07-01-2015
What to Include in Your Wedding Welcome Gifts
FILED IN: Education, Wedding Welcome Gifts
Posted By: Jamie Kutchman
People often ask for advice on what to include in their wedding welcome gifts. When designing gifts, I take into consideration many factors such as location, wedding style, budget, color palette and even the personalities and interests of the couple. But overall, the most important thing is to make sure the gift is well-balanced. For example, you don’t want to break the bank on a huge, fancy tote bag with a few tiny items inside. Nor do you want to fill a gift box full of salty items without room leftover for a beverage to quench your guests’ thirst.
Try and include one item from each of the following categories and you can’t go wrong! Worried about budget? Don’t fret! Simple items for each category are just fine. It’s thoughtfulness and balance that matter most.
Something Sweet
This is a great opportunity to choose something local. Do you and your fiancé have a favorite bakery nearby? Maybe an individually-wrapped brownie or cookie from this establishment would be the perfect sweet (and meaningful!) snack. Are you having a seaside wedding? Salt water taffy is a great ocean-inspired option to satisfy your guests’ sugar cravings. If you want to tie in your wedding color palette into the gift, macarons are a fantastic way to show off your wedding colors, these from Olivia Macaron. Or, perhaps you simply want to welcome your guests with a celebratory vibe. Champagne Gummy Bears or Champagne Bubbles by Sugarfina are always a Marigold & Grey favorite!
Something Savory
This is a great chance to help your guests balance out the sweet with some good old-fashioned salty! Some ideas we like include salted peanuts, flavorful crackers, bagel crisps, pita chips, trail mix, popcorn, gourmet potato chips or maybe even some high-quality beef jerky.
Beverages
Let’s face it. It’s pretty annoying to check into a hotel and discover that bottled water isn’t included in the room. Help your guests stay hydrated especially since they’ll be enjoying cocktails and dancing the night away at your reception! For an added touch, consider sparkling water. Mini San Pellegrino bottles always look nice. And my recent favorite? Perrier now makes a ‘Slim Can’ which fits nicely into welcome gifts and added bonus…it isn’t breakable! Also consider seasonally appropriate drinks such a gourmet hot chocolate for a winter wedding or a spring IPA beer from a local brewery. For example, Fordham & Dominion’s Cherry Blossom Lager is perfect for spring weddings in the DC area when the cherry blossoms are sure to be on your guests’ radar.
Information
Chances are, you have all the particulars spelled out on your wedding website as well as the invitation suite you mailed out. But, once guests arrive in town, they may not have easy access to all the info. Make it easy for them by creating a weekend timeline along with any necessary maps to help them get to where they need to be. Also, don’t forget a heartfelt message thanking your guests for making the trip. It can be a simple letter on a 5x7 piece of cardstock. Or a step further… create a booklet of the “who’s who” of your wedding party or even the background into your love story. I really love this custom tri-fold designed by The Dandelion Patch for a Karson Butler Events wedding in Washington, DC!
Amenity Items
This is a great chance to offer your guests the conveniences of home . You can keep it basic and include breath mints or gum, Advil packets, and Pepto Bismol. Or perhaps take it a step further and create a small amenities kit. Include such conveniences as Rosebud Salve lip balm, earplugs, Bandaids, hangover remedies, Kleenex, eye drops, hand sanitizer, bug spray, sunglasses, SPF, or even a beach towel. I really like this neutral drawstring bag to hold smaller items neatly within the welcome gift.
Meaningful Keepsake
And now for the icing on the cake! If you still have room in the budget, including a meaningful keepsake is a fantastic way to leave your guests with something to remember your wedding by. I adore these city-specific cedar coasters from Neighborwoods. Or even a notecard set featuring artwork depicting landmarks of the city where you’re getting married. You can even let your gift packaging double as a keepsake by choosing a tote with a screenprinted map of the area. You can also highlight hobbies or interests that play a role in your relationship. Have fun and get creative!
Note: Post originally appeared as a guest blog for District Weddings, part of their Welcome Gift Wednesday series.
DOWNLOAD OUR FREE GUIDE: TOP 10 TRENDS IN WEDDING WELCOME GIFTS
Images credits: Krista A Jones Photography, The Dandelion Patch and Marigold & Grey
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