The Perfect Out-of-Town Gift Bag
By Mary Casey
Want to treat your traveling wedding guests like the deserving people they are? Design your own out-of-town gift bag just for them!
First Impressions
An out-of-town gift bag can be as elaborate or as simple as you want. Start with deciding what type of container you want to use for your "bag." Will it be a reed basket lovingly made by local artisans? Or a linen
tote bag embroidered with your names and wedding colors?
If your wedding's on the informal side, consider these: an oversized Chinese takeout container, a wooden crate (both available online or at party stores), or even a rustic fishing creel basket to hold your goodies in.
And not to worry — even if you don't have a creative bone in your body, there are plenty of inventive ready-made baskets awaiting online.
Gathering the Goods
Once you decide what type of container you want, you get to decide what to put in it. Guests from afar are sure to love a bag you've stocked with regional favorites, such as handmade soaps, small containers of honey or syrup, distinctive local snacks (smoked salmon or chocolate-covered espresso beans for Seattle; "buckeyes" for Ohio) or other intriguing food items.
And your out-of-town guests are often staying for a few days, so gift certificates to tasty local restaurants (or even spas) will be appreciated. Plus, area maps and entertainment guides are always welcome. So if you're holding your wedding in Boston, you could stock your gift bags with lobster bibs, a gift certificate to Legal Seafood restaurant and a box of candied Boston Baked Beans, plus assorted maps and guides.
A Little Hospitality
Don't forget to add a few basic items designed to welcome (and spoil) your guests. Try tucking in a pretty washcloth and some sweet-smelling soaps, along with a bottle of spring water (get creative with the labels) and maybe a small bag of gourmet coffee. Another thoughtful idea: travel-size sundries like toothpaste and hand creams, especially since airlines often won't accept those items now.
Getting Personal
For guests you know intimately, take a moment to reflect on their hobbies and interests. Does Aunt Sue garden? Maybe she'd appreciate some heirloom seeds from your area. Does Uncle Joe golf? Directions to the hottest nearby golf course (plus some golf tees in your wedding colors) would be a treat!
Are your guests traveling with small children? Including a few magnetic games like checkers or miniature Etch-a-Sketch would be thoughtfulness itself.
Sweet Reminiscence
Finally, with your out-of-town bags, give your guests something to remember you by. Tee-shirts with the wedding date on them, custom coffee mugs or personalized pens are easy, memorable additions to your gift bags. And don't forget to drop in a little personalized note to thank your guests for traveling to your special day.
Mary Casey is a regular author for
www.Prye.Com — and a guest who loves gift bags!
We are having a reception in Atlantic City,NJ. Overnight guests who will be staying for the one night are local people who live within a 40-60 mile radius. I need suggetions on what to put in their bag and what type of bag is appropriate…. paper bag or tote?
Gina,
Some ideas…
Great site
Nice list of ideas
Hello,
I am in charge of making welcome baskets for guests coming to montreal from toronto for a June wedding. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Bottled water, a list of places to visit/things to do in Montreal, pocket tissue packets, packs of nabs, fresh fruit.
I am the mother of the bride and my daughter is getting married in Franklin ,Tennessee in April…(near Nashville). I have blocked off rooms for family at a hotel and need some welcome gift ideas. Thanks a bunch!
Try having the couple make a cd of their favorite classic country songs and burn a copy for each bag/basket.
bottled water, pocket packs of tissues, packets of asprin, nabs…all of these can be picked up at the dollar tree….including baskets to put them in!
I am having a Destination wedding in Jamiaca in Janaury of next year. I wanted to know what are some good ideas on welcome baskets for my guests?
Brittany,
Anything with local flavor, maps, water, tylenol, a small sewing kit for mishaps, any little things the guests may have forgot at home.
I think sunscreen and a beach towel! If you can arrange to have them shipped to your hotel it should be pretty easy to tie them up and stuff them in a bag with a couple of waters and some snacks. You should be able to get summer supplies really cheap right now. Good luck
Brittany,
We just got back from a Cancun wedding. An intenerary of all events was very helpful. Since we all spoke English, there was a small booklet of “Spanish terms for dummies” in the welcome BEACH BAG. Also, was a colorful shot glass and little mints with the bride & groom’s name. Like I said, instead of a welcome basket, they used little beach bags which was site appropriate and was very handy! Good Luck on your big day!
we just returned from a wedding in Cancun and a really cute idea was the welcome gifts were all in a beach bag which came in very handy!
We are having a Fall themed wedding in (eek!!) 18 days, in Philadelphia. So far have local info from Chamber of Commerce, and will be purchasing bottles of water & snack food for each, but need a cute fall themed idea for the oot bags…my brain is fried from so much fall themed stuff for the wedding–any ideas?
Ali,
It depends on how may you are making but fall leaf cookie cutters would be cute and jsut in time for the upcoming holidays. Little sewing kits, tylenol, anything they might could be easily forgotten at home. Anything on the area your getting married from sightseeing mags to coupons they can use. Mugs with cocoa wouldnt be bad or anything with local flavor to it( Philadelphia keepsakes from a gift shop).
This is too late to help you out, but I thought I would add what we are doing. My son is getting married where he went to college so I did school colors gift bags. The bride wanted to do them but got busy so I offered to do them for her. She had koozies made with their name and date, and the saying “To have and to hold, and to keep your beer cold”. I put two of those in each bag, a water with their names and the wedding date, two frosted cookies with their wedding colors (I’m getting them at a local grocery store and bagging them myself), mardi gras beads in their colors (for a party after the reception), popcorn, mints, a campus map, a menu from the closest restaurant to the hotel, and a personal note from the bride and groom. I also bought big packs of tissue at the dollar store and put them through our document shredder for the stuffing. Fairly inexpensive and they look great.
i have some oot guests coming in for my wedding hovever they are staying with myself or with family members so is it still required/suggested that i give them an oot gift bag/basket?
thank you
D,
Gift or oot bags are totally optional. If they are coming to stay with family members I would’t do them. All you need is warm hospitality to make them feel at home.
I am in need of some idea help! Our wedding is taking place in Las Vegas, and so everybody is going to be from out of town. I still really want to do welcome bags of some sort. Any ideas of what I could put in. I really would like to keep the cost down too as there are going to be many guests! Thanks!!
A “Lucky in Love or A Lucky Pair theme” would be perfect for your Las Vegas wedding. Chocolate casino chips, fortune cookies, playing cards and snacks would be great additions to the gift bag. We’ve offered these mini casino boxes filled with mints or hard candies to groups with a tight budget. Our bride note with this box is “We gambled with love and won! Thank you for sharing our day!”
Hope this helps!
Gold candy coins, chocolate poker chips, a deck of cards, cheap sunglasses, sunscreen, a shot glass, chocolate bottles of liquor, a postcard from the hotel they are staying at, a keychain, a small bank, a pen . . . here are some ideas for containers-the one is from Nashville Wraps, the dice box is from Texas Poker supply (you could buy plan boxes, and draw the dots!)
I don’t know if I’m too late in replying to this since it is already Nov 1st, but we are getting these nice brown paper bags from a restaurant supply store & just filling them with menus of places around, maps, and some little candies. super cheap
My daughter will be getting married in the Outer Banks next July. Many of the families attending will be renting houses with 4-5 families. We want to do a welcome basket of some time, not too expensive, but cannot really afford to do per family. Any suggestions for a houseful? Already getting drink koozies for each person in attendance, and is it ok to do it this way?
Terri,
Sure!
* here is loads of ideas for oot bags
Look at the rentals and see what they dont have. You could go with a kitchen welcome bag or a bath welcome bag. Include advil, shampoos,etc. think hotel style. For the kitchen you coudl even go untraditional and have the frig with breakfast foods. have a coffee basket etc. I love looking at the B&Bs they usually have breakfast foods or coffees. Very welcoming!! Even if they dont drink coffee – they could still use $1 mugs and have tea etc. Just something to make their day a little less hectic.
If the homes have microwaves, get some microwave popcorn, and small snack size bags of chips (like they have in vending machines). Cookies, Hostess treats, crackers, and those 100 calorie treats are also nice. If you have access to the houses, see if you can put a cheese tray or cookie tray in the house before they arrive. Leave a copy of the local TV guide in the house, also. If the families are staying more than 2 nights, consider leaving take out menus for the nearest pizza place, etc.
We suggest snacks that guest can share. The idea with a group/family gift is to ensure that everyone gets a little something, not necessarily feeding the entire group. Include a “Things to Do” or area attractions brochure, easily accessible from the local chamber of commerce. I always suggest adding a special touch like personalized mints (great for wedding and economical in bulk!) so that each person can have something to commemorate the event. I hope this helps!
We are getting married in New Jersey the first weekend of October. The reception is at a local winery. Most people attending will be traveling 45 mins to wedding. About 25 couples will be staying at hotel near reception. They will be arriving about 3 hours before wedding and leaving next morning. Most of the people staying are my family and cousins or my parents friends.
There is not much in the area – sort of feels like winery is in the middle of no where. What should I include in the OOT gift bags for these people? They will not be doing much on their own time. Thought about using bags that complimented the colors of wedding. Please help!!
Since the guests are not staying long, how about leaving a thank you note and any other papers (maps, directions, etc) on the room’s nightstand along with a glass from the winery, filled with chocoates and wrapped with clear cellphane and tied with curling ribbon in your wedding colors? Then leave a small bottle of wine with each couple to enjoy . . . just make sure it goes well with the chocolate you’re giving them. Check with the winery to see if they have wine glasses with their logo on them . . . or to save $$, just go to the dollar store and pick up some wine glasses. Most will also have small “favor” size bottles . . . you might be able to have custom labels made, if you like.
Also, check to see if the winery has a gift shop . . . you might be able to find a small gift you could leave for each guest instead of having to make a complete bag. (P.S . . . I ususally don’t recommend giving anything glass to those guests who are traveling by plane . . . but since your guests are driving . . . this would be fine.
I checked the websites for vinyards in my area . . some have t-shirts, some have those re-useable bags (that you can use for groceries), some have magnets with the winery’s name and logo. Another thing you could give . . . how about a corkscrew with a tag that says “We hope you ALWAYS have a reason to celebrate! Thank you for coming to our wedding”
Anyone have any ideas for contents in an OOB for an October wedding in Maine? We have a small theme…we’re having a lobster bake…not going overboard with that theme though. I’m also trying to keep the cost down. I have the potential of having 50-60 OOTers.
Any suggestions greatly appreciated!!!
octoberbrideME,
I would make fun little bags like going trick or treating due to the month your wedding is in. Think popcorn balls, candies, bottled water, cookies, maps etc. You could make the candies lobster shaped etc. Even if you made them like “grab” bags that would be fun too.
Thanks for those ideas! I purchased some blue (wedding color) reusable small grocery type bags and have an itinerary, Things to Do, map, and emergency numbers in a packet. I am planning on going to Costco and getting some snacks and water. I am still trying to figure out something inexpensive that says “New England” or “Maine/NH”. I like your idea about the lobster candies. I’ll have to do some research when I’m back in the area next month.
Octoberbrideme,
You could have little New England or Maine bumper stickers or key chains. Or find some ribbon that says that and tie up some goody bags.
Try using red and white checkered napkins (they say “clambake”) and don’t forget about chocolate shaped like seashells . . .swedish fish candies would also work.
great ideas! Thanks so much! I will look for some sea shell shaped chocolate and red and white napkins!
My wedding favors include an engraved wine glass, CD of reception music and a personalized votive candle and tickets to a local museum if they want. The out of towners are receiving a map, a book of local attractions, water, a chocolate unique to the city, and a cookie also unique to the city, along with an itinerary and directions for the 2 days (this include the rehearsal day) What else? I am quickly running out of money since 80% of the guests are from out of town. I love the travel sized items.
I am having a destination wedding in Punta Cana, Dominican republic on 10/10/10 and since we just decided on this, we have just started planning. So needless to say, I am on a time crunch and need to decide what to do for welcome bags.
Alot of people suggest going to the chamber of commerce but they are a new, developing area and can’t provide much in that regard. Also, people talked about maps, menus, and things to do but in a town like Punta Cana, everything is pretty much on the resort itself.
Do you all have any ideas on what we can put in welcome bags?
Our theme is “The perfect 10″, if that helps.
Thanks in Advance!
Tameka,
I think anything resort related would work, sunscreen, bottles of water, advil, a small first aid kit, a travel size sewing kit( in case of emergencies), resort related snack, hand fan, etc.
I am also getting married in Punta Cana on 10/16/10. How funny. But I am doing embroided beach bags. I haven’t decided on all the content yet but I am thinking about hand santizers, a gel candle, beach towel or something along those type of lines. I hope this helps! Good Luck.
I just got married in Cancun, Mexico. I gave monogramed beach bags filled with a towel for each member of the family, sunscreen, aloe, travel supplies – like ear swabs, aleve, wet wipes, chapstick. I went to CVS pharmacy and looked at the travel stuff and went over my packing list and thought of what they may forget. We were staying at an all inclusive so I didn’t give much information about the city. I did give them a list of restaurants of the hotel, but when they checked in, they were going to get a list of events and menu.
We just gave them a reminder through the front desk the day before (to each room) a reminder of the wedding the next day and the time to be at the beach.
Im getting married in July 2011 in Punta Cana, DR. I see that you included beach towels in your welcome bags. Do you recommend a site to purchase the towels from.
I’m getting married there in two weeks and these are the things that I included in the welcome bags:
-A list of “Things to do”
-A repellent wristband
-A bottle of MamaJuana Energy Drink
-A bottle of Dominican Rum
-A pack of “dulce de leche”
-A couple of travel packs of tylenol and tums
Hope that helps!
hello, whose responsiblity are the gift bags ? my son is marrying in his fiances hometown and her mother thinks that i should be doing the gift bags and ask if i wanted to add something to the bag that was native to ‘our” hometown…(we are in same state, but about 180 miles apart….most of the out of town guests are from my town…so why would i want to put something in bag native to our town??? i told the future mother in law that i would help with getting stuff to put in bags….but that i did not think it was my responsibility….am i correct?? please advise
robbie
Actually I think it was nice that the Brides Mother tried to include you in that part of the wedding. I think it was meant to be a positive gesture.
Robbie,
Usually the bride or couple is responsible for the OOT bags.
Robbie,
There are no “set” rules on this but if there is no wedding planner and the couple can’t then that would fall into the MOG role.
* Roles for Mother of the Groom
Robbie,
Oh yes, putting something native to the hometown is a chance to share with guests the local flavor or treats. The bride and groom usually picks out the local treats that they like and want guests to experience. It is a very nice touch.
You might want to put something in that reminds people of your heritage . . . if your side of the family is Irish, a green lottery ticket. Italian? Italian cookies. Put in some candy that your son liked when he was growing up . . . swedish fish, candy buttons, choc. covered cherries, etc.
My daughter is getting married in June. The groom is from out of state. I have reserved a block of rooms at a local hotel and given them the information. I plan on doing gift bags for the out of town guests on our side but was wondering if anything needs to be done for all the groom’s friends/relatives who will be getting rooms? It sounds like there will be many people booking rooms and I won’t know any of these families. Does anything need to be done for them?
If you make bags for one side of the family, you have to make bags for your future son-in-laws family. They are all spending $$$ to come to the wedding. Even if you have to make the bags smaller to save money, they should have an itinerary, maps, and an emergency
phone number. Basically, you can’t have your side of the family talking at the rehearsal dinner about the lovely gift bags you made, and have someone realize that only the brides side received them.
They are having about 30 families which are friends, relatives and neighbors coming into town. These people will not be coming to the rehearsal dinner. Wondering if this still applies?
Janet
Yes, it does not matter if you know them or not, if you are providing for some, you do need to provide welcome bags to all out of town guests. Everyone should feel like they are very welcome at the wedding
I am also getting married in June and we are providing gift bags for everyone who is booking a room. I haven’t checked with Emily Post but I think it’s wedding etiquette to provide to all guests coming from out to town.
Are you kidding me, smoked salmon in the gift bags?? Please dear God no! As a bride to be who has worked at front desks before… we don’t have enough room inside our fridges to keep your gift bags, plus some guests never arrive or there are mix ups and sometimes we have wedding gift bags sitting at the front desk for days. EW!!!!!!
Smoked salmon doesn’t require refrigeration, just a vacuum seal. It can sit in vacuum sealed bag in a box on a shelf for months and be fine.
I am looking for Ideas also, I am the mother of the groom doing favor bags for destination wedding cancun the Day is St. Patricks, I am looking for poem Ideas for this vacation survival kit to go with items like bandaid, asprin, clover, whistle, sm beach ball. I have some Ideas from teacher first day of school survival bag. But want to make this welcome party I am hosting for all 70 guests fun. I like the raffal Idea for a game to make a time capsule, but with clock ticking seems my mind and time are running out quckly, Ugh. I have the bag an insulated lunch bag personalized just need to wrap this up.
Karen,
*st. patricks day poems
This poem I found is cute…
Here’s a wee present for you
Full of luck and wishes
Celebrate this St. Patrick’s Day
With Leprechaun Kisses!
My daughter is planning a destination wedding in the Dominican Republic. She bought canvas beach bags and intends to fill it with maps, sunscreen,lip balm, chocolate. Howerver, they are small items and sink to the bottom of the bag. Any ideas on how to take up space or make the items more important. We thought about beach towels. Does anyone know of an inexpensive website? thanks.
I think a regular towel would be cheaper, and work, too. Also, try loosely putting a few sheet of tissue paper around each item to take up some space.
Or make custom tee shirts to put in the bags or go to the dollar stores and get some flip flops or visors.
Barbara,
Don’t overlook some plastic drink containers with straws either. I have seen them at dollar stores for a dollar.
* Here are some wholesale beach towel links, hope they help.
And don’t overlook ebay, you may find beach towels in a LOT, for pretty cheap.
Try Dollar Days…You can get a bunch of stuff wholesale. We are having our wedding in Kauai and I ordered tanning lotion for 1 dollar and sunscreen for 1 dollar for our welcome bags.
Hi Nancy,
I am getting married in a few weeks in Jamaica and ordered custom beach towels from CottonFruit. They are very nice and where under $10 a towel. We got them custom with the date and location. It would cost extra to get each person’s name on it. The towels came and they’re very nice. Hope this helps!
I’ve also seen gift bag items wrapped up by creating a “bag” out of a towel!
My daughter is getting married next month (January) in Orlando. Could you share some great ideas for welcome bags. Thanks
Karen,
* oot bags
* look at what other brides have done
* it may be a January wedding but you could still put some beach treats in the bag or have palm tree bags for future summer use.
* ideas based on state
Some Florida citrus is a plus . . . see if you can get any red gift bags or baskets and cut out yellow felt circles for buttons and white felt gloves and glue them on to the red bags (half price after Christmas!)for a Mickey Mouse theme . . . a Mickey Mouse cookie cutter, and some local postcards with stamps and a souvenir pen . . .
I’m having a farm wedding in Southern Minnesota on my families farm all of the guest will be from out of town most from Des Moines and California, I’m stuck on what to do for the welcome bags I also want to use the welcome bags a favors any ideas would be a big help thanx.
stacy,
you could do candy like taffys or penny candy, have your traditional maps and itenerary, tins of mints, bottled water, candles in little tins, tea bags or burlap bags of coffee beans, recipe cards for candy or cookies( with a cookie cutter) , lip balms, local flavor pens or treats, notepads, well wrapped caramel apples, jars of homemade preserves or salsa, that would be a welcome treat to those who may not get that farm cooking, bags of apples, etc. it depends on how much you want to spend. when i think of a farm wedding gift bag, i think homemade treats. it just warms the heart!
Does anyone have ideas of what to put in gift bags for a Christmas wedding? We were thinking of tying a little cookie cutter to the bag and maybe some christmas candy/mints, but was trying to think of other clever ideas. Any Suggestions?
michelle,
i love your ideas. you could include christmas tins of fudge or cookies, mugs with cocoa, ornaments, etc. just think of it as a small gift basket full of goodies with info on the local happenings especially holiday related just in case they may want to go shopping while there. maps, coupon books to eateries. just about anything you can think of.
Make homemade sugar cookies, and use icing to put the couple’s monogram on it. If it’s cold where you live, put a pack of handwarmers in the gift bag (found in the sports section of any store). Also, have the couple make a custom CD with seasonal music, and have them make personalized jewel box labels with their photo, stickers, etc. You also may be able to find small photo albums with a holiday theme.
If people are flying in, make sure any ornaments you give are shatter-proof, or they’ll never make it home in one piece. A small bottle or tube of hand lotion is a nice gift to put in a winter gift bag.