Welcome Bags That Will Wow Your Wedding Guests

Welcome…. To the most welcoming blog post yet! Obviously, you can’t be everywhere at once on your wedding weekend to personally welcome your guests, but wouldn’t be great if they had that feeling as if you did? Especially if they’ve done some traveling to be at your wedding.

“How can I make my guests feel welcomed personally by us?”

We are going to tell you, but first...

In case you are new here, let us quickly introduce ourselves. We are the Preston Barn, located in Dover Plains in the Hudson Valley, NY. Our barn was finished in 2017 and is on the property of the historic Old Drovers Inn. We have accommodations in beautifully restored homes both on-site and off-site (but still nearby) for over 50 guests. Our barn can host weddings and events for up to 220 people, offers modern amenities, and beautiful property for outdoor parts of the day. To learn more about our wedding packages, visit our “weddings” page. To learn more about our accommodations, click here.

So, you want to know how to make your wedding guests feel personally welcomed upon arrival? One way to make this happen is “Welcome Bags” in their rooms where they are staying! We are going to share some of the best things we have seen in these bags over the years and some more great ideas for your weekend wedding guests. 

Start Here.

Get some nice bags to put all the goodies in. Put their name on it for sure, but you could also add a small personal message for that extra special touch. Make it match the theme or style of your wedding to get them into the spirit of the weekend as soon as they arrive! 

Tip: Using a reusable tote bag is a gift in itself (and eco-friendly!)

These bags are usually left inside the guest rooms, somewhere they’ll see it as soon as they walk in. We suggest they are put on the bed or nightstands. If your wedding is here at The Preston Barn and they are using our accommodations, we can help get the bags to the rooms. We’ve also had couples who left large baskets full of goodies for the whole house. 

Stuffing and labeling the bags is a great job to give to someone who wants to help (and take it off your hands!). We have a great blog about this: “Helping Hands For A More Relaxed Wedding Day”… check it out!

What goes in the wedding welcome bags??

The basics.

Here are some commonly used items for wedding welcome bags:

• Water (bonus for personalized labels)

• Snacks

• Mini bottle of Champagne 

• Custom Door Hangers (see photo to the right…so cute!)

• Travel Sunscreen and/or Bug Spray (depending on the season/environment)

• Chapstick

• Breath mints 

• Handy seasonal items (ie. hand fan for summer, a throw blanket or pashmina for fall…)

• Hangover Kit (Advil, eye drops, detox drink, etc.)

If you are having a socially distanced wedding due to Covid-19, you can add some pandemic-friendly items such as:

• Masks

• Hand Sanitizer

• Anti-bacterial soap

• Anti-bacterial hand or surface wipes 

Information.

Just in case they forgot the invitation or to write down the information needed, create a little wedding weekend itinerary for them. Include locations, all weekend events that they are invited to, start/end times, menu, map of the area, etc. In addition, a guide of things to see and do in the area is a must for out-of-town guests.

If your wedding is with us, you’ll definitely want to include the Dover Stone Church hiking trail. So beautiful! The Old Drovers Inn website has a whole page of things to do in the area! (check it out HERE)

A Seriously Personal Touch. 

Have a special skill? Add something you created yourself! For example, if you love to bake, add a mini cupcake or cookies you made. If you are an artist, draw or paint your venue or something to commemorate the weekend (make one and then copy, of course). Get creative! Your guests will feel so special and appreciated. 

Think Local.

Let your guests know why you chose the venue/area that you did for your getaway weekend wedding. Include items, like keepsakes or treats, from your favorite or well-known local spots. What are the unique or specialty items in the area? What is the area “famous” for?

Here are some examples from our surrounding area of Dover Plains, NY:

• Cookies from our very own Old Drovers Inn

• Treats from McKinney & Doyle Corner Bakery 

• Little jars of Crown Maple syrup 

• Honey, jelly, or other treats from local farms

• Wine from Cascade Mountain Winery and Restaurant or Millbrook Vineyards & Winery

• The Blue Olive in Pawling--- special oils/vinegar

• Taconic Distillery 

• Wholey Oats Granola Co. (bars, etc.)

Examples of keepsakes would be a postcard, a photo of you (the couple) at the venue or somewhere local, or something that represents what the area is known for. For example, people travel to our area for the Dutchess Wine Trail, so you could include a personalized corkscrew. 

There are so many options and we’re sure you’ll have some ideas of your own. Just think about who these guests are. Are they going to be the big drinkers or the ones who leave right after the cake cutting to get some sleep? Are they going to explore the area while they visit or do they just want to relax in the suite? You want to cater to what their needs and wants will be to make them feel at home.

Can you think of anything else for guest bags? Anything you received in the past and really appreciated? Leave a comment below with your suggestions! We’d love to hear it.

If you’re looking for a Hudson Valley wedding venue with cozy accommodations for a great weekend wedding, we would be honored to host your wedding! Contact us today for more information and to book a tour!

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to share it or pin it for later!