Welcome bags or Travel bags? Wedding abroad

I think it's a lovely idea as long as they arent too bulky / heavy as people may already have full hands and bags. Very sweet thought, i'd be happy to receive one as a guest x

Thanks ladies, I think I'm going to go for the travel bags. I like the thought of getting local food but we're all arriving together, so they wouldn't really be welcome bags by the time I had found a shop and made them up, which is a shame.

Items on the travel bag list so far:

• Slipper socks
• Eye mask
• Inflatable neck cushion
• Battery operated fan
• Paperback (light!) travel guide (different one for everyone so that they can be passed around)
• Magazines (same as the the travel guides)
• Puzzles - crosswords, sudoku etc
• Travel games for the kids
• Hand wash
• Lip balm
• Boiled sweets for take-off (maybe the personalised ones you can get from Confetti?)
• Tissues

What do you think? Am I missing anything obvious? Would you be pleased to receive the above when you arrived at the airport? Or would you think it was just a pain to carry more stuff?

Honestly I think it would be a pain to carry all that stuff.

As a frequent traveller, I always carry a book or kindle, as well as an inflatable pillow for the plane. My bag is normally packed out to the max, with only room to buy a bottle of water.

Airports are tight on the 1 bag per person policy, so what if peoples bags are full, what will they do with all this stuff?!

I think its a lovely idea, but for all the money you will be spending, I would rather us get together for a drink when we are there, or a thank you card for coming.

Sorry I think its a lovely idea, just practically cant see it working xx

I am doing welcome bags for our guests. We're getting married in Australia in their winter, so no need for the sun type stuff, but we're taking over cotton bags from Vistaprint and will include some things we're taking over and some things we're buying out there, including:

A welcome booklet with details of the week's events

Mini playing cards

A bookmark

A bottle of water

A bottle of beer

Some local snacks/chocolates

Guide books

Pen

Notepad

I'm also making pre-travel packs for my bridesmaids which include:

Luggage tags with their initials

Personalised passport covers

A small toiletries bag (clear to satisfy flight requirements) with mini toiletries.

Hey

I'm getting married abroad too and have been thinking about the favours. I love the travel bag idea as I have been thinking of what can be put in wedding guests bags for me lol. I think I might nab that idea.

Instead of a battery fan for the ladies I was thinking of getting some sandlewood fans in the wedding colour scheme. A personalised bottle opener for the men. The other thing I was thinking of is I've seen some personalised luggage labels (don't ask me where I've totally forgotten lol) and I was going to put something on them saying that its our wedding and the date. I do like the idea and I'm pretty sure you can get personalised bags to put them in. I love personalised things lol. The only thing is if they are you're wedding favours then there isn't anything that screams wedding in there and some people might want something like that to keep.

Everyone likes to get a pressie though, and you've got loads of stuff for them

Just realised that I'd put what I'm doing but didn't actually answer your question!

From your point of view, it's definitely going to be easier to give our pre-travel bags rather than carry all the stuff with you. However, it's going to be another bag for your guests to carry and, in all honesty, they'll probably already have thought of all the stuff that you're planning on including.

You could just take the empty bags and buy everything over there. Or, instead of bags, why not prepare a personalised letter for everyone and buy a bottle of local booze/bag of local sweets and just place it in their rooms when they arrive?

Thanks for the feedback! I'm still feeling torn. We've just come back from a trip to New York with BA flying out of Heathrow where everyone was allowed two items of hand luggage (small little hand luggage case plus a backpack/handbag). Plus my guests are very much the "buy at the airport" type - there's no way on earth they'll be bringing their own cushions etc, and mags and books etc would be purchased at the airport, so it would save them some dosh.

Hmm. I'm seeing my BM on Thurs, so might mention it to her and see what she thinks.

I like the idea of the personalised luggage tags!

Maybe if I gave them the bags a week in advance, and then it's up to them what they bring/don't bring. Everything is really cheap on eBay, so it's no big deal if they don't bring everything. And then maybe enlist the help of the housekeeper (we're all staying in the same estate) to put a bottle of water and bottle of wine in everyone's villa for when we arrive. Decisions decisions!

If you're all staying in the same villa, I think some bottles of water and a bottle of wine is a very lovely way to welcome your guests. Another suggestion: how about a local travel book or guide?

I really want to do welcome bags for my guests, but nearly all 80 will be from out of town! I also need to check with the hotels if they charge for putting the bags in rooms early. I know when one girlfriend had her wedding, the hotel wanted to charge her $10/room JUST TO DELiVER the BAG! SHEESH!

Hi, I think its quite a good idea to have travel airport bags, i always buy those things at the airport so if i had them given as a gift i would be pretty grateful as it would save me some money!!.. i am also doing gift bags for my guests but as i am flying out for a few days first i am going to prepare them and have them left in their rooms. I think its a nice idea to have welcome or travel bags/gifts/letters as it shows your guests your appreciation of them flying out to be at our wedding.

xx xx

Hi,

Sounds a lovely idea. I'm getting married abroad & though about this but think we are going to pre book champagne on the flight for everyone instead now.