Out of town guest bag ideas??

rachael.baker

Hi again! So my June wedding in Albuquerque is a destination wedding for all of my guests (my parents are the only ones who live there), and I really want to make nice welcome bags/baskets for our guests when they arrive in the city. I'm thinking of putting together an Albuquerque guide, with my parent's favorite restaurants, train info for santa fe, etc, but am struggling with what else to include. We have Gruett here in portland, and was really excited to find that it comes from new mexico, so thinking of maybe putting a bottle of that in some and Santa Fe beer for the guys? Sorry this is so rambling, really just wanting to hear what your ideas are as you've all given really good advice on other topics!

Thanks!!

Rachael

terahmjava

A bag of biscochitos, green and red chile popcorn from Walkers popcorn, Frontier sweet rolls (an Albuquerque staple) maybe tickets to the Abq Museum or the New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe (or the Georgia O'Keefe museum), We also have a pretty cool old town trolley tour that's pretty neat.  Check out itsatrip.org, the Abq visitor site for more ideas!

alicia_s

in ours we put:

NM Pinon Coffee (www.nmpinoncoffee.com) and that was a hit
miniature Jose Cuervo Margaritas
Biscochitos
NM Vacation Guides (call and ask for them at the Visitors Bureau)
Postcards

They have a bunch of cool stuff at the chile addict store online too
http://www.chileaddictstore.com/cas_shop/product.asp?dept_id=160

sculli

Cost Plus World Market has mini wine bottles featuring NM wines that might be cute for bags, they also have tons of NM salsa's.  Senor Murphy's is a fabulous place to find lots of NM treats.  A local favorite here for the beer selection is the Isotopes, they have that at a majority of the grocery stores here.  Good luck!!! I must say we do have lots of great stuff to offer here in NM!!!

jlrowell

everyone has such great ideas! all i have left to contribute are pinon nuts, theyre a big deal here for a lot of people, but youd probably have to wait till you got here to buy some

rachael.baker

thank you guys so much! i'm so excited!

RhiannonWalker

There is a company called Apple Canyon that sells specialty food products that would work beautifully. Salsas and sauces and bar mixes that are locally made.

nikkismiles

Maybe tickets, or info on the Tram in Albuquerque as well.  Or, the balloon museum.  Also, green chile anything is a NM staple!!!  I personally like Ponderosa wines, from Ponderosa, NM.

Good luck!!

kbramlitt

Someone already mentioned the NM Pinon Co which I highly recommend.  If you go to their store in ABQ or call them since you are long distance you can purchase the mini bags for way cheap.  You have to ask for them by the case though.  They then give you wholesale pricing. 
Also, there is a lady who makes NM style gift bags that sell at Weems Art Gallery  in Old Town.  I plan to use her bags and she is custom making them for me with my wedding colors, grey and yellow, with discount bulk pricing.   She made a few different samples for me to choose from and I ended up choosing a white bag, with white tissue paper and then a yellow raffia bow with two silver heart concho (?) thingies.  Very elegant, wedding looking, with just a hint of the southwest without being overly southwest.  
Weem's Art Gallery also carries Southwestern gift wrap if you need any for wrapped presents.  That art gallery has two locations that I know about and my fiance and I love to go there (to the one on Montgomery) when we are in town because you can find some pretty amazing pieces that are very affordable and they are all NM artists.  It would be a great place to send your guests to get a piece of New Mexico to take home with them.
One item I am putting inside the bags is a product that I actually found here in Chicago at Marshall's of all paces but it is dip mix and some jalapeno beer bread mixes from Desert Gardens Chile & Spice company made there in ABQ.  They were selling the packt spice mixes for only $1 so I bought them out.  Each packet  normally sells for around $3.5.  I use to live in Dallas and would sometimes find those Desert Gardens mixes at the Marshalls there too.  Weird place to look for NM food items but I suggest you go check it out in Portland in their food section if they have that store there.  Well, I guess only do that if you have the time and want to save money.  That is sort of an embarrassing admittance...that I have scoured Marshall's for food items for my gift bags...and I certainly hope my guests don't find out about that!  Regardless, when you need to fill 50+ bags it can add up! 

Mixes   http://www.comfortfoods.com/
Weems  http://www.weemsgallery.com/

kwilder79

Check out this website... www.PartyGuestEssentials.com... they sell fully ASSEMBLED hotel welcome bags and more, and the prices are very good!