Preliminary Guest List: Check

We have the first run of the guest list and we are pleasantly surprised with it. We went from the 400 + guests that made us stop our wedding planning last time, down to 223 (before Dan's work list). We now have a number and have capped it off at 250 maximum, 200 preferably. So we will now start looking into our budget, we will budget for 250, and hopefully round it down to 200.
I have already begun contact with our preferred officiant and am just waiting to hear back from them. I have also contacted 2 photographers, waiting on their quotes, and looking into who else to get quotes from. This is starting to look up for us. Maybe it was the key to it all along. If at first you don't succeed, threaten to run away lol. Just kidding. But I'm feeling good about everything and things seem to be progressing quite well. Starting to think about flowers, looking into invitation designs, figuring out attendants, dreaming of decor, my mind is going miles a minute!

Guests: Welcome Baskets (2)

With the emergence of destination weddings and guests often spread all over the country, savvy couples are taking advantage of a golden opportunity to offer a warm welcome and set the tone for a fabulous series of events. What a great idea! Wedding welcome baskets are a nice added touch, immediately comforting the travel-weary by making them feel right at home.

How much you spend is entirely up to you. You can be as lavish as you like, although simply giving a bottle of water and a plate of homemade cookies will let your wedding guests know you care. Remember - you only need to put together one welcome basket per room - not per guest. So confirm the number of rooms reserved with your hotel, and assemble your baskets accordingly (of course make a few extras, just in case). If you know that many of your friends will be shacking up together to split the cost of hotel rooms, consider packing double of some items in each welcome basket.

Depending on the policies of the hotel in which you’ve reserved your roomblock, the staff may personally deliver the welcome baskets to each guest room, or they may leave them at the front desks and give them to guests as they check-in.

Include some essentials that will make their stay more comfortable—such as bottled water, snack items, mints, tissues etc. Think about what items you often wish for when staying at a hotel. This is also a great place to include relevant information for your wedding guests - phone numbers for the families, other guests staying at the hotel, a wedding itinerary, nearby attractions and local maps.

Also consider including items that are reflective of your wedding location. Use your wedding welcome baskets as a creative way to tie everything together and introduce guests, many of them visiting for the first time, to the area. Getting married in Maine? Throw in some maple syrup! Or Texas - how about a miniature cowboy hat or a packet of spicy chili mix? You get the idea....Use this opportunity to be creative, and make your wedding a memorable event - from arrival to departure!

Guests: Welcome Basket Ideas

Welcome baskets really are a great treat for your out-of-towners and they don’t have to be extravagant or expensive. Some things that are useful and universally appreciated by your guests:

• Local maps
• Entertainment section of the local paper
• List of phone numbers/addresses/email of anyone they may need to contact during their stay.
• Schedule of events and directions to the meeting places if you’re coordinating any activities for them.
• Recommendations for local pubs, restaurants, and sights.
• Bottle of water for each person, or juice boxes for kids.
  
• For anyone with wine makers in the family, add a small bottle of wine and a couple plastic champagne cups.
• Snack for each person (cookies, chocolates, local specialties, Cheese and Crackers snacks, granola bars)
• Menus from local restaurants
• A list of taxi and car services, including phone numbers
• Brochures for local amusements
• Directions to the nearest same-day dry cleaners (accidents happen)
• Local sources for fax, email, and FedEx (work doesn't always stop because you get married)
• Driving instructions from hotel to wedding location and back again
• Something for any children expected to be in the room.
• Something special to your region. Is there anything made in your host town or something particular to it? Include that as a little token/souvenir. Check your local tourist booth or city hall for any promotional items from the region.
  

Instead of a basket, you could put these into a simple gift bag, tie it with ribbon, and enclose a personal note of welcome.
For coffee lovers (make sure the hotel includes coffee makers in the rooms) gather small coffee samples, biscotti (or something) and flavored cream in a basket. Include some mints and the map and you have a great welcome basket.
Another idea for chocolate lovers is to gather some Hersey kisses and wrap in a cello bags with coordinating ribbon. Then add some homemade brownies or chocolate chip cookies. Tie bag / basket with ribbon or add a bow.