How to Make Beautiful Destination Wedding Welcome Bags (+FAQs)
One of the things I looked forward to the most when planning our wedding in Mexico was putting together our destination wedding welcome bags. Finding unique and fun items to include in our DIY wedding welcome bags was something that took the distraction away from some of the planning chaos!
If you’re looking for destination wedding welcome bag ideas, you’ve come to the right spot! These are perfect for weddings in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Jamaica, Cuba…the list goes on!
The best part is? They don’t have to be expensive, either! Let me show you how to make destination wedding welcome bags for cheap and within your budget! Add your own personalized touch by making them yourself. The possibilities are quite literally endless.
Fast forward 9 years and now I make these welcome bags and survival kits for every group trip we go on!

This blog contains affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you purchase items at no additional cost to you.
What are Destination Wedding Welcome Bags?
Welcome bags for destination weddings are exactly what they sound like. They’re bags (or tote bags, ziploc bags, even kraft paper bags!) filled with fun items that are useful and practical for the trip, but can also contain items pertaining to the wedding.
Some even include the wedding itinerary so all the guests know what’s happening, and when! This is a great way to communicate with your guests if you have a welcome party, rehearsal dinner, after-wedding brunch, etc.
Welcome bags are a thoughtful way to say thank you to your guests for attending your destination wedding.

Ideas for Destination Wedding Welcome Bags
Let’s get you started with all the ideas for welcome bags I’ve done personally and came across in my years of being in the destination wedding world!
Wedding Welcome Bags
When it comes to making your own welcome bags, you’re going to have to start with the bag. Just save some for an idea – you can always revise later if you have too many items and need a larger one!
Tote Bags
Tote bags are one of the most popular items for destination wedding welcome bags, because they double as a beach bag. Being multi-purpose, you know they’re going to get put to use time and time again. This will be your most expensive option, though, especially if you factor in getting them personalised.
Popular Wedding Tote bags
- Bienvenidos wedding tote bag by Ilulily
- Fiesta Siesta Tequila Repeat tote bag by CanvasEventCo
- Destination Wedding Floral tote bag by Ilulily – as seen in Martha Stewart Weddings, The Knot, Style Me Pretty, and more! ❤️
- Reusable gold embossed white Welcome bags
Budget tip: I actually got mine from Dollar Tree! You can’t beat $1/bag. I added a custom tag. They were big enough to fit a beach towel and some other personal items in for a day at the pool or beach.
Drawstring bags
Drawstring bags are another popular option for destination wedding welcome bags – ones that I have personally used as well! They can double as a beach bag for your guests, or even a laundry bag, so they’re definitely multi-purpose and super easy to pack.
Popular Drawstring bags
- Customized cotton backpack by HELLOEVNT
- Drawstring cinch bags that come in a choice of 8 colours
Small cotton drawstring bags
These smaller, easy-to-pack cotton bags are a fun way to give a gift to your guests without taking up too much space in your suitcase. They’re small, but roomy enough to fit in important items. These are easy enough to personalize, too. They’re great for First Aid Kit/Hangover Kit/Survival Kit items (see below!)
Popular small drawstring bags
- Palm tree welcome bags by HELLOEVNT
- Personalized pineapple bags by Ilulily
- Dominican Republic welcome bag by PartyFavorsPrime
- Option: Zipped pouches
Kraft Bags (with or without handles)
For brides on a budget, you can easily opt for kraft paper bags, with or without handles. I’ve seen it done time and time again, and for a little touch of personalization, you can stamp each one to give them character. For an extra little touch, add tissue paper to the top of the bag.
Popular kraft bags
- Custom logo boutique paper bags by AurorexStudio
- Small brown paper bags: either 8.25″ x 5.9” or 5.25” x3.25” (this is a great budget option!)
Ziploc Bags (with bag topper)
I use Ziploc bags for all my own group trip welcome bags because they’re easy to pack, display nicely, and I can make cute bag toppers each time – or you can purchase templates for them, but they’re really not difficult to make!
These are a perfect setup if you want to include important small items without blowing your budget. They turn out so well (and photograph great, too!) and adds a beautiful touch to making your guests feel important.
I find the quart-sized Ziploc bags work best.
Stay tuned for my bag topper tutorial!

Destination Wedding Welcome Bag Items
Now let’s move on to the fun stuff! Let’s move down the list of the most popular destination wedding welcome bag items!
You may not be able to do all of these items (and don’t feel like you should, either!) but in my 9 years of helping brides plan their weddings, these were the most popular items to put in a welcome bag.
- Tumblers
- You can opt for personalized tumblers, or you can purchase your own tumblers from Amazon. Remember that most resorts don’t offer straws anymore, so consider getting tumblers with reusable straws, or add straws to your welcome bag!
- If you purchase plain tumblers and want to give them a bit of pizazz, consider getting waterproof stickers for an added touch! I recommend DavetDesigns on Etsy for this. These vinyl stickers are made to last!
- You can opt for personalized tumblers, or you can purchase your own tumblers from Amazon. Remember that most resorts don’t offer straws anymore, so consider getting tumblers with reusable straws, or add straws to your welcome bag!
- First Aid Kits (also known as Emergency Kits or Hangover Kits)
- Include important items like:
- Imodium (Loperamide)
- Motion sickness pills
- Pepto Bismol or Tums
- Advil
- Allergy medication
- Alka-Seltzer
- Emergen-C or Electrolyte packs
- Bandaids
- I also include aloe vera in mine! The most economical way to do this is by purchasing reusable toiletry bottles, a big bottle of aloe, and making them yourself. It saves you money in the long run!
- You can easily DIY these by putting smaller items in a ziploc bag or small cotton bag, inside your wedding tote.
- Try to purchase individually wrapped medications if you can. Most of these you can purchase from the Dollar Store or Walmart!
- Include important items like:
- Room Key Holders
- I did these for our wedding and they were SO popular, hundreds of other brides have followed suit! Whether you want to take on an easy DIY project, or have someone create a template for you, room key holders are a fun addition to any welcome bag.
- They serve as a room key holder as well as a tip money holder. They’re waterproof, too, which makes it great for the swim up bar!
- All you need is wrist coils, resealable card holders, and a printable insert!
- I did these for our wedding and they were SO popular, hundreds of other brides have followed suit! Whether you want to take on an easy DIY project, or have someone create a template for you, room key holders are a fun addition to any welcome bag.
- Can cooler sleeves – a great option if you don’t want to transport tumblers!
- Hand Sanitizer
- Shout wipes
- Tic Tacs or gum
- SPF lip balm
- Snacks
- While I know there will be food where your wedding is, having snacks in a bag is a nice little treat for guests who get peckish between meals. They are also fantastic for the flight home. Don’t let your guests go hangry!
- Word of advice: Don’t go with chocolate. If you’re travelling to a warm climate, there’s a good chance it’ll melt. Candy and savoury snacks are a good pick.
- While I know there will be food where your wedding is, having snacks in a bag is a nice little treat for guests who get peckish between meals. They are also fantastic for the flight home. Don’t let your guests go hangry!
- Nail files
- Poo Pourri (literally the best invention ever. Thank me later!)
- Pool drink floaties
- Sunglasses
- Tissues
- Personalized pens
- Luggage tags – with the option for personalized luggage tags.
- Luggage straps – these are a great way to identify guests bags if you’re travelling as a group, and are handed out prior to leaving.

Bonus: Welcome Letter for Destination Wedding Bags
One last thing that I recommend putting in welcome bags is a welcome letter! Chances are you’ll be handing out your bags upon arrival, or at your welcome dinner (if you’re having one). A simple welcome letter lets guests know the series of events for your wedding weekend/week. This is really helpful to make sure everyone gets the same memo.
You can include a small welcome saying how please you are they made it, as well as important information like your wedding (duh!) and any other wedding-related events that are happening.
Budget tip: You can very easily DIY your welcome letter in Word or Canva. However, if designing your own isn’t your cup of tea, there are plenty of beautiful customizable destination wedding welcome letter templates on Etsy. These are inexpensive because most of them are digital downloads, so you just have to pay for the design fee and you can print to your heart’s content.
What not to put in Destination Wedding Welcome Bags
- Bottled water – it’s too heavy, and it will be in the hotel rooms anyway!
- Toiletries – the resort or hotel provides it!
- Towels – it’ll just add bulk to your own suitcase and they’re provided at the hotel or resort
- Snacks that will melt or go stale (like custom cookies)
- Anything too heavy, bulky, or breakable!
Remember: Your guests have to travel home with these items, too!
Be sure to pack any fragile items, if you have any, in bubble wrap or cushioned by clothing to make the trip in one piece!
When to hand out Wedding Welcome Bags
It can be a bit of logistics gymnastics coordinating when to hand out your welcome bags, especially if you don’t have a planned welcome event, like a dinner. You will also have to factor in:
- How many guests and bags you have
- If you have any planned wedding events on the first day of arrival
- If you’re willing to greet each guest when they check in
- If you have a budget to have the resort hand out the bags
- Your best option is to hand them out at your welcome event, like a welcome cocktail, dinner, or beach bonfire. It’s the easiest way for everyone to be present so you’re not going back and forth to your room to get bags.
- If you aren’t having an event, your other option is to greet your guests when they check in. However, with delays, and not really knowing when they’ll show up, you could be sitting in the lobby all day, or waiting for a message saying they’ve arrived. With a few guests it’s okay, but with a large guest attendance, you’ll be spending more time waiting around.
- If these options don’t appeal to you, ask your wedding coordinator what the fee is for the resort to deliver them to the rooms for you. It’s a pricey option (with each bag delivery costing anywhere from $2-$10) and has risks associated with it – like showing up at the wrong room, or not at all!
- Your last option is to actually hand out your bags prior to leaving your home country. This means your guests will receive them and will have to pack these items themselves. I’ve done this both ways, and it’s really a matter of whether or not you can get around to your guests to give them out.

Destination Wedding Welcome Bag Suitcase Note
A good practice for you is to keep your receipts when you’re purchasing your welcome bag items, and to bring them with you when you travel. Customs may want to see the value of these items, since each country allows a certain amount of goods in without paying tax. For example, Mexico allows $500 worth of items to be brought in without being taxed on it. Save yourself a headache and be prepared.
It’s also a good idea to include a note in your suitcase in case it gets searched. If you’re getting married in Jamaica, the official language is English, so you don’t have to include the Spanish translation!
Copy and paste this into Word or Canva:
Hola. Mi prometido y yo, [YOUR NAME] y [SPOUSE NAME], vamos a realizar nuestra boda en [RESORT NAME] el [DATE] a las [TIME]. El contenido de esta bolsa son regalos para nuestros invitados en agradecimiento a su ayuda con la boda o es decoración para la misma. Si tiene alguna pregunta, póngase en contacto con nuestra coordinadora de bodas [WC NAME] al [PHONE NUMBER]. ¡Gracias!
Hello. My fiancé and I, [YOUR NAME] and [SPOUSE NAME] are having a wedding in [RESORT NAME] on[DATE] at [TIME]. The contents of this bag are gifts for our guests for their wedding favors or is décor for our wedding event. If you have any questions please contact our wedding coordinator [WC NAME] at [PHONE NUMBER]. Thank you.
Do you need to give out welcome bags?
Absolutely not! It’s not for everyone.
Some couples opt to give welcome bags in lieu of wedding favours, or not at all! You can scrap this idea entirely. My sole purpose of this post is to spark some inspirational ideas for you to create your own, if this is what you really want to do. It’s a lot of fun, and I love finding a bargain, so making these wedding welcome bags is something I’m very fond of!
But just remember – you aren’t obligated to hand out welcome bags.
If you’re in destination wedding planning groups, you may see loads of threads of discussions on what to include in them. Don’t let that pressure you into doing them if you really don’t want to or don’t have the budget. Want to do a group excursion instead, as a thank you? Go for it! That’s the beauty of destination weddings. There are no rules!
How much should you spend on wedding welcome bags?
There is no right or wrong answer for this – because it depends on you! You can make these wedding welcome bags as extravagant or as budget-friendly as you’d like, and no one can tell you any differently. The differences will come down to how many guests you have and whether or not you want to personalize items, DIY items, or source them in bulk.
Budget Tip: If you have a large attendance and want to be kinder to your budget, lots of couples hand out one bag per room (couple). This cuts down on half the cost right there!
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