Crowning Inspiration: Welcome Bags

Here are some helpful tips to make your out-of-town guests feel right at home with creative and easy welcome bags.

Containers:
Use bags, foldable baskets or totes. If you are beachside, be sure to use something guests can take down to the pool or beach. But remember that guests only have their suitcase to get the container home. So make sure it’s collapsible and easy to fit in their suitcase.
- L.L. Bean Totes
- Container Store
- Beau Coup
- Bags and Bows

Goodies:
Share your hometown or destination favorites. From snacks, to desserts and drinks, include regional delights or childhood favorites. For my Toledo brides I recommend:
- Tony Packo’s http://www.tonypacko.com/products.php  
- Collingwood Water (which can be adorned with a custom label) http://www.collingwood-water.com/weddings.html
- Christie’s Homemade Candies and Mints (419) 535-0608
- Hickory Farms nuts and dried fruits http://www.hickoryfarms.com  
- Pillsbury Cupcakes – these cake mixes and frostings are manufactured in Toledo. Bake up these delicious
little cakes and frost them in your wedding colors. Package them in easy cups and dome lids from GFS
- Marsha’s Buckeyes http://marshashomemadebuckeyes.com  
- Country Grains Bread and Cookies (419) 469-8896
- Wonder Bread/ Hostess Cakes Outlet (419) 536-5160

Info:
- Contact the Toledo Chamber of Commerce and get doToledo packages for guests, which include maps, doToledo cards, and other promotional materials.
- List the weekends activities with times, attire and transportation.

Tag & Label:
- Create little tags in your wedding colors with guest’s names so that hotels and accommodations can properly distribute them.
- Accent the tags with your monogram or symbol.
- Tie them on the bags with raffia or ribbon. For paper bags, you can create a sticky-label and apply that to the front.