What do you put in a wedding welcome bag?

Bottled water, a snack, a local specialty, a hangover kit with electrolytes and painkillers, and a welcome note listing the weekend schedule and a contact number.

How much should a wedding welcome bag cost?

Ten to twenty-five dollars per bag is standard. Multiply by the number of hotel rooms, not guests, and add the hotel's $3–$5 per-bag delivery fee.

Who gets a wedding welcome bag?

Out-of-town guests staying in hotels, one bag per room. Local guests generally don't receive one.

Are wedding welcome bags necessary?

No, they're optional. They matter most for destination and weekend weddings where guests travel and need the schedule and logistics in one place.

When should welcome bags be delivered to the hotel?

The morning before your first guests check in, with a printed list of guest names so the front desk can match bags to reservations.

Planning

Wedding Welcome Bags: What to Put In Them

What goes in a wedding welcome bag, what it costs per bag, who gets one, and how to get hotels to hand them out — with a copy-and-paste welcome note.

Updated August 30, 2026Reviewed by Joyce Smalling, Planning & Budget Editor

What to put in a wedding welcome bag

The five essentials

Bottled water — two per bag
A real snack — trail mix, pretzels, granola bars
Something local — the candy, hot sauce, coffee or cookie your city is known for
Hangover kit — electrolyte packet, painkillers, mints
Welcome note with the weekend schedule and your phone number

Nice additions

Map card with three restaurants, a coffee shop and a walk you actually recommend
Blister plasters and a hair tie
Sunscreen and a hand fan for summer weddings; hand warmers for winter
Sleep mask and earplugs for city hotels
A small bottle of a signature cocktail mixer
Kids' bag variant: colouring book, crayons, juice box

Skip these

Anything with your faces or the wedding date printed on it
Melting chocolate for outdoor summer weddings
Cheap branded trinkets that go straight in the bin
Full bottles of wine — they add weight and hotel fees

Cost per bag

Tier	Per bag	What's inside
Simple	$8–$12	Tote or kraft bag, water, two snacks, note
Standard	$15–$20	Adds local treat, hangover kit, map card
Generous	$25–$40	Adds a reusable bottle, candle or spirits mini

Thirty rooms at $18 a bag is about $540 plus a $150 hotel delivery fee — put it in your budget calculator under guest experience, not decor.

Who gets a welcome bag

One bag per hotel room, not per person. Couples share.
Out-of-town guests only. Locals go home to their own kitchens.
Make three or four spares for late bookings and vendors staying overnight.
Wedding party and immediate family often get an upgraded version.

Getting them delivered

Ask the hotel two things when you block rooms: the per-bag handling fee (usually $3–$5, sometimes waived on a big block) and whether bags go to the room at check-in or are handed over at the front desk. Deliver your bags to the hotel the morning before the first guests arrive, with a printed name list attached.

Welcome note template

Welcome to Savannah — and thank you for travelling to be with us.
Friday · 7:00pm welcome drinks, The Grey Market, 109 Jefferson St (casual)
Saturday · 4:30pm ceremony, Whitfield Square. Shuttles leave the hotel lobby at 3:50pm sharp
Sunday · 10:00am–noon farewell brunch in the hotel courtyard
Dress code is cocktail. It will be warm — the fan is not a joke. Anything you need this weekend, text Maya at (555) 010-4477.
With love, Maya & Dan

Timeline

When	Task
3 months out	Confirm room block and per-bag fee
6 weeks	Order bags and non-perishable contents
2 weeks	Print notes and map cards; confirm room count
3 days	Assemble; add perishables
1 day before arrivals	Deliver to hotel with the name list

Frequently asked questions

What do you put in a wedding welcome bag?: Bottled water, a snack, a local specialty, a hangover kit with electrolytes and painkillers, and a welcome note listing the weekend schedule and a contact number.
How much should a wedding welcome bag cost?: Ten to twenty-five dollars per bag is standard. Multiply by the number of hotel rooms, not guests, and add the hotel's $3–$5 per-bag delivery fee.
Who gets a wedding welcome bag?: Out-of-town guests staying in hotels, one bag per room. Local guests generally don't receive one.
Are wedding welcome bags necessary?: No, they're optional. They matter most for destination and weekend weddings where guests travel and need the schedule and logistics in one place.
When should welcome bags be delivered to the hotel?: The morning before your first guests check in, with a printed list of guest names so the front desk can match bags to reservations.

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