Wedding Welcome Baskets

If you have out of town guests coming to your Wedding, it's a very nice idea to have a welcome basket waiting for them in their hotel room. You can fill it with whatever you deem appropriate, and have the hotel staff place it in the rooms before your guests check in. You could use a plain basket, a gift bag, or a container that goes with the theme of your Wedding. The entire basket could go along with a theme. The important thing is that your guests know you are thinking of them and appreciate the effort they went to to be at your Wedding. As simple or as elaborate as you choose to be, a welcome basket will surely be appreciated by your guests.

Some ideas of things to include:

A welcome note. Write a short cute poem or a sincere thank you for coming note, and include it with each basket.

An itinerary. A list of Wedding activities, with times and locations, phone numbers, and directions.

A list of things to see and do. Make a list of things visitors might like to see and do, and provide a map to each of them. If there is public transportation, include tokens or a fare card. Restaurants, tourist attractions, movie theaters, museums, shops, houses of worship, all are good things to include.

A local interest magazine, newspaper, or guidebook. To help them get acquainted or reacquainted with the area.

Beverages. Bottled water, which could even have your names and Wedding date on the label; coffee or tea, juice.
Snacks. Fresh or dried fruit, nuts, pretzels or chips, sweets, any local specialties.

Mints. Mints always come in handy.

Toiletries. Travel or trial size containers of lotions, soaps, toothbrush and toothpaste.

Aspirin or other pain reliever, antacids, bandaids, lip balm. If the need arises, these will be much appreciated.

A small package of tissues. These can easily be brought to the Wedding! You can buy packages of these with pretty designs. A package of moist towlettes is also nice when traveling.

A disposable camera. Cameras always come in handy when traveling, and if they decide to go somewhere that they don't want to bring their own expensive camera, this can be tucked into a purse.

A souvenir and postcards. A keychain, magnet, figurine, or other souvenir from the location of the Wedding, and a few postcards of local scenes that they can keep as mementos or send home to friends.

Playing cards, crossword puzzle book, sudoku book. Something to do during downtime.

Something for the kids. If you have guests with children, include coloring books and crayons, juice boxes, animal crackers, a stuffed animal.

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