food, water, advil, etc).

Just like favors. They are nice, not necessary. People are perfectly capable of buying their own motrin, shampoo, toothpaste, whatever else is in a welcome bag. Don't feel bad. Nobody is going to your wedding and complaining that they didn't receive a welcome bag.

On top of the paying for the bags themselves, you're often charged for putting the bags in the rooms on top of it.

I think Emaebe's idea about a nice note would be perfect. I'm not doing welcome bags, I feel they're unnecessary.

I have rented a house for my aunts/uncles and family. My FH is staying in the hotel with his family (their are way more of them). I like the stationary idea.

I'm doing them since everyone is travelling 3 hours to our venue, we thought it would be nice to do something a little extra for our guests. I also included this cost into our budget. We're including:

2 bottles of water

Small bag of popcorn

2 Granola Bars

4 Nibbler Cookies (Mrs. Field's Cookies)

Mints

Welcome message on a postcard

We're putting them in white paper bags and some tissue paper. They don't have to be elaborate, but I know I thought it was nice when I got one for attending a wedding that I went to last summer.

I'm doing them for my guests who are staying at the hotel. I went to the dollar store and bought the bags, tissue paper, Advil, cookies, bag of chips, I have a ton of water bottles so I didn't have to buy them separately, and I am writing a little note!

The only part of a welcome bag that I think is necessary is a list of local restaurant and sights, and the itinerary of wedding events, so that the out of towners can figure out what to do during the downtime. And maybe a map of the hotel in relation to the venue, with directions, if you're not facilitating transportation. That could all be printed on one a single sheet of paper.

I will say that I'm always happy to find pocket tissue for the wedding and some chocolates in welcome bags. Advil for the postwedding hangover has also been very much appreciated

I guess my first step should be to price them. You guys are great. Wish id gotten on WW months ago. Sadly today is my first day.

You can get dollar store bags throw in some water and snacks. I will be contacting the chamber of commerce to see what they can offer. I have some maps I can print out. Also, when you buy multiple travel maps, they can be a lot cheaper. I think I found for about 70 of those tourist maps $12.

We are doing welcome bags at the hotel this is what I have for them

bags (oriental trading)

2 bottle of water

2 advil packets

1 shout wipe packet

2 granola bars

2 bags of cookies

2 bags of pretzels

1 back of gum

welcome card giving info for the night the next morning.

I bought bulk boxes from sams club, they seemed to be the cheapest. I didn't have a membership but I printed a one day pass online and when I got there they said they were running a 60 day free trial membership anyways, so they gave us that.

You know what I'm going to say.....money suck. Plus, most hotels charge you to disperse them.

Jillian, could I ask about how much that cost per bag? It seems like a lot.

Raleigh is where I grew up- are you getting married at NC State? Almost all of our guest list is traveling and its a big destination spot (Charleston), but I am also in team "not worth it". I've heard of people doing welcome bags, but never received one. I promise people won't miss them. We put a few recommendations on our website for food and beaches but leaving it at that.

We are doing welcome bags! I agree though that you don't need them. It was an extra for us as well, so to keep cost down we are buying things in bulk off of Amazon, and at Sams Club.

The first item is what we are thinking about including the second column is how many we plan to include, then the cost of the item, and the number of them that gets us.

(IE. Waterbottle, we want to put 2 per bag, it costs $3.50 for a 24 pack.)