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.

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

Wedding Welcome Bags Say a Very Special Thank You

While there are some couples that relish in the idea of a romantic elopement at an exotic faraway destination, a large majority of us wouldn't miss the chance to share our biggest day with our closest friends and family members (Not to mention my dear old mom and dad might be forced into physical violence if their only daughter ran away to Tahiti.  Dare to dream).  All joking aside, your wedding day is your chance to shine and really would not be complete without close friends and family members to celebrate with.

I've been seeing more and more couples cater their wedding planning efforts towards their guests, splurging on items like the food, drinks, the DJ, and guest favors.  Planning your wedding around your guests really shows them how much they are appreciated and ensures that everyone will have a good time on your big day.  When you're planning all those little details, don't forget about the friends and family that traveled from far away to be with you.  Personalized welcome bags are a great way to say a special thank you to those individuals.

Fill your wedding welcome bags with itineraries, maps of the area, late-night snacks, and water bottles.  Other great filler ideas are travel sewing kits for popped buttons and regional gifts that are known for your location (ex/ Maple syrup bottles for Vermont, caramel apples for The Big Apple, fleur-de-lis favors for New Orleans).  Most hotels are very accommodating to their bride and grooms.  To take the task of staging the hotel rooms away from you, ask the hotel staff if they will set a bag in each room so your guests are greeted with their goodies the moment they arrive.

Happy Planning!