That’s right, gift bags at the hotel for out of town guests. So many things to think about…and pay for! This being the oldest of three daughters, I know whatever bar I set for her will have to be repeated two more times.
My son’s theme for Bar Mitzvah was computer/game figures. Duh… We had kosher chocolate in form of open laptops, so you could see the keyboard, etc.
Not one was left, and people asked if we had extras. Go, chocolate.
The bug bracelets are adorable and the dad of the bride and his company created them and are looking into marketing them. They have done well in clinical trials and don’t have an offensive odor and keep pesticide from having contact with the individual. It has a citronella scent. I believe gift bags may have been given to out-of-town guests, but am not sure.
Eh on favors and gift bags. I think it’s another way for the so called “experts” into making more headaches for the planners of the weddings. And more money spent so they can tell you how much money weddings cost these days. And people wonder why kids are thinking destination weddings. My S and his fiancé have been told by several people (including her dad lol!) to have a destination wedding. I think her family is as small as mine and wherever they get married, only one or two would be from that area.
Anyways, yea I know I’m a curmudgeon.
Saw Nashville last night and there was a wedding. Where the couple left to sparklers. It photographed well and I thought of all of you. 
^^^^I tried to like your post more than once Deb but it wouldn’t let me!!! 
Goskid’s wedding next summer: PLEASE tell me that she doesn’t have to do gift bags for all out of towners! I think that number will be 278. Shoot. me. now.
We did baskets for the people staying in the rooms at the Inn where the wedding was held(mostly close family). There were also a few cabins on the property where family and wedding party stayed so we made up baskets for them,too. The baskets were very inexpensive (World Market) and we filled them with water bottles and snacks from Costco. We did not give gift baskets for all of the out of town guests. It’s also not necessary or even expected but it was appreciated.
@gosmom None of the wedding stuff is required. And I mean NONE of it!! Our wedding is just for 50 and I am using the candy bags as place markers at the tables. That’s the extent of our “little gifties”.
Last fall I attended a very nice,if chilly outdoor wedding in the Santa Cruz mountains. The favor was a polarfleece lap blanket embroidered with the couple’s name and date. One per outdoor seat. That puppy was immediately unwrapped and used during the ceremony.
Another favor I liked was the little Japanese sauce dish in a mesh bag with some chocolates inside. Perhaps chocolate almonds or coffee beans. Cute, reusable and less than $5.00. I still have a number of those little dishes for dipping sauce, as they are a cute pattern.
Some of you have 2017 weddings. Well, that includes me. S is planning a May destination wedding on SE Asian beach. His fiance is mainland Chinese so it works as a half way spot, more or less. There are so many unknowns that I don’t know where to begin. Happy to ignore the topic for a few more months, but do wish they’d book something.
That’s a great idea!
I attended a wedding which had a notecard on each table stating instead of wedding favors a donation was being made to a charity.
As far as baskets in the hotel rooms I thought they were welcome baskets with little snacks and water bottles to make the guests stay more comfortable. In the basket would be local maps and a schedule of all the weekend activities planned
I’m sure my kids are not having favors at their weddings. I think that is so unnecessary. I never had favors at my own wedding. I think of favors as something you do at a kid’s birthday party. I didn’t even ask my kid about this, but I have seen their wedding budget and amounts allocated for each item on it. No favors are listed. Besides, my kid is not into traditional stuff. As well, she only wants to spend the money on things she cares about. For instance, she doesn’t want any flowers and doesn’t want to waste money on that. She does want to rent a piano though. 
We aren’t planning to do favors or have guest baskets. Heck, we have to travel to the wedding ourselves.
I really think that gift bags for out of towners are completely unnecessary, as are favors.
If you have money to spare and WANT to do them, that’s another matter.
Try http://www.sparkletheparty.com. They are over 50% less expensive than anywhere else I could find online. I bought a single box of 6 20" sparklers just to try them out and they worked great. They are the smokeless variety which make for great pictures to capture the moment.
When we have traveled to weddings (or our kids have), no one got (or wanted) gift baskets or bags for making the trip.
There are tons of ways to spend money–or not. Don’t make the couple crazy–it’s all about celebrating a happy union.
Both of my nieces did gift bags for out of towners and they were nice but not fancy. These weren’t destination weddings so only a small portion of people from out of town. Solid color gift bag with computer printer sticker with bride and grooms name. Some bottled water and snacks.
The best part about them (and what I would do even without gift bag part) was a brochure/booklet about the weekend. Simple photocopy and folder with holes punched and ribbon. The booklet contained welcome note, wedding day schedule along with directions to church and venue, contact numbers for reserved hotel, parents of bride and groom, tux rental place (for groomsmen), cab companies and info on complimentary transportation that was provided for airport and entertainment districts, walk-in doctor clinic, pharmacy, etc. Included suggestions for those with free time - restaurants, shopping, night life, museums, outdoor activities. Finally included at home address for new couple. One niece had a hospitality room set up in hotel and that information was also in hers.
Both weddings were full out, fancy church/country club events - no party favors at either. To me favors seem excessive and unnecessary. (Frankly, and another whole thread probably, I feel the same way about an open bar.)
Welcome bags for hotels are a maybe, but I definitely like the booklet with all the information.
The first time I saw a basket ( snacks and water bottles) in a wedding guest room was at my sister’s wedding. We were staying at a small B & B and there was not much ( except a beach ) near us. D’s wedding took place at a larger property with an Inn and cabins, but again nothing near. So it was nice to have a few snacks, etc for the guests.
OTOH, when my sister and I attended a family members wedding a few years ago, there was no such thing. But we were staying at a large hotel in downtown Chicago and if we needed anything we could just walk out the door and find whatever within a few blocks. We didn’t need to have anything provided.
We’ve attended probably 10 weddings in the last 3 years. There were baskets/bags for hotel guests at 2 of them. Neither of my daughters had favors at their weddings though they both had photo booths with photos for guests. One made napkin rings from broaches and half the guests kept them, though that wasn’t the intent! (She sold the remaining ones later.) There are so many ideas on Pinterest that are cute and thoughtful but could really add a lot of stress and expense to a wedding. One person, not to be named, was horrified that my daughter was not planning to have chair covers at the reception. I’m pretty sure no one left the wedding saying “I cannot believe they didn’t have chair covers”. I think the bride and groom need to decide what is important to them for their wedding and not worry about what anyone else expects.
@hoosiermom Those napkin rings sound cool! I guess the guests thought so, too.