Welcome bags and gifts are the perfect way to thank your family and friends for attending your destination wedding. Kicking off your wedding week by greeting your guests with a wonderful welcome bag full of hand-picked goodies is sure to make them feel like a special part of your day.

Your guests will be traveling to an exotic locale to celebrate your nuptials, so including beach vacation essentials is the perfect way to ensure everyone will have everything they need for their stay in paradise. We rounded up a list of must-have items to create the perfect welcome bags for your guests!

TOTE BAGS

Start with the carrier for your thoughtful gifts. A tote is the perfect way to store everything and can also be used by your guests as a beach bag to carry their essentials to the pool or the sand.

FLIP FLOPS

Hosting your nuptials on the beach? Guests may have questions about what type of shoes to wear. Help them out by including custom flip flops or adding a shoe check station at your ceremony venue.

CUSTOM EYEWEAR

We love personalized sunglasses! They also act as the perfect prop for photos while your guests wait for the ceremony to begin.

SUN PROTECTION

Mini sunscreen is a must-have for beach ceremonies and something that your guests may forget! Create a cute and personalized wedding sticker to put on each bottle and tie in your wedding theme.

WEDDING FANS

Depending on the time of your ceremony, it can get hot waiting for the happy couple to walk down the aisle. Providing wedding fans allows your guests to stay cool and comfortable on your big day.

BOTTLED WATER

Bring pre-made labels from home to customize water bottles in destination. This will ensure your guests stay hydrated – a must when you’re out having fun in the sun all day!

SPECIAL DESTINATION TOUCHES

Include something local to your destination in your wedding bags! We love little gifts that tie in your local culture and destination, like mini tequila or hot sauce bottles for Mexico, Mamajuana for the Dominican Republic, cigars for Cuba, plantain chips or Appleton rum for Jamaica and local coffee for Costa Rica.

HANGOVER KITS

Include items to help ease any hangovers after a night of partying it up at your reception, including Advil or ibuprofen, Electrolyte packets, upset stomach relievers and carb-heavy snacks.

HAND SANITIZER

Sanitizer was always a good item to have on hand while traveling and even more so in a post-COVID world. Mini bottles of hand sanitizer will allow your guests to have a great time while staying safe during your wedding week.

CUSTOM DRINK COVERS

Help your guests keep their drinks cool with custom drink covers. You can customize them with each guest’s name or decorate them with your wedding date and destination.

ITINERARIES AND LOCAL INFORMATION

Including an itinerary will provide your guests will all the details of where to be and when, in addition to local info they might need throughout their time in paradise.

HANDWRITTEN NOTE

The perfect final touch to such a thoughtful gift is a personalized note thanking your guests for joining you in the tropics.

Create the perfect welcome gift by combining some or all the suggestions above! Your wedding planner can help you choose which items to include and source anything you might need in destination. They can also help you decide on the best way to deliver your welcome bags, from room drops provided by the hotel to hosting a welcome party and more.