Out of Town Guest Gift Bag Ideas for Weddings

Gift basket against blue background photo via Shutterstock

When people visit from out of town for your wedding, nothing says “thank you” better than a welcome basket greeting them in their hotel rooms. Filled with special Boston-centric treats and must-have daily items, your traveling guests will thank you for going the extra mile.

No more drugstore trips: There’s nothing worse than trying to find a drugstore when you’re in a new city. Add travel-sized bottles of aspirin or Tylenol, antacids, breath mints, and gum into the basket just in case your guests fall under the weather or bite into one too many fried smelts at Faneuil Hall.

Snack and go: Bags of popcorn, Goldfish crackers, snack bars, a bag of Boston baked beans candy—all these snacks will go a long way for guests while they’re hanging out between wedding weekend events.

Drink up: Bottled water or sparkling juices are refreshing options. When you want to show them a little Boston flavor, add in a few beers from a local brews like Sam Adams or Harpoon.

Tell them where to go: Start off by printing an itinerary of the wedding festivities, along with writing a nice welcome letter to your guests. Attaching a handheld map of the area, along with transportation information like a T schedule, is always a great way to keep your guests. Give them a highlights tour with a list of your favorite things to see and do, and places to eat and shop. CityWalks has a Boston version that fits nicely into any pocket. This deck of cards maps out different length walking tours such as Beacon Hill, Boston Common, Harvard Square, the South End, and more.

Weather or not: You might want to include location-appropriate items that your guests will be glad to have, like sunscreen or bug spray. If the weather looks bad, you might want to consider including a small fold-up umbrella.

Kids play: If you’ve got kids in the mix, fill up a basket with things like stickers, bubbles, glow sticks, a deck of cards, coloring books, and crayons to keep them entertained.

Bag the basket: Don’t put all these treats into a giant basket that isn’t exactly travel-friendly. Instead, have customized canvas totes made up with your wedding date, location, and a photo of the two of you.

A few other ideas:

• Souvenirs like a miniature Bunker Hill monument or the USS Constitution. Plus, you can never have too many lobster magnets.
• A few Boston postcards—with stamps, of course.
• A jar of local honey or jam. Make sure this is small enough to pack in their luggage, and maybe even put it in a plastic bag to ensure no leakage.
• A thumb drive playlist of a few Boston favorites: Aerosmith, The Pixies, and Dropkick Murphys perhaps.

What stories do you want to see in Boston Weddings? Send us tips at weddings@bostonmagazine.com.

Getting married? Start and end your wedding planning journey with Boston Weddings' guide to the best wedding vendors in the city.