Courtesies for guests: the Wedding Bag
Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.
– Marcel Proust –
I decided to open this post with a quote from Proust on gratitude and the importance of focusing on happy and positive events, in order to fully enjoy the beauty and fullness of the word “thank you“.
As a Wedding Planner I can say that, for me, one of the happiest events that can be experienced is without a doubt marriage.
But if it is true that happiness is authentic only if shared, what would a wedding without guests be?
For this reason, today, I want to talk to you about an original, elegant and unconventional way to thank your guests and leave them a special memory of your wedding day: the Wedding Bag.
But what is meant by this term?
The Wedding Bag is a sort of “envelope” inside which indications of various kinds are normally inserted: from how to reach the location or the place of the banquet, to the instructions on the various gifts contained (rice, flower petals, ceremony booklet …).
If until recently the Wedding Bag was little known, in recent times it has become a very much requested detail and more and more brides decide to include it among the gifts to give to their guests.
But how to best organize it and make it truly an exclusive and precious gift?
Definitely starting from the selection of the material with which it is made.
The choice depends a lot on the budget, the wedding theme, the colors and finally also the season.
They range from classic kraft paper to canvas, or you can opt for a jute bag, a wicker basket, or if your wedding will take place in winter, a great idea can be boiled wool.
A very nice idea is to print on the wedding bag the initials of the couple with the wedding date, or the name of the guest to whom it is intended.
The above rules also apply to the content.
Surely find a welcome letter concerning all the organizational information (any contacts of wedding planners, witnesses or anyway reference figures able to provide information, can always be useful) or even a well detailed map of the places where the events will take place.
In the event that the wedding bag is intended for a woman, I suggest you insert heel savers or handmade accessories that recall the theme of the wedding (ribbons, hair clips, bracelets), while for men you could opt for a clutch bag to be inserted in the pocket of the jacket or for a boutonniere in line with the flowers used for the decorations you have chosen.
This proposal is particularly suitable for a spring wedding bag.
To this type of wedding bag, if you wish, you could think of adding delicate natural essences linked to the floral choices you have made.
If the wedding will take place in the summer and perhaps in an open place, take into account the climate and the possible presence of insects.
Finding a fan, a repellent spray and a bottle of water inside the wedding bag (perhaps adding a branded sticker with your initials and the wedding date) will certainly be a welcome gift for your guests.
In the event that a post ceremony is planned in the pool, an excellent idea may be to give guests a kit complete with towel, glasses and personalized flip-flops.
Autumn wedding? Of all the seasons, autumn is certainly the most stimulating on a sensorial level.
Gastronomic “cadeau” such as organic wines, oil and jams made with seasonal products are perfect, as well as candles or bubbles made by hand.
The choice of inserting succulent or aromatic plants accompanied, perhaps, by a thank you note for the guests is also excellent.
Winter may apparently seem like a sterile season and instead it is a real forge of ideas.
In addition to the material with which to make the wedding bag (cota wool, velvet …), there is really something to indulge in on the content.
Together with rice and handkerchiefs for tears of joy, you can make your guests find tea blends to enjoy on winter afternoons combined with delicious teaspoons that carry meaningful and emblematic phrases, personalized biscuits and sweets, decorations for the Christmas tree or still hand warmers and pashminas to warm up.
Are there children at your wedding? They too would surely be happy to find a dedicated gift!
Among the slightly cheaper but still winning ideas, colouring drawings, plasticine, temporary tattoos, soap bubbles and a few assorted sweets.
Finally, the wedding bag is particularly suitable for Destination Weddings.
These are weddings that take place far from where the spouses reside and for which guests are expected to move and stay in the wedding venue.
In this case, the wedding bag, in addition to containing information about the place of the wedding, may contain a guide in which to indicate attractions, restaurants and places of interest, as well as a list of activities to suggest to guests.
If the budget to invest allows it, you can also think about inserting a pocket cube inside or a power bank to ensure that your guests are always available and connected.
As you can see, the ideas and ideas are numerous. I hope you have found the most suitable suggestion to make your wedding bag.
Photo credits: Pinterest; Etsy; Martha Stewart; Inside Weddings; Generazione 850 euro; Something Turquoise; Event Jubilee; Rebecca Clay; Stylemepretty.
