Lately, we have been getting a lot of questions from brides about what to put in their welcome bags. In case you aren't familiar with the term, these are little bags or baskets of goodies delivered to the hotel room of your out-of-town guests. They can be as elaborate or as simple as your budget will allow! The container itself can be inspired by your wedding location, theme, or personalities - we've seen everything from cute beach pails to formal baskets to reusable shopping bags. If you opt for the gift bag route, you can have them printed with your names and wedding date, or attach a cute tag to the handle. The bag pictured here is from FavorsYouKeep.com.

So what goes inside? The most common items are:

Bottled water. An absolute must!
Snacks. Something salty, something sweet, and perhaps something with a local flair. (More on this below.)
Information about the area. Contact the local visitors' bureau or chamber of commerce, and they will be more than happy to send you brochures and maybe even coupons!
Information about the wedding. If you have an action-packed weekend planned, include an itinerary and maps/directions if transportation isn't being provided.
Contact information. Assign a local friend to act as your concierge for the weekend to help with last minute questions from your guests.

From the basics, you can upgrade to include bottles of wine, personalized toiletry items like lotion or bubble bath, even slippers! If you are planning a beach wedding, perhaps a pair of flip flops and bottle of sunscreen. For a garden wedding, a lovely hat. Just remember that your guests will have to pack these items for their trip home, or leave them behind.

When our brides ask us for "regional" favorites, we suggest: