welcome bags????

[transferred post]

This is a thread that was started in our old BlissWeddings.com forums by deedee05 on 4/04/05. Feel free to add your comments by pressing Post Reply.

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posted by deedee05

our wedding is taking place in the caribbean, and we wanted to provide a "welcome Bag" for each couple (or single).
Any ideas on what to include, w/o spending a LOT of money?

here's what we have so faR:

bottled water
snacks (trail mix- nuts,dried fruits,m&m's)
a postcard of the island
suntan lotion
flowered lei

ANYTHING ELSE?????

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posted by feb-bride

Perhaps a brochure that lists main attractions in your area? If people will have rental cars, what about a map of the area?

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posted by Shaks18

How bout keychains? magnets? tshirts? or some type of souvenir to remind them of the trip

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posted by Lizbet

I'm contacting my local chamber of commerce for free visitor information guides. Perhaps you could include this in your welcome bag. (Though I'm not sure whether the caribbean islands have chambers of commerce.)

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posted by suechick

Maybe a nice scroll on the history of the area to dress up the welcome bag.
I would also put a disposable camera in, since they are traveling to an exotic & tropical location. You can sometimes get those at even the dollar store!

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posted by HeatherR

In addition to some of the items you've already mentioned, I included a directory of hotel guests who had travelled there. In my case, there were a ton of people from my hometown and husband's hometown and we wanted everyone to be able to find each other. The hotel provided the information to me & I had it typed up nicely, rolled up and tied with a ribbon.

Heather

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posted by roseprincess

deedee, congrats on your Caribbean wedding! There's nothing like those beaches to make you feel like life couldn't get any better!!!

I'm pretty sure all but maybe the smallest island will have a Chamber of Commerce or Tourism Bureau that can provide a brochure or tourist magazine for your welcome bags. These are handy because they usually include a Schedule of Events for the island, some of its history, a list of its main attractions... one way or the other, make sure your guests all have a good map of the island. And information on where to find a Foreign Exchange office, if necessary, so they don't get ripped off. I'd leave the leis out because that's a Hawaiian thing, not a Caribbean thing (and because I'm a snob when it comes to these things); maybe a puka shell necklace instead? I like Heather's idea of a directory so people can find one another easily, and a "schedule of pre- & post-wedding events" if you've got other stuff planned besides the wedding.

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posted by wynelle

I go with the bottled water, and snacks, suntan lotion, map of the island, disposable cameras, brochures of activities, etc. Also a small travel emergency pack with tylenol, bandaids, needle/thread, pepto-bismol. These are very expensive in vacation areas, and often needed.

To personalize, you can go to Michael's or Hobby Lobby and get plain plastic sunvisors and personalize them for the wedding. Get them in wedding colors, using a glue gun add dried flowers, or glitter or seashells or identify their role in the wedding ---Bridesmaid or Bride's Aunt or Groom's Cousin. You can have a lot of fun with this.

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posted by gapch91

Deedee, I'm glad you asked this question.
I'm getting married in Jamaica in Oct.
and I was trying to come up with some inexpensive items to include in the welcome bag.
My fiance discussed maybe getting miniature bottles of rum or zinfindel if we could find them over there, and maybe cigars for the guys. We also thought about some cute shells, in addition to some of the items you mentioned.

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posted by NovemberGal

In addition to some of the items you've already mentioned, I included a directory of hotel guests who had travelled there. In my case, there were a ton of people from my hometown and husband's hometown and we wanted everyone to be able to find each other. The hotel provided the information to me & I had it typed up nicely, rolled up and tied with a ribbon.

I like this idea, although I don't know about the Caribbean, but a lot of US hotels won't release info like room or phone numbers of other guests, they'll only connect you if you ask for them. But you could at least provide the names, and a person could contact the desk to be connected (then ask the person where they were and write it down for later!). Although, you might want to make sure this was okay with all the people you planned to include. If they're all friends or from the same town, they probably wouldn't mind, but some folks might.

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posted by HeatherR

They'll give you the information as the bride. To be sure, tell them you're creating welcome bags. If your personalizing them, it's even more important. Hotels are used to unusual requests for weddings.

Heather

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posted by syringa

In my area, no one gets a guest's room number, not the bride, her mother, or the wedding coordinator. The same holds true for guests or speakers at conferences. I have gone to the front desk and asked for the room number of a conference speaker who left me a message to contact them as soon as they arrived (they didn't know a room number at that time they left their message) and I have been refused the information. Therefore, I have use the house phone to call the speaker and have them tell me where they are so that I can help them with their need. This may be a regional thing, but with occurances of stalking, theft, and other issues, it is becoming more common.

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posted by Lizbet

Even if they won't give out a room #, they should tell the bride the # of rooms booked under her block rate. Then, most hotels will give out the baskets as the guests check in or put them in the guests room for you. At least that's been my experience.