53 Phrases for Your Wedding Welcome Bags

So you've decided to personalize your gift bags for your wedding. Now you need to decide how to personalize them. Whether you're using the bags for hotel welcome bags, bridal party gifts, favors, or anything in between, it can be tough to know what to write on the bag. More and more, couples are coming up with cute puns based on their names, but not everyone is that creative -- or has the names for the puns! If you want to say something other than a simple "thank you," here are some ideas for how to personalize your bags.

Welcome
1. Welcome To Our Wedding Weekend
2. Welcome to Our Beginning
3. Our Story Begins Here
4. From [location] with love
5. It means the world to have you here

Photography Source: Gold Welcome To Our Wedding Bags, White Welcome To Charleston Bags

Thanks

6. Thank you for being a part of our happily ever after
7. Thank you for joining us
8. Thank you for coming all this way to help us celebrate our special day

Photography Source: Clear Thank You Bags, Black Thank You Message Bags

General
9. Live well, laugh often, love always
10. And so our adventure begins
11. Love, laughter, and happily ever after
12. Forever starts today
13. Love is a song that never ends; thanks for dancing with us!
14. We decided on forever; thanks for seeing us through the first step
15. Together is a beautiful place to be
16. Today and always
17. Here's to good times and great friends

Photography Source: Canvas Let's Be Adventurers Bag, Clear Let The Adventure Begin Bags

Beach
18. With sandy toes and salty kisses, we became Mr. & Mrs.
19. Anchored in love
20. Waves of love and thanks

Photography Source: Canvas Sandy Toes Salty Kisses Bag, Canvas Colorful Beach Bag

Hunting/Fishing/Outdoors
21. Hook, Line, Sinker. Catch of a lifetime!
22. I'd rather be fishing married
23. The hunt is over!

Photography Source: Fishing Themed Wedding Gift Bag

Homemade
24. Something old, something new, something from us just for you
25. Made with love

Photography Source: Black Something For You Gift Bags, Made With Love Tags

Food
26. Hugs & Kisses from the new Mr. & Mrs.
27. A sweet ending to a new beginning
28. Sweets from the sweethearts

Photography Source: Natural Kraft Apple Bags, White Sweets Favor Bag

Hangover Kits
29. You partied hard when we were wed. Use this kit and go to bed!
30. In sickness and in health

Photography Source: Natural Kraft Hangover Kit Bags

Spring
31. Let flowers bloom while our love grows
32. Let love grow

Photography Source: Let Love Grow Favor Bags

Summer
33. Good Times and Tan Lines
34. Summer lovin' -- let's have us a blast!
35. I do BBQ

Photography Source: Good Times Tan Lines Bag, Tandem Bike Treat Bags

Fall
36. Fall In Love
37. I love you a bushel and a peck
38. This fall, we're harvesting blessings

Photography Source: Brown Fall Guest Gift Bag, Berry Red Welcome Fall Leaves Bag

Winter
39. Our Warmest Thanks
40. Snow In Love
41. Some people are worth melting for.

Photography Source: Winter Gift Tags, Silver Snow In Love Gift Bags

Holidays
42. Eat, Drink, & Be Merried (Christmas)
43. Merry Everything, Happy Always (Christmas)
44. Wed, White, & Blue (4th of July)
45. We'd like to thank the red, white, and you (4th of July)
46. Ringing in the New Year and our new beginning! (New Year's Eve)
47. New Year, new last name (New Year's Eve)
48. Welcome to our Hallo-wedding! (Halloween)
49. Love is a boo-tiful thing! (Halloween)

Monograms

If you can't decide on a phrase or saying, or are looking for a more simple option, a monogram may be the way to go! Use block, script, casual, formal, or mixed fonts to fit your personality or wedding theme. 

50. Large last name initial

51. Two first name initials
52. Two first name initials with the last name initial in the center

53. Two first names with the last name initial in the center

Photography Source: White Gift Bag with Window, Purple Monogrammed Gift Bags

After choosing a saying or a monogram, you'll want to decide on a layout and a font. Try combining your saying, design, or monogram with your names, date, and/or location for a completely custom personalized bag. 

Do you need some suggestions for how to fill your beautifully personalized bags now? Check this out.

Elizabeth graduated from The University of Findlay with a Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Writing. She now resides in Portland, Oregon where she is employed in the real estate business and is particularly enjoying the local cuisine. As a writer, Elizabeth believes in a quote from one of her favorite TV shows: "We have only two jobs on this Earth. The first: to learn. The second: to cope." A deep desire to learn struck Elizabeth when she was young, and now she hopes to help you cope by sharing information, and helping you apply the knowledge. Weddings and event planning can be overwhelming; sometimes it's okay to take a little advice from a stranger on the internet.

The Ultimate Guide to Hotel Wedding Welcome Gift Bags

Remember that wedding you went to when you had to travel for hours and then drag your luggage to your hotel room and you collapsed on the bed only to immediately realize you had forgotten your toothbrush? Or you magically arrived hours early and suddenly you needed something to do for the rest of the day, but the hotel’s welcome book was missing from the nightstand, so you ended up at a two-star restaurant on accident?

You don’t want that to happen to your guests who are traveling to your wedding. You want them to have just as magical a weekend as you will have. We've created this guide to hotel wedding welcome gift bags to help you make the start of their weekend spectacular.

Source: Canvas Bag

How Many Will You Need?
You will want to plan on putting together a bag for any guest who is traveling in order to attend your wedding. Whether they’re staying in a hotel or with a family member, these gift bags are just one small way you can make their visit more comfortable.

If you are reserving a block of rooms at a hotel or multiple hotels in your area, check in at least a month or two in advance to get an estimate of how many people have made reservations so far. You will want to add some extra for guests that may be staying with other family members, or who simply haven't made their travel plans yet.  

Choosing Your Packaging
Hotel welcome gift bags are bags filled with anything from useful to whimsical, from generic to personal. Give to your out-of-town wedding guests to make their weekends just a little better. Travel can be so stressful; it’s heartwarming to know the bride and groom are thoughtful, even when they are busy with last-minute wedding details.

There are TONS of gift bags out there. How will you ever decide which one to use?! First, set a budget and decide what items you want to include. Once you know how much money you have left over for the bag, it should be easier to pick a style.

• Do you have a lot of items to include? Consider a canvas bag, which is sturdier and will be able to hold more, and will also hold up better than a paper bag – not to mention they’re reusable, making the bag itself part of the gift.
• Plastic or paper bags will keep your cost down, and they can be easily “dressed up” with a personalized print.
• If you do want to personalize the bag, consider a frosted plastic with a bright, bold color for the print.

Source: Plastic Bag, Canvas Bag, Paper Bag

Curating The Contents
The welcome gift bags can be as simple or as extravagant as you’d like. Here are some basic guidelines for what to include.

• The necessities/things commonly forgotten while traveling
• Something special/unique to the area
• Snacks: sweet, salty, and savory
• Water bottles – ensure your guests stay hydrated
• Wedding itinerary or invitation to ensure guests know the timeline for all of your events
• Recommendations for the area; what to do, where to eat, etc. Bonus points if you include coupons!
• A note or letter from the bride and groom welcoming the guests
• Tissue paper or other filler

Source: Frosted Bag

Deciding On Delivery

The delivery may be the trickiest part of the gift. Should the bags be waiting in your guests’ hotel rooms? At the front desk when they check in? Should you hand-deliver them? Or wait until the first wedding event?

The simplest delivery method is to trust the hotel staff with the bags. The staff can keep them at the desk (be sure to write the guests’ full names on the bags!) or may even be able to deliver them to the guests' rooms before they arrive. If the guests are staying with a family member or friend, it should be no problem for you to drop the bags off at the houses before your guests get in. Delivering bags in person is probably the best way, but you’re going to be busy, so don’t sweat it if you won’t be able to greet everyone when they get to town. If everyone will be at the rehearsal dinner, you can hand them out after. Or maybe this is the perfect excuse to host a bonfire the night everyone arrives – you can have a relaxing evening and still get to watch your guests’ reactions when they see the bags!

Is It Really Worth It?

If you’re having a destination wedding, your guests are spending a lot of money on travel to be with you. If you’re not having a destination wedding but do have out-of-town guests, it’s a way to thank them for taking the extra time to travel to you. Out-of-town guests who don’t know the area may be uncomfortable being in a new place at such an important time. A welcome gift bag is a really easy way for you to let your guests know how much you appreciate the time and effort they put into being at your wedding.

Consider the luggage restrictions for travelers. There are so many rules for what you can and can’t take on an airplane, or maybe your guests don’t have access to a big enough car. They’ll have to cut down on what they pack, and the stress can cause them to forget something they actually need, or they may have to forgo something they might or might not need because they couldn’t quite justify the space it would take up without being certain they'll use it. Guests who are traveling - with kids in particular - have to make sacrifices with what they pack. Including items in the gift bags for kids (coloring books, bubbles, small toys, etc.) can relieve some of that stress.

Source: Thank You Bags

Assembling Your Gifts 

How can you possibly make time for ordering the pieces, filling the bags, and delivering them?! This last week before your wedding is probably your busiest. Consider these bags a chance to relax. Pour a glass of wine, sit down with your partner, and have fun with it. Hand write the notes and arrange the bags like they’re floral bouquets and placement matters. Or, if you really don’t have time, enlist a younger sibling or cousin to help – they may have fun with it! Even better: make the bags way in advance. As long as you're not including any perishable items, you can also put the bags together as early as you want. Even if you do want to include some perishable items, you can start the bags any time and add to them as the date gets closer.

You can save time (and money on shipping!) by ordering everything for the bag from one website, too.

Source: Canvas Bag

A welcome gift bag is an easy and thoughtful way to help your guests relax and enjoy their weekend that much more.

Elizabeth graduated from The University of Findlay with a Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Writing. She now resides in Portland, Oregon where she is employed in the real estate business and is particularly enjoying the local cuisine. As a writer, Elizabeth believes in a quote from one of her favorite TV shows: "We have only two jobs on this Earth. The first: to learn. The second: to cope." A deep desire to learn struck Elizabeth when she was young, and now she hopes to help you cope by sharing information, and helping you apply the knowledge. Weddings and event planning can be overwhelming; sometimes it's okay to take a little advice from a stranger on the internet.

Inspiration for Your Wedding Welcome Gift Bags

If you are having a destination wedding or asking many of your guests to stay in hotel rooms, it's a good idea to include a little something special for those guests traveling to your wedding.  Wedding welcome gift bags are a great way to add a personal touch to your wedding and say a special thank you to those loved ones.  But not every gift bag is created equal.  Many come in the form of baskets, reusable totes, paper bags, and boxes.  And even more different are the items you can put inside of your welcome bags.

Ideas for what to include in your wedding gift bags can range from the hangover helper kit to local souvenirs and everything in between. To help you narrow down the perfect items for your guest gifts bags, we've included some of our favorite ideas.

Local Collectibles - Whether you are having a destination wedding or a backyard wedding, those unfamiliar with the area will love getting local memorabilia to take home with them. Include maps of the area and transportation maps for guests who may be staying the whole weekend.  Don't forget to mark any spots that are of particular interest.  Items that are famous to the area are the perfect complement to an OOT wedding gift bag and help polish the look of a welcome bag.  Hawaii wedding?  Include real flower leis in each gift bag.  Vermont wedding? Small bottles of local maple syrup will add to atmosphere of your wedding.

Don't forget your wedding details.  Your welcome bags are the perfect spot to include all the important details about your wedding.  Be sure to include your itinerary for the weekend and any contact phone numbers for guests that may have questions.  Throw in a personalized koozie or photo of the bride and groom with a hand written message on the back so guests have a small token to remember the day with.

The Hangover Helper Kit has been increasing in popularity throughout the years and typically consists of everything you'll need to fend off the dreaded post-party hangover. To pull off a hangover kit, include items like a bottle of Coca-Cola, Aspirin, Water, gum, and Pepto Bismol or Tums. Add a pair of cheap sunglasses to the kit for a few laughs. A $5.00 gift certificate to Starbucks or McDonalds will be much appreciated for those looking for a coffee fix or greasy relief.

Food, Snacks, and Necessities - Include small snacks like crackers, chips, and cookies in your wedding gift bags for guests to munch on after their long flight or during the transition before your reception. These snacks also come in handy as late night munchies. Add other fun items like local magazines and mini bottles of wine or liquor. If there will be children attending the wedding, include a coloring book with crayons for them to enjoy. Lastly, don't forget toiletry items. While these functional items may be easy to overlook, many times they are the items that get the most appreciation.  Handy mini sewing kits will be a life saver for popped buttons. Other necessities like Chapstick, lint rollers, sunscreen, and mouthwash are just a few must-haves your wedding guests will be thanking you for.

  

Image Credits: Cape Cod beach bag, Kraft wedding gift bag, Honey gift basket, Photo water bottles, Itinerary, Thank you wedding gift bags, Door hangers, Gatorade hangover kit, Sunglasses, Personalized cookies, Maptote, Breakfast for two, Bermuda bag, Damask gift bag, Picnic gift baskets

Adding a Personal Touch to Your Summer Time Parties

Well spring has sprung and it is time to start planning some summer time fun. I can't wait to get out the grill and get started planning my first cook-out. When I am planning an outdoor event I try to think of new and fun ways to add personal touches. Here are just a few of my ideas:

• Add personalized cups to the party. Personalized cups are a great way to add a personal touch as well as allow your guest to take home something special that they can use again. It is also great fun to think of new phrases to add to the cups each year, for example: The Smith's 3rd Annual Barbeque Bonanza or Fun in the Sun at the Thompson's

• Include personalized gift bags. Using personalized gift bags is a great way to send home left-overs with your friends and family. Personalized bags are also great for sending home favors. For graduation parties you can include a picture of the graduate or for 4th of July parties you can include some sparklers and a cold bottle of water for cooling off on a hot summer day.

By adding personalized cups and bags to your outdoor party you are making it creative and fun. That is what summer time is all about.

Carrie

Creating the Perfect Wedding Gift Bag

Today’s modern bride is finding herself receiving more out of town guests then in years past. One of the ways in which today’s couples choose to honor these guests is by presenting them with personalized wedding gift bags. Gift bags are usually given to the out of town guests that are staying in a hotel. The gift bags can be left in the guest’s hotel room to welcome them when they arrive.

Fill your gift bags with bottled water, snacks for the room and brochures with things to do in and around town for those who may not be familiar with the area. Some other good items to add would be aspirin, mints, and mini sewing kits for lost buttons and ripped hems. Of course don’t forget about the wine. You can also add a bottle of wine and a couple of wine glasses, maybe even some nice chocolates, cheese and crackers to go with it.

No matter how you choose to put together your wedding gift bags, it is always important to include a welcoming message for your guests and thank them for making the trip for your special day. By using personalized gift bags you can add a note of appreciation to the front of the bag and save yourself so time. Then dress up the bag with some nice tissue paper and ribbon. Wedding gift bags can make your guests feel welcomed and appreciated; they are a great way to start the wedding festivities.

Carrie