Welcome Bags - Are they really necessary?

Https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-forums/welcome-bags-yay-or-nay/340d6159b0d32e04.html

No nope necessary.

But if these are guests asking and are from out of town, it would be nice to do them. You know them best. Are they asking just for the sake of getting something or it will make their life easier?

Of course they aren't necessary.

Not necessary, but I am doing them for my guests just because majority of my guests are coming from out of town.

@VC ... I believe that is their expectation because "Miss Manners" says. They are more than familiar with the area the wedding is in, so it isn't necessarily a making life easier task.

@Britten - I'd say that is your call as you know your guests the best. If it's worth the hassle and cost, you can but don't feel obligated.

@catlady5x .... It was more of a statement than a question.

My FMIL starting talking about welcome bags a month ago. Very elaborate ones are expected on their side. She wanted splits of champagne and cutesy personalized wedding everything that would have cost an arm and a leg. I decided I would have to go in a completely other direction to save money and not look shabby in comparison to past bags. Instead of mass produced wedding items, I am having a welcome bag filled with Kentucky things. I even thought up using KFC chicken buckets as the bag, which I will be getting for free from my local store. Throw in a couple Ale 8 sodas, mini bourbon bottles, Grippo's chips, and reproduction vintage postcards from zazzle and I have a deluxe looking bag for a lot less money.

If you are just talking water bottles and aspirin, it will be very easy to go to Sam's or the dollar store for those.

Not only are they not necessary, but most of the ones I have received are a either a pile of junk that goes in the garbage, or things the hotel provides anyway- like water.

If you want to do something simple, just make up a little card welcoming them with a diagram that shows them the nearest coffee shop and corner store.

I agree with @Muriel. With the ones I've gotten, I've thrown 75% of the stuff away.

When we went to one relative's wedding and they had hangover kits in their bags, my Dad got mad and threw the whole bag away. (We were raise in an alcohol-free home). They made a big deal over their personalized favors, too, which we also trashed. Their guest hosting/food was poor, at their reception, in quality and quantity, so we thought WTH?

I have a relative that is so severely allergic to nuts, she wouldn't even open a guest bag, in case something was in it that had nuts; they contaminate things easily. Her husband couldn't open/use one either.

@dreamer - that sounds like a disaster. If I end up doing them, it is going to be VERY basic. Waters, maps, things to do, and a couple snacks. And what I might do is just do them for the family that have indicated they expect them...

I never keep the "favor" or anything from weddings, no would I expect to receive one. But FH really wants to do welcome bags for each guest in their room when they arrive. I'm really pushing to keep it simple.

@LikeBerry - we have budgeted for "favors" but instead of actually giving favors out at the wedding, we are going to be making a donation with the money budgeted to the USO.

Nope, but our hotel guests seemed to appreciate them

Thank you for posting this thread and all the great feedback everyone has provided. I've been torn on welcome bags as well since all of my guests are coming in from out of town. This is some really good insight

They're not necessary at all. 80% of my guests are from OOT so I'm making them bags but that was my choice

Not required at all but a nice gesture for out of town guests.

They are not necessary but they are a nice touch for your out of town guests if you want to do them!!

As a guest I always appreciate the weekend's itinerary and transportation schedule, bottled water, a snack, and Advil

I think they're a waste.

They aren't necessary but if people are asking then that makes me think your guests are expecting them or hoping for them.

Some people feel they are necessary. My sister said she's never been to a wedding without welcome bags at the hotel so it might be a regional thing

If guests are asking, id probably consider doing it bc frankly they've put you in a awkward spot to say no.

I've always really appreciated water since you have to pay for bottled water at a hotel and Advil never hurts