Not doing welcome bags?

99.5% of our guests were from out of town, and none of the local hotels did courtesy blocks, so we didn't have a block of rooms at all - which would have meant us trying to figure out here everyone was staying so they got their bags. As a result, we decided not to do them.

Honestly, the time or two we've received a welcome bag, we've ended up throwing away/not using a lot of the contents - which is obviously a waste of money for the couple.

All of that to say, I don't think they're necessary - especially if you think there will be a hullabaloo over the fact that those staying in your block would get them and those who aren't would not.

While it is a nice thing to have as you said, we decided not to do them because of budget and the thing you mentioned about guests staying at different hotels. We actually had 2 official hotel blocks with codes for our wedding, so it would have been such a hassle to try to get info from 2 hotels on who stayed and drop off the bags at both locations. Most of our guests who RSVP’d yes were in town though I think, so putting in cost and effort on our part would not have been worth it anyway.


Now one wedding I went to where they did that and I definitely appreciated it and saw how that could work well was this multi-day Hindu wedding that was held at the actual resort hotel itself. The bags had snacks, water, and a schedule of events that had marked on it the rooms or event areas you needed to go to for each thing. Leading up to the wedding, my friend (the groom) told us most people were staying there (the resort was in a rural area far from the populous cities in Texas).

All of our guests were from a minimum of 2 hours from our venue and most stayed the night and we didn't do welcome bags. I didn't want to spend the extra time putting them together and the money. I think they are really unnecessary in my opinion.

I always appreciate a welcome bag and will be doing them. We are only having them at hotel that we blocked rooms off though, if someone decides to stay somewhere else thats their choice but its impossible to go to every hotel or air b n b someone is staying in. Do what works for you though its totally fine to skip it if you want.

We did welcome bags for our wedding. We had one room block setup and it completely filled up (14 rooms). We also had many of our guests stay elsewhere (Airbnb, other hotels, etc). I wasn't going to try to figure out where everyone was staying if they weren't in the room block, and it would have been such a hassle to run to 15 places around town to drop off welcome bags, so we only did welcome bags for those staying in the room block. We got positive feedback on them, and everyone who got one seemed to enjoy it. However, if you think that those not staying in your room block will be offended if they don't get a welcome bag, I would either skip the bags, or hand out the bags at the wedding to everyone.

Welcome bags are a nice to have, not a need to have. I wouldn't add yet another task to your list.

As a frequent out of town guest, I could care less about welcome bags and have never gotten one before. If it's just another extra thing to do for you, then don't! Your guests wont be salty!

I have 3 different hotels with blocked rooms for our out of state guests, and they are scattered all over. There is no way I am running around the islands trying to deliver bags. We are having a "Welcome Dinner" the night before the wedding (when most people will fly in) so that is our plan. Much more food than in a welcome bag LOLOL

They are optional and will not be missed. Unless you know where everyone is staying and the hotel agrees, they are not needed. You have to factor your time/money/sanity as well.