Welcoming Guests... To Your Home!

Welcome bags are not only for wedding guests.  Recently my SIL and her husband came to stay for the weekend, and I put together a little welcome basket just for them filled with water bottles, new tooth brushes and tooth paste, floss, lip balm... all the sleepover necessities.

What do you do for your weekend guests? How do you show your guests some love when they come to stay?

Happy weekend!
xo

Our Favorite Love Totes

I'm SO excited about our new line of FAVORITE love totes!


By the Sea

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Or Over the Mountains... which bride are YOU?

DIY Welcome Bags

In my last post, I mentioned that things like welcome bags (not to mention wedding favors, seating charts, and sometimes wedding vows) are "last minute items".  Meaning that they tend to stay at the outer edges of your mental to-do list until the last possible moment... a project to get to later.


To some people that might sound awful.  Who wants to be thinking about affixing labels and tying pretty bows in the week leading up to the wedding?

I however, identify with those of you who might find yourself in that same situation and actually relish it!  Sometimes you need something to focus on during those days/weeks/months (whatever it is for you) leading up to the big day.

I know all about this - needing to focus on something at the last minute was something I clearly needed.  Here's the product of my crazy 3 days prior to my wedding need to craft:

Yup.  That's a linen, covered in feathers.  Each one carefully hand glue gunned on there by me.  Three days before my wedding.  Crazy, I know.

BUT, I do have to say, the only sort of sane thing about this was it was a detail that didn't really matter!  Who would have cared if this never made it's wedding day debut? No. One.  Not even me.  It was a great, calming, creative release in a time where I needed something to do to get away from the craziness.  But it didn't matter if it didn't work out.  It didn't matter if it wasn't perfect.

So - all of you out there that need something, I say go for it!  But don't let it stress you out.  I say:

If you want to hand write your table numbers? Go for it - if it doesn't work out, your caterer is sure to have back ups.

If you want to create packets of lavender buds to toss during the ceremony? Do it!

Want to write a song for your brothers to sing during your first dance?  Don't (seen this one before).  Or, if you do, have a back up plan.

Want to assemble & deliver your own welcome bags?  Don't.  It won't be fun, promise.  Outsource to a friend (or to Love Totes! Yes, that is a shameless plug).

Want to be-dazzle a custom sash for your bridesmaid's dress?  Sure!

I know you fellow crazy crafters are out there - speak up!  What will you be taking on in your pre-wedding craze?  Or am I the only crazy one?

xo

What Should I Put in My Welcome Bags?

I've heard this question a lot.  I know, I know, welcome bags are literally like, the last thing on your mind when planning a wedding.  They (along with other last minute details) tend to be forgotten until the last spare moments before the big day - aka the opposite of a time in life that you want to be adding another project to your plate - trust me, I've been there.

SO, what I think is this: keep it simple.

Simple means something different to everyone, I know, but really a welcome bag can be built on a very simple foundation: Welcome guests with a personalized note, add in a snack or two (Do you have a favorite snack?  Is there a local treat that your out of town guests HAVE to try? Working with a pretty color scheme you can build off of?), don't forget a little morning-after remedy for your guests and wrap it up pretty to coordinate with the rest of your wedding day details.

Now, of course, you can get much fancier than that, but really, I think the key to a great welcome bag is in the design.  The snacks and other goodies are great, but the thing that will really stand out is the details.

Now, for some of my favorite fun things to include in your welcome bags:

Gourmet Pistachio Nuts, Lobster Lollies & Letterpressed Nautical Coasters are adorable (and yummy!) for a summer wedding in New England.

Honestly, who wouldn't love to see a vintage coke bottle in their out of town guest welcome bag upon arrival?

Kinda obsessed with these stripey straws.  Seriously.

How pretty is this? Artisan loose tea leaves, gourmet honey, keep calm and cycle on match box, a custom "merci" welcome note, and a mini care kit (advil, pepto, shout wipes & gum in a cute little muslin bag).  Adore the kraft gable box with blue satin ribbon!

I am also LOVING the water bottles wrapped in ribbon, topped with a stripey straw.  Forget custom water bottle labels!  Way cuter.

What will you add to your welcome bags?  What are your favorite local snacks??

xo