Welcome Bags, Thank you notes, Last minute details

Re: Welcome Bags, Thank you notes, Last minute details

• Beachy730 member

  

  November 2010 edited December 2011

  Well this answers the question I just asked in the other thread, if you were married yet.
  
  We did OOT bags for our hotel guests too.  We put 2 bottles of water, granola bars, trail mix, munchies mix,  breath mints, mini packs of Tylenol, a handful of miniature candy bars, a cigar, and 2 mini bottles of wine, 1 red and 1 white.  We also got booklets of tourist things in the area and stuck those in there as well.  We went to Sam's Club and bought everything in bulk so it was pretty cheap and everyone loved them.
  
  As for the TY cards, I'm a strong believer that everyone who attends the wedding should get one.  But there are a lot of people who feel that only those who give gifts should get a TY card.  We get this question all the time on E and the answers are always split.  Techincally the reception is a TY to your guests for coming to the ceremony, but I personally think you should still send a gift to anyone who came, regardless of if they gave a wedding gift.  If your mother's only reasoning for not sending them is that she thinks its pointless, then I would send them anyways.  If you ask me, you'll never look bad for sending someone a TY card. 

  

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• shan87

  

  November 2010 edited December 2011

  Since the people are making a donation in your honor it would be right to thank them.
  
  As for OOT Bags we are doing some MN themed things -- there is a General Mills plant so we are putting in small boxes of GM Cereal. Water, Local Candy, homemade cookies, and contemplating include locally brewed beer as well. I had brochures printed using Vista Print -- pictures in my BIO. We included restaurants near by they can check out and some local parks and the mall in case they want to take advantage of no sales tax on clothes.
  
  HTH nothing else is coming to mind.
  

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• calindi member

  

  November 2010 edited December 2011

  I think any sort of welcome bag, as simple or elaborate as you want, is totally optional but a nice touch.  Some cookies and bottled water combined with directions/local maps would be very nice, and a card welcoming them.
  
  As far as TY cards, send them for anything and everything.  Heck, if it isn't a huge wedding (and I know yours isn't), send a thank you card to each guest even if they don't buy a gift just to thank them for attending.
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

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• Luke&Sam625

  

  November 2010 edited December 2011

  We're giving Lenox Holly leaf ornaments with our names and the date on the back, as well as... Fruitcake.. I know what an awful gift, but it is actually super delicious. My parents had it shipped from NC, and I am the worlds biggest fruitcake hater, but I can't get through a Christmas Season without one of these delicious fruitcakes. As well as, personalized TY notes tied to each bag.
  I totally think I'm going to agree with you beach, and just say that sending additional Thank you notes can't make me look bad!
  What a cute Idea Shan, about the cereal!! Ahh! I love it! Make I can find some nice WA themed gifts. I was going to put little window stickers from the hotel gift shop, or maybe a hat or something...
  FI is totally ready for me to stop stressing about wedding details, but.. I don't think I'll stop till it's over!! Ahh!! I was thinking about it, and I have my final NEW dress fitting this weekend, I have duty the next weekend and then I"M GETTING MARRIED the next weekend!! Ahh!! It's coming together and so fast!!

  

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• mysticl member

  

  November 2010 edited December 2011

  Personally not a big fan of OOT welcome bags unless you are going to track down every single person and find out where they are staying so they can get a bag.  Imagine this conversation at your wedding:
  Person A who is staying at the same hotel as the wedding is talking to Person B who is staying at another hotel for whatever reason.
  Person A:  Didn't you just love the welcome bags.
  Person B: What welcome bags?
  Person A:  You know the ones that were left at the front desk for us when we checked in.
  So then Person B maybe says something to you or your family thinking the hotel forgot to give her the bag.  How do you tell her that she didn't rate an OOT welcome bag because she stayed at the wrong hotel?
  
  I vote thank you notes for people who bring a toy and who make a donation in your name. 
  

  

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• Luke&Sam625

  

  November 2010 edited December 2011

  Wow, I can honestly say that I didn't think about that. I know however, that all of our guests that are staying overnight (or for an extended period of time,like 3 or 4 days) are staying at the hotel that our wedding is taking place in. I will ask around to our 30 guests to see if anyone else is staying somewhere else. We are having such a small wedding, that it won't be hard.

  

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• Luke&Sam625

  

  November 2010 edited December 2011

  Oh! and it was passed around by word of mouth that our hotel was offering a discounted rate that we locked in over the Labor Day weekend. We had a block of rooms reserved and all guests had to do was call our hotel and tell them they were with our wedding. Plus, there is only like 1 other hotel within a 30 mile radius. We're getting married in a really small town on the Hood Canal.

  

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• Beachy730 member

  

  November 2010 edited December 2011

  Mysticl I think most people do it when they know they have a block of rooms reserved.  We had a block reserved at the hotel across the street from our wedding and knew most people were staying there.  One aunt of mine from OOT decided to stay across the border in Canada, but we knew that ahead of time and gave her the bag in person.  If I didn't have a block reserved I probably wouldn't have done the bags.

  

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• Beachy730 member

  

  November 2010 edited December 2011

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_military-brides_welcome-bags-thank-notes-last-minute-details?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:13Discussion:c304f4cd-b6cb-4496-9fcb-121e1aa38607Post:65451272-1836-4ae0-91e1-ca7931430b16">Re: Welcome Bags, Thank you notes, Last minute details</a>:
  [QUOTE]Oh! and it was passed around by word of mouth that our hotel was offering a discounted rate that we locked in over the Labor Day weekend. We had a block of rooms reserved and all guests had to do was call our hotel and tell them they were with our wedding. Plus, there is only like 1 other hotel within a 30 mile radius. We're getting married in a really small town on the Hood Canal.
  Posted by Luke&Sam625[/QUOTE]
  
  Aww maybe I'll crash your wedding!

  

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• seasidebride24

  

  November 2010 edited December 2011

  I think OOT bags are a great way to welcome people.  I have blocks of rooms at three hotels in the area (including the hotel that our reception is at).  We decided to pick three so they we had a couple midrange hotels and another that is better for people on a budget.  We are getting married in a very tourist area since it is literally on the beach, but we wanted to make sure that everyone could stay close by without breaking the bank.  We are including the list of hotels in the save-the-dates, so they will know to mention our wedding when they book.  This will help us figure out how many bags need to go to which hotel, and if we have any guests that we know are coming but aren't booked at a hotel we can track them down individually.  I'd say 90% of our guests are from OOT so we are keeping the bags simple, but we definitely want to say welcome and give them a treat and a map with all the attractions.

  

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• Luke&Sam625

  

  November 2010 edited December 2011

  Seaside Bride, I'm liking you more and more!!
  
  
  Giant Gingerbread house!! (it really is that big!!)

  

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• mysticl member

  

  November 2010 edited December 2011

  I just know that I have people with specific requirements for where they stay.
  
  Hilton Honors members who stay at Hiltons so they can either pay with points or earn points
  
  Time share owners who get discounts at Wyndams
  
  An aunt and uncle who hate hotels and if they have to stay in one it is a Hampton Inn.
  
  Plus a few other requirements.  So if I had a block of rooms these people would only have used it if it was at their speicific hotel otherwise they would not have used the block anyhow.  That was my point about an OOT guest who might stay at a different hotel.  Or might even stay with a friend or family in the area.  I stayed with a friend for the last OOT wedding I went to.   
  

  

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