Out of town bags??

hibiscus118

If you're doing OOT bags.. do you know what you're going to put in them and what you're going to use for the "bag" itself? So far I think I'm going to use a plastic sand bucket for the actual "bag." But I'm a little stumped on ideas of what to put in it. So far I was thinking little things like a bottle of water or 2, chap stick, and little baggies filled with salt water taffy. Any Ideas?? Laura

lkleffke

Hi Laura, I did the same thing - I wanted a sand bucket initially for the bags, but but if alot of your guests will be flying to the wedding, odds are they wont be able to get the bucket back on the plane (and who wants to pay for something people would throw out?) So I did reusable shopping beach bags - thay look just like the LLBean type w/ pockets but were only $1 each and very light weight. Look at www.cheaptotes.com All of the goodies I put in the bags I documented here: http://mtrlmusings.blogspot.com we had sunscreen, a guide to corolla (where we got married) some small wine bottles and glasses, cookies, 2 bottles of water, a timeline, small bag of goldfish crackers and some tissues. Apparently everyone loved them and my husband and I actually used one of the extra totes on our honeymoon as our beachbag. Hope this helps and best of luck!!!!

rachelc84

We did OOT bags and they were a big success. I bought ours online from www.tansclub.com for about $2 each. They were a great size and looked good. They looked like canvas, but were actually made of a plastic/polyester material. They were a really good size, too. In our bag we placed a towel, which we bought in bulk at Costco, two water bottles, flavored Pelligrino water in cans, granola bars, a map of the Outer Banks, a OBX restaurant guide, and a OBX coupon guide. The map, restaurant guide, and coupon books were all free. We picked them outside the realty office and grocery stores during our planning visits before the wedding. We jotted little hand written notes for each guest for the bags as well. Everyone really appreciated it and I know that multiple people have been using the bags as work totes or beach bags.Some other ideas that we tossed around were personalized can koozies, Suduko or crossword puzzle books, OBX stickers, saltwater taffy, packs of gum, travel-sized sunscreen, OBX-inspired postcards.The hardest part about the OOT bags was finding out and keeping track of where everyone was staying. We dropped the bags off at the hotels and houses where people were staying before they checked in, so the bags would be a welcoming surprise, but our guests were scattered all over the area. The way we worked it out was that the groom's mom was hosting a welcome dinner the night before the wedding for all the guests who were in town by that point. On the reply card for the welcome dinner, there was a place for guests to write in where they were staying and what day they planned to check in. That worked pretty well, but we still ended up coming home with a handful of bags that never got to their intended guests.Ultimately, the OOT bags took some work and were an added expense, but I think our guests really appreciated them.

goo_2563

I hadn't thought of doing OOT bags, and am now starting to entertain the thought...but had a question....WHEN/WHERE/WHO do you give the bags to?? All the guests? If so, when?THANKS!-Jessica

aubreyalise

i want to do them, but i'm worried about the coordination that's already been mentioned. we have rates at 2 hotels but i'm certain some folks will stay elsewhere, some may rent houses... i just don't know how i'll get all the bags to my guests when they arrive.

hibiscus118

I really like the tote bag idea.. thanks! I don't think we'll actually have anyone flying in so I don't think that should be a problem but I think the tote bags would get a lot more use then the sand buckets, so I think we will go with the totes. Thanks everyone for suggestions on what to put in them! Jessica - I'm planning on giving one to each 'family' (ie: my aunt and uncle and 2 little cousins) I'm really not sure where everyone is staying yet but I know FI family and my dad's side of the family are all renting houses. I would like for the realtor/hotels to give them out so its a 'surprise.' But if that doesn't work out then we will just hand deliver them I guess. Laura

lkleffke

Its actually pretty simple to keep track of where everyone is staying: On the RSVP card, have the following: "Please let us know where you are staying: _ Hotel: ________________________ _ House: ________________________ our guests did this and if they didnt enter a reply, then I just asked them in conversation (even though many just wrote in their accomodations if it wasnt a hotel or house) Then, a few days before the wedding, have the OOT bags assembled and just take those specific ones to their hotels. The Hampton Inn, the Sanderling & The Inn at Corolla Light also sent us a list of the people the week before of those guests that had made reservations under our party. Everything actually went really smoothly with the bags as long as you ask your guests where they will be.

Beckystix

I'm doing the bags too and I'm including little packets of Advil for the day after the wedding in each one.  Your guests might appreciate that if there's going to be a lot of drinking going on

aubreyalise

it never occurred to me that I could just put that on the RSVP. what a perfect idea, thanks!

aubreyalise

question for you, lkleffke.... how did you do the labels for your water bottles? I've looked at various label sites like avery and I don't see any that look even close to the size of a water bottle label.Thanks!

lkleffke

aubreyalise- I didnt create any labels for my waterbottles - I just left on the ones that came with the bottle. For the Wine bottles, however, I used Avery brand labels -- Product Number: 58164, 3-1/3" x 4", White, Repositionable-Adhesive labels. Avery products were pretty much all I used for any label I printed and were wonderful!

aubreyalise

Thanks! I had a complete mental block, I saw the wine bottles and yet I somehow got it in my head that you did water bottle labels. Thanks for the info on the wine labels, I think I'll probably do the same thing. I was thinking of leaving the wine and doing water labels but those appear to be a LOT of work!