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
Re: Out of town guest bag ideas??
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
Good luck!!
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/