What to Put in Mexico Welcome Bags

A welcome bag is the first introduction your guests will have to your wedding weekend. It's important to keep it fun, full of goodies and in line with your wedding theme. 

If you are having a destination wedding, this allows you to add a festive flare to not only the bag, but the goodies inside. One of our favorite wedding destinations is Mexico.

There are so many fun things you could do for a Mexico Welcome Bag, here are some of our favorite things:

1.  List of tourist attractions nearby

2. Event Itinerary

3. Welcome letter

4. Water bottle (essential in a hot destination) 

5. Hand fan

6. Sombreros

7. Tortillas chips

8. Flip Flops

9. Fake moustache

10. Spanish phrase book

All of these treats are sure to get your guests ready for a fun wedding weekend

Card Box Safety

Now a days more and more couples are opting for no boxed gifts at their reception and instead choosing to have a card box. We personally like card boxes because it minimizes the clutter, they can blend in very nicely with your decor, and who would want to carry around gifts. Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind for your card box:

1. Make sure it is placed somewhere that it is visible to everyone, we usually recommend putting it right next to the sweethearts table, this way no one can miss it and you can always keep an eye on it.

2. Make sure the box is completely sealed and not easily opened. We prefer boxes that have a lock and key.

3. Put someone trusted in charge of the box. This person can empty the box if it gets too full and they are responsible for giving you all the cards at the end of the night.

4. We have seen a few birdcages that double as the card box. Although they are beautiful to look at, they are not practical. It is easy for the cards to slip out, or for someone to just take them out.

5. Do not under any circumstances put your card box outside of the ballroom.

Give A Gift That Keeps On Giving

Everybody loves wedding favors, and if you want to give wedding favors to your guests that are special to you, check out some of these amazing organizations that allow you to give to charity while giving to your guests:

Partner up with GAP and Join (RED):

(RED) is a simple idea that transforms our incredible collective power as consumers into a financial force to help others in need. Why not choose one of their red colored products from the Apple store like the iPod Nano, or the first-ever (APPLE)^RED Smart Cover for iPad 2. There are also the (PRODUCT)^RED™ Special Edition Lucky bracelets from Carolina Bucci, which are designed to capture the spirit of childhood friendship bracelets within the world of fine jewelry.

Global Goods Partners:

Global Goods Partners offer handmade gifts that support women. They have a lot to choose from, such as Jewelry such as Wooden Bangles, Beaded Bracelets and More To Support Women Artisans. Scarves which are all fair-trade, handmade and eco-friendly. Home décor, such as African Baskets, Unique Candles, or even Hand embroidered coasters. All of these gifts are dedicated to empowering women, alleviating poverty, and promoting social justice.

Marie Claire:

Marie Claire offers feel good gifts that give back. Check out their website to see an extensive collection of fun and charitable gifts that can double as favors for your wedding. Why not get Aveda's Destined for Smoothness Set, an all-in-one package that comes with two of their best-selling products: the Smooth Infusion shampoo and the style-prep smoother; with part of the proceeds going toward saving the Colombian Rainforest. Or you can get aFEED Guatemala 3 Large Ikat tote, not only are they stylish, but these versatile tote bags are handmade by Nest, a nonprofit organization that empowers female artisansaround the globe

There is a lot of struggle and hardship that is happening all around us,and with all of the love being spread around on your special day,why not share a little bit with the world?

5 Gifts for your Groomsmen!

A gift for the Groomsmen is a nice way to say thank you for not just being a friend, but for wearing the expensive tuxedo, for ushering the guests down the aisle, and for not revealing your deep dark secrets during the reception toast. But what type of gift do you get for someone like that? Here are a few suggestions for Groomsmen gifts:

A personal touch is a good way to go -- add a monogram a set of cuff links. A simple, and well-placed set of initials can give something ordinary a little flair.

Go for guy stuff -- it's as easy and classic. A flask is one of the greatest groomsman gifts. It’s continuous, yet practical, with a shameless male-bonding quality.

You should avoid gifts that are ridiculously cheap -- but this doesn't mean you have to choose something extremely pricy either. A monogrammed mug is a great reminder of your friendship that he will have every morning.

You could go for something sleek, and convenient like a watch. It’s not something too outrageous, and your groomsmen will constantly use it.

Remember that your gift doesn’t need to be something you can hold – it could be something you hold onto. Why not invest in a personalized money clip?

These, plus many more, are great ideas for giftsfor your buds. Make sure to steer clear of anything that has any relation to the bride because this is a man-to-man gift. This gift should simply say “thanks dude, and enjoy”.

Great Bridesmaids Gifts

You've made the decision to ask some of your closest female friends or relatives to support you as bridesmaids through the wedding process. Now comes the hard part of picking out the right bridesmaids gifts for your bridesmaids. Here are several ideas for giving that perfect bridesmaid gift to those great women you're lucky to have in your life.

Lifetheraphy Pulse Point Oil Perfume
What we love about Lifetherapy is that they have a variety of scents to choose from. Each scent corresponds to a mood, so choose the one that best matches each of your bridesmaids. Choose from escape, chill, fun, flirty or vacation.

Swarovski Crystal Bracelet with Monogram Charm
A great way to incorporate their gift into the wedding is giving them jewelry. This Swarovski crystal bracelet is a great option. You can choose a color that matches their dresses and even have the pendant engraved with their initials.

Personalized Toiletry bag
This is a great option if you are doing a destination wedding. Embroider their names or initials and add a few of their favorite travel size toiletries.

Personalized Wine Box
Who doesn’t love wine! Get each bridesmaid’s a bottle of their favorite wine and put it in a engraved keep sake box. After they have drank the wine the box will all serve as a reminder of the wedding.

Personalized Robe
Consider booking a spa day for all your bridesmaids the week of the wedding, upon arrival gift them all with personalized robes. Every girl loves to get cozy after a nice bath!