Wedding Welcome Bag Ideas: What to Put in Destination Wedding Welcome Bags
Updated November 2026
A welcome bag is the first thing your guests see when they check in, tired, after a long trip to celebrate you. The best ones mix three things: something useful, something local and something that tells guests what to do while they are here. This guide covers all three, with ideas you can buy in bulk and ideas you can only get at your destination.
How much to spend
Most couples spend between $15 and $40 per bag. Destination weddings sit at the higher end because guests have traveled far. You only need one bag per room or per couple, not one per guest, which roughly halves the cost. Ask the hotel about delivery fees early: many charge $3 to $10 per bag to hand them out at check-in.
The essentials
- Bottled water, two per guest. Every guest will want it after a flight.
- Electrolyte packets or coconut water for hot destinations like Cabo, Tulum or Marrakech.
- Reef-safe sunscreen and lip balm with SPF for beach weddings.
- Pain relievers and antacids in small travel packs.
- Tissues, hand sanitizer and blister plasters for cobbled towns like Positano or Dubrovnik.
- A phone charger cable or a cheap power bank, if your budget allows.
- Mints and gum.
- A folding fan for summer weddings in Seville or Charleston.
Local treats
Local food is the part guests remember and photograph. Buy it at the destination to avoid customs problems and to support local shops.
- Tuscany: cantucci biscuits, a mini bottle of olive oil, a small Chianti.
- Lake Como: Bellagio silk scarves for a splurge, local honey, amaretti.
- Amalfi Coast: limoncello miniatures and lemon candies.
- Santorini: Vinsanto wine, dried cherry tomatoes, fava from the island.
- Cabo and Tulum: tamarind candies, mini mezcal or tequila, local coffee.
- Marrakech: mint tea, small argan oil, dates.
- Lisbon and the Algarve: tinned sardines in beautiful packaging, ginjinha.
- Charleston and Savannah: benne wafers, pralines, hot sauce.
- Napa Valley: a half bottle from the venue's winery, local chocolate.
- Bali: Balinese coffee, a small sarong guests can wear to temples.
The day-after kit
A small bag labeled "for the morning after" always gets a laugh. Fill it with pain relievers, electrolytes, eye drops, a granola bar and a note with the brunch time and place.
The itinerary card: the one thing guests keep
Guests lose emails and forget the wedding website password. A printed card in the bag fixes that. Put on it:
- The weekend schedule: welcome drinks, ceremony time, shuttle times, the day-after brunch.
- The venue address and how to get there.
- A taxi or driver number, and the hotel's front desk number.
- Your planner's phone number for emergencies.
- A QR code to a page of things to do, so guests who arrive early or stay late can plan their free days.
GuestDaysOut builds that page for free and gives you a printable welcome bag insert with your names, date and QR code, ready to print on card stock. Create your guest page and print the insert from your edit page.
Packaging
- Canvas totes guests can reuse at the beach.
- Paper bags with a custom stamp: cheap, pretty and recyclable.
- Small woven baskets for beach and tropical weddings.
- Avoid glass in bags that will travel on boats or be left in hot cars.
Timeline
- Three months before: decide the budget and count rooms, not guests.
- Six weeks before: order non-perishables and print the itinerary cards.
- Two weeks before: ask the hotel how bags are delivered and what they charge.
- Arrival week: buy local treats and assemble bags with your wedding party.