Category: Blog

Your wedding experience begins well before you say “I do,” especially if you’re hosting a destination wedding or out-of-town guests. Even though some COVID restrictions are lifting, testing or vaccination is still required in many cases, and travel, in general, is not the easiest right now. Your guests have likely made an incredible effort (and investment) to celebrate with you in person. Though, in theory, it would be amazing to greet all your guests upon their arrival, this idea is unrealistic due to the plethora of things you have to do for the big day. So, what’s the next best alternative? Creative and personalized wedding welcome bags and gift boxes! Kick off your event in style, and let your wedding welcome bags take care of the warm, appreciative greetings for you.

There’s really no right or wrong way to welcome your guests to the festivities. However, there is definitely a better way. Here are our five tips for creating elevated and unique wedding welcome bags.

1. Consider the presentation.

Wedding welcome bags for hotel guests can be presented in a number of ways. We recommend you start by thinking about your wedding location. For example, if you’re at a resort, a beach welcome bag can double as a welcome gift and a practical way for attendees to carry things around the property. If your wedding is in a city, space is likely limited, so a smaller box may be easiest for storing in the room. You may also want to incorporate an element of your wedding style. A wooden crate would be perfect for a rustic wedding welcome, while a modern wedding may opt for a sleek box. Don’t feel that you need to get carried away, though. If you have a limited budget, you’re better off spending your money on the content of the welcome gift rather than the bag or box itself.

2. Leave a personal touch.

Having personalized welcome bags, does not mean you need to invest in branded bags or monogrammed boxes. In fact, we usually don’t recommend it as your guests will likely never use a bag or box with your wedding hashtag or monogram again. There are many more economical but equally effective touches you can add, such as customized cards, handwritten calligraphy notes, and personalized tags on the items inside. We love to Infuse these printed pieces with elements from your invitation or wedding suite such as a monogram or emblem. You may also opt for something still personalized but more related to your wedding theme or destination.

Another very fun idea is to add an illustration of your pets to personalize it even more and include your favorite furry friends. We used an illustration of the couple’s French bulldogs throughout their Welcome gifts.

3. Set the tone for your wedding day or weekend.

No matter how you choose to present and personalize your wedding welcome gifts, keep in mind this is the first interaction your guests will have with your event. It is really one of the best forms of storytelling leading up to the big day. Walk people through what they can expect by including itinerary cards with times, locations, and dress codes. If your guests will have lots of free time, you may want to add a local area map or a list of your favorite nearby activities.

4. Make it local.

Wondering what to put inside welcome bags for weddings? This is our favorite part! We love placing the focus on all things local, especially for destination wedding welcome gifts. For our Long Island couples, we’ve packaged many creative welcome boxes filled with goodies from local Long Island businesses. With more intimate weddings being the norm now, you have an opportunity to elevate the guest experience even further with the types of items you include in your gift boxes. Still feeling stuck? Jump to an extensive list of ideas below!

5. Think about the guest experience.

Are there certain things your guests may need while staying overnight for your wedding? Hangover kits are always a popular hit as they can contain necessities like Tylenol, Band-Aids, mints, vitamin boosters, earplugs, and makeup remover wipes. Water bottles are always appreciated (that hotel water can be so pricey!). If your wedding is outdoors, consider what your guests may need for the elements. A fan and mini sunscreens would be perfect for a beach wedding welcome, while Chapstick or hand-warmers would be much appreciated during a winter celebration. If there’s rain in the forecast, why not add in some disposable rain ponchos too?!

While the focus will be on you the entire weekend, it’s nice to have an element of your event that focuses completely on your guests. A beautifully packaged and creative wedding welcome bag shows a level of gratitude and appreciation for the efforts your guests made to be there with you to celebrate. Have you thought about other ways to thank your guests for attending your big day? If not, you may want to also check out our recent post about how to create the perfect party favor.

BONUS: Here are some more suggestions for your wedding welcome gifts!

Snacks

• Fresh Flours customized cookie favors
• Local/unique snacks
• Savory popcorn
• Cheese straws
• Dried mango or other dried fruit

Drinks

• Mini champagne or rose
• Local coffee or small bag to take home
• Water boxes
• Coconut water
• Sparkling water

Fun Elements

• Illustrated map of the hotel or local area
• A printed Spotify QR code with a personalized playlist for the weekend
• Bubbles
• Sparklers
• Do not disturb signs

Health

• OTC medicine packets
• Sanitizer – wipes or bottles
• Disposable masks

When it comes to planning a wedding or corporate event, it’s all about the details (and trust us, there are many). Even though they may seem minor, the smallest things tend to make the biggest impact.

One of the most understated ways to tie your event together is through your party favors. Believe us when we tell you that the hype around event thank you gifts should not be overlooked! Once you’ve finalized the style and design of your event, it’s time to think about what you’d like to give your guests upon their departure.

While there are a number of corporate gifts and wedding party favor ideas out there, it’s important to consider the following when making your decision:
What is the vibe of my event?
Who are my attendees and what type of favor would be appropriate for all of them?
What can I give my guests that they’ll actually enjoy? And no, another branded tchotchke will not suffice.

A simple Google search will turn up an infinite (and probably overwhelming) number of results. So, let’s make this easy for you.

Creating the perfect party favor shouldn’t be overly complicated, it should be FUN! That’s why we believe that individually wrapped cookies and tasty treats make the perfect personalized party favors.

Here are some of our top tips to get you started:

1. Choose Your Favorite Treat

When it comes to giving your guests the perfect party favor, you seriously can’t go wrong with a freshly baked treat. Whether you choose our signature sables, gluten-free almond-flour chocolate chip cookies, pie minis, s’mores bars, or another one of our popular sweets, there’s no question you’ll impress every palette. (Feel like you can’t choose? Don’t worry, we won’t make you. We can work with our couples and corporate clients to say thank you with a combination of their favorites!)

To help you make your decision, you may want to see if there’s a treat that means something to you as a couple. Maybe you met during a summer in the Hamptons, and s’mores remind you of that beach bonfire, or perhaps you can’t live without your favorite fall dessert of apple pie. No matter what you choose, rest assured you’ll be providing your guests with an event favor they’ll savor.

2. Personalize The Presentation with Individually Wrapped Packaging

Creating the perfect party favor isn’t just about what’s on the inside, it’s about what’s on the outside too. Choose from a variety of packaging options that align with the unique style of your wedding or corporate event theme. No two events are alike, and neither are our favors.

From more informal, versatile cello packaging with a branded sticker, to a tailored square window box with a formal ribbon and tag, the options are truly endless. Plus, all custom cookie party favors are individually wrapped. Looking to take it up a notch? We can custom-blend sugar colors on our signature sable cookies and color-match your event palette with one of our 80-plus ribbon options.

3. Make It Memorable

Enhance your party favors and make them memorable with personalized tags, unique hand-calligraphy, and custom illustrations. Our designers will ensure every element of your favor, including the color, packaging, ribbon, and tag are styled in a way that’s unique, yet cohesive within your overall event.

Each tag design is completely customizable, so you can add your event hashtag, theme, and everything in between. This final piece helps make that lasting impression.

Are you ready to create the perfect party favors for your wedding or corporate event? So are we! Watch our video below where we give you an inside look at a variety of our party favor ideas. Eager to get started? Contact us today!

When it comes to the season of giving, finding the perfect gift can feel like a serious challenge. Take the stress out of holiday gift shopping and give a thoughtful yet healthy homemade holiday gift instead. Homemade granola makes a unique, tasty present that’s guaranteed to wow the taste buds of loved ones, teachers, coworkers, clients, and friends alike.

While most baking is chemistry, the beauty of granola is it can be custom-tailored to every taste or preference. You can leave a balance of salty and sweet or enhance either one depending on the ingredients you add. Granola is a gift that keeps on giving. It can be used as a breakfast cereal, pie crust, ice cream topping, or simple on-the-go snack. It’s simple to make, and it also makes for great party favors all-year-round!

At Fresh Flours LLC, we sell our signature granola in beautifully packaged mason jars with holiday messaging that can be customized for everyone on your list. Contact us today to place your order!

Watch our video to get the inside scoop on how we hand-craft this fan-favorite treat. Our fabulous recipe is also below. Fresh Flours LLC Homemade Granola

Ingredients:
• ½ cup shredded coconut
• 3 cups of old-fashioned oats
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup almonds or mixed nuts (can be a mix of pecans, walnuts, cashews, pistachios)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• Dash of nutmeg
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 8 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter
• ½ cup of raisins (can be a mix of dried fruit – apple, apricot, cranberries, cherries)
• Spice it up with some dried ginger or candied orange peel or sweeten the cup with mini chocolate chips and M&Ms.

Preparation Instructions:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Evenly spread the coconut on the baking sheet. Toast the coconut (should be about 8 minutes). Let it cool.

Decrease the oven temperature to 300. Line two baking sheets with parchment. In a large bowl, toss together the oats, sunflower seeds, nuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix the melted butter with the honey, and pour it over the oat mixture. Stir completely and evenly place on the parchment-lined pan.

Bake for about 25 minutes until small clumps form and the oats are slightly toasted. Break up the large clumps and sprinkle with raisins or dried fruit and toasted coconut. Let cool and store in an airtight container. (In an airtight container, the recipe can stay fresh for up to one week).