Thursday, May 27, 2010

Eco-Friendly Packaging for your Out Of Town Guest Bags

The more rural your wedding, the better your out of town gift bag better be. Okay, I'm kidding...sorta. Nobody says you have to make an out of town bag, but it's a nice gesture and can make guests feel extra appreciated, especially when they may have shelled out hundreds of dollars for a flight, rental car, and hotel. And if it's a one horse town, you might want to provide them with some small form of entertainment, such as a crossword puzzle or sudoku book.


If you can't keep the contents green, try at least using an eco-friendly bag or box. Nashville wraps has a wonderful selection of eco and natural-friendly packaging, perfect for those out of town guest bags. Their eco-tissue paper, made of 100% recycled fibers, is available in an array of colors, so you can stay consistent with your wedding theme colors. The only catch is that you have to buy these in bulk (some are available in packs of 25, others in packs of 150+), so you might be better off visiting a local wedding forum and encouraging other brides to share the purchase with you.

7 comments:

Judy@grammyreads.com said...

Great ideas! OOT bags are usually an unexpected surprise for guests and in my experience, greatly appreciated!

Dream Wedding Italy said...

OOT bags are ALWAYS appreciated, and don't have to cost the earth to be a nice touch and provide guests with what they need.

Anonymous said...

Or you could use reusable tote/shopping bags that people won't just throw away.

Everyone is out of town for my wedding, am I really supposed to buy everyone a bunch of little knick nacks to throw away? That seems awfully un-eco to me.

They're being fed twice and hanging out with us, that's why they traveled across the country. I think OOTB were just invented by the Wedding Industrial Complex as yet another unnecessary thing they could convince brides to buy.

Jennifer said...

Out of town bags don't have to include useless knick knacks. They usually include sweets, snacks, and beverages. It's just one of the many gestures that you can use to say thank you to your guests.

Lisa said...

ANON...
They definitely can be useful, and Eco. Are you getting married in a sunny spot? Provide sunblock, a couple of water bottles (the ones the hotel provides are always SO expensive in the room!), some of your favorite munchies; include a schedule of events, things to do in the area, and a lovely welcome message from you thanking them for traveling so far. If you want, use a reusable tote...that's a very nice addition, and eco friendly.

HiLo said...

I think reusable is the way to go, these paper bags make me sad.

Here are a couple great options:
http://www.giftsintl.com/burlapbag.php
(I'm using the bigger size for my wedding because I'm doing burlap table runners)

or

http://cheaptotes.com/canvas_tote_bag_8.html

Anonymous said...

I also found eco friendly bags and pillow boxes at Box and Wrap. http://www.boxandwrap.com/eco-friendly-bags-packaging.html
You can also save 5% off your entire order if you go to their Facebook page and "Like".

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