Our Top Wedding Welcome Gift Ideas & Advice

Are you planning your wedding and wondering how to create thoughtful and memorable wedding welcome gifts? Are you unsure of what to include in your welcome gifts for out of town guests? As top custom gift designers, we are often asked for advice on creating wedding welcome gifts and today we are excited to share our best tips for wedding welcome gifts your guests will love. 

Wedding welcome gifts are a thoughtful way to greet guests as they arrive for your big day, particularly if you are having a destination wedding or have a lot of out of town guests traveling for your wedding weekend.

Small yet meaningful wedding welcome gifts are thoughtful tokens to show appreciation to your guests, and help to set the tone for the celebration ahead. Whether you're looking to impress with luxury items or delight with personalized touches, here are some top tips for crafting the perfect wedding welcome gift that will leave your guests feeling truly special.

Tip One: Consider Reusable Packaging

First impressions matter, so when creating your wedding welcome gifts, you want to put some thought into the gifting container itself. Packaging your wedding welcome gifts in a sustainable, reusable manner is a win-win.

Opt for eco-friendly tote bags, canvas pouches, or stylish reusable boxes that guests can use long after your wedding is over. You can even customize the tote bag or box with your wedding date, and initials or monogram, or go for a cute design that reflects your wedding theme, like a map of your wedding city or sketch of your wedding venue.

Not only will guests appreciate the practicality of reusable packing for your wedding welcome gifts, but you'll also be promoting sustainability, which is a huge plus in today's world.

Here are reusable, keepsake tote bags that we used for a nautical coastal theme wedding welcome gift bag, and a garden inspired wedding welcome gift bag...

Tip Two: Don't Forget a Personalized Gift Note

While everyone loves to receive a gift, a handwritten note or custom stationery goes a long way in making your wedding welcome gifts feel personal and thoughtful. Consider including a thank-you card with a heartfelt message or personalized stationery with your wedding colors and logo.

A gift note card can be a nice touch for guests to remember the occasion and feel personally welcomed. It may seem like a small gesture, but a quick thank you note to your guests will make them feel appreciated. And, a personalized gift note is a low cost way to easily increase the "wow" factor on your gifts with minimal effort.

You may also want to include a copy of your wedding weekend itinerary and timeline in your wedding welcome gifts or a custom map to help your guests know exactly where they are going for all the important wedding festivities. Be sure to include important times, travel or transportation details, and dress code information. Bonus points if you include a few of your personal favorite places to eat or visit during their downtime from your wedding.

For more helpful gifting tips, check out our past advice where we share exactly what to include in your wedding welcome gift letter.

Here are few of the hand written gift notes that we included in Santa Fe themed custom wedding welcome gifts, and garden theme wedding welcome gift bags... 

Tip Three: Highlight the Location With Snacks and Treats

We love a locale based welcome gift theme! One way to make your wedding welcome gift unique is by incorporating the local culture of your wedding's city or location into your gift items. Whether you're hosting a wedding in a beautiful coastal town, a rustic vineyard, or a big city, local snacks and treats that are made in the area or reflective of your venue are a fun way to introduce your guests to the area.

Perhaps you have a favorite bakery or brewery in your wedding city. This can be a great opportunity to share a beloved snack or sweet treat with your wedding guests and add a bit of personalization to your wedding welcome gifts. We also love using your hometowns, place where you met, or where you got engaged as a basis for gift ideas.

Consider including artisanal chocolates, locally-made jams, regional beverages, or regional snacks that represent your wedding location. This is a great way to give guests a taste of the destination and kick off the celebration with some local flair. It's a great way to have them fall in love with your wedding's location too!

For more advice, be sure to check out our tips where we detail everything to include in your wedding welcome gifts.

Tip Four: Include A Travel-Friendly Keepsake

Edible options inside your wedding welcome gifts will always be appreciated by your guests during their hotel stay. After all, who can resist a nourishing treat after a long travel day, or a late night snack after the reception? Once you have the gourmet food items selected, we also like to add a thoughtful keepsake gift, which could also be a locally sourced item that highlights your wedding location or venue.

Think about items that are both meaningful and useful for your guests. This could range from a cute keychain or bottle opener with your wedding logo, to a customized water bottle they can take home and reuse, to a mini photo album.

Keepsakes gifts remind guests of your wedding, and are a reusable item they will enjoy. Gift items like a personalized candle, a personalized leather luggage tag, or a cozy blanket can remind your guests of your wedding day long after they've returned home.

Keeping with the local theme from our earlier tip, we love the idea of combining your wedding's location with the keepsake gift, such as a seafood cracker for a low country boil themed wedding, an ornament in the shape of your wedding's state, a t-shirt or hat from your favorite sports team, or a bottle of sun screen or sunglasses for beach wedding. The ideas are endless here! 

Since most guests will be traveling to your wedding, be sure to look for small or travel sized version of the keepsake gifts. You want guests to be able to enjoy their gifts, but also be small enough so they can easily pack it to take home and aren't forced to leave it behind - this is another reason why including a reusable gift bag is a great option for you welcome gifts!  

Here is a favorite vibrant wedding welcome gift set packed full of treats from Florida...

Tip Five: Personalize With Your Monogram

Monograms add a personal and elegant touch to any wedding welcome gift. From personalized towels and handkerchiefs to custom napkins or coasters, using your initials or wedding date in monogram form is a timeless way to elevate your gifts.

Your wedding's monogram helps to create a sense of exclusivity and elegance, making your welcome gift feel like something extra special. Even just including a monogram on the gift tags will make your gifts instantly recognizable. Guests will surely appreciate the attention to detail and your thoughtful personalization.

It's sophisticated touches like a monogram that can easily up-level your gifts with little extra effort or money. Best of all, it's the littlest touches that go the longest way in creating an unforgettable experience for your guests at your wedding!

Here is one of our top wedding welcome gifts in mod black and white where we used the couple's monogram the gift tag...

Tip Six: Tell Your Love Story

Wedding welcome gifts are the perfect opportunity to tell your love story and showcase your personality as a couple. This is a great opportunity to let your guests know why you chose this particular venue or location, or maybe tell them a little bit about how you met, which can be especially nice for any new comers to the family, or plus ones! 

Your welcome gifts are the first taste of your wedding style and theme (after your invitations, of course!) for your guests, so making the gifts personalized adds a special touch. Sharing a little bit about yourselves or including some of your favorite things to do ups the thoughtful factor and is a low cost way to take your gifts to the next level. 

Think about keepsake gift items that reflect your interests or hobbies together. For example, you could include a custom dog cookie that resembles your pet or team-themed items if you're big fans of a particular sport.

Adding elements like your favorite snacks, keepsakes from your most loved places, cute stories about how you met or got engaged, or mementos from your relationship will give the gifts an intimate touch that guests will cherish. The more personal and unique, the better!

We love this cookie in the shape of the couple's pet packed inside these pink and white custom wedding welcome gift bags...

Tip Seven: Amenity Items Are Always Appreciated

One of our favorite items to include in wedding welcome gifts are practical and thoughtful amenities. These can be anything from a mini toiletry kit for freshening up after a long travel day, to a travel-size sunscreen for beach weddings, hand sanitizer for staying healthy, electrolytes for hydration, or lip balm for outdoor weddings. 

Your guests will be traveling from out of town, so anything that you can do to make your guest's feel more comfortable in their home away from home is an added touch that won't soon be forgotten. These small, thoughtful additions are not only appreciated but can really enhance your guests' overall experience, especially if they didn't pack these must-haves for the getaway weekend.

If you are having a tropical destination wedding, a set of travel sunscreen and aloe can come in handy. On the contrary, if you're hosting a snowy mountain wedding, a scarf or wrap to keep warm will be appreciated. Consider adding a fun little “hangover kit” with medicine, mints, and other essentials to prepare for the post-wedding fun.

Any items that your guests may have forgotten to pack for their travels, such a lotions, toiletries, bottles of water, hats and more, is sure to be appreciated and will let them know they will be well taken care of during your wedding weekend. 

We love the custom amenity kits packed inside these vibrant Florida themed wedding welcome gifts...

Tip Eight: Always Consider Delivery Logistics

Lastly, don't forget about the gifting logistics for your wedding welcome gifts. When it comes to delivery logistics, coordination is key. This is an often-overlooked, but extremely essential part of wedding welcome gifting.

After all, what's the point of going to the trouble of assembling gifts, if they sit behind the hotel front desk or get stuck in a closet, and never make it to your guests for them to enjoy?

Work with your venue or hotel to arrange for timely and seamless drop-offs of the welcome gifts. Some hotels may charge a fee for delivering welcome gifts or may only charge if gifts are delivered to each room rather than handing to the guests at check-in. You’ll want to review the rooming list with the hotel and be sure you are aware of any rules or restrictions the hotel has in terms of gifts.

Gift logistics also applies to not just the weekend of, but ahead of time as you're planning for your gifts. Be sure to start early and plan ahead for assembly and shipping. Rush shipping fees will greatly add to the overall cost of your gifts, which you can avoid if you don't wait until the last minute.

Also, allow for additional time for shipping and delivery if you are ordering special items to include in your wedding welcome gifts. You might have to account for perishable items in your welcome gifts and that could effect when you are able to assemble and then drop gifts off at the hotel. 

For more helpful planning tips and to ensure you don’t overlook any logistics, check out our past advice post about avoiding wedding welcome gift logistics mistakes.

Wedding welcome gifts are an ideal way to express gratitude for your friends and family who are taking time of their busy lives to attend to your wedding. Gifts also set the tone for your festivities to come and create a personalized experience for your wedding guests.

The key for unforgettable wedding welcome gifts is to choose items that reflect your wedding's style, your unique personality as a couples, and your location, while also ensuring practicality and thoughtfulness.

By following our top tips, you can create a memorable and heartfelt wedding welcome gift that will establish the vibe for your special day. The best part? Your guests will walk away not only with a token of appreciation, but with a warm and lasting memory of your wedding celebration.

We hope you have found these tips helpful in creating your unique wedding welcome gifts. For even more wedding welcome gift advice, be sure to read our past posts on what to include in your wedding welcome gifts, how to put together the perfect wedding welcome gift letter, and how to avoid logistical mistakes with your wedding welcome gifts. We've even answered all your wedding welcome gift etiquette questions! 

Be sure to check out our galleries of custom wedding welcome gifts for inspiration of what to include in your welcome gifts and how to personalize them.

If you are ready to hand off the heavy lifting of designing, assembling and distributing wedding welcome gifts, reach out to our team of gifting experts to talk about custom wedding welcome gifts for your big day.

Happy wedding welcome gifting!

3 WAYS TO DO GIFTING WITH MARIGOLD & GREY

When it comes to corporate gifting, gifts for your business, or gifts for your company's employees, clients or events, there are three unique ways to gift with Marigold & Grey.

#1: Custom Gift Design Service

If you're interested in elevated branded gifts for your company for employee appreciation, holiday or any corporate event in between, please get in touch with us to ask about our custom corporate gift design services. We'd love to work with you or your team to create something that reflects your company's brand with limitless options for customization to include branding the packaging, gift contents, printed collateral, and more. 

#2: Add-Your-Own-Logo Program (i.e. Semi-Custom Gifts)

In addition to custom gift design, we also offer a thoughtful semi-custom gift design program with low order minimums and your company's logo and brand on each gift you send. Our Add-Your-Own-Logo Program is perfect for businesses that want to send company branded gifts either all at once for an event or particular marketing campaign OR throughout the year, on demand as you need them, for special occasions like employee appreciation, birthdays, client thank-you gifts, and more.

#3: Ready-to-Ship Collection in our Online Shop

For curated gift sets and themed gift baskets that are easy to send for any occasion in life or work, don't forget to shop our curated collection of ready-to-ship gift boxes with quick turnarounds and no order minimums. These ship out within 1-3 business days; rush next-day shipping is also available at checkout.

Images: Lissa Ryan Photography