how we made our welcome bags

Our custom stickers.

Being the type-A planner that I am, I had been musing on the contents of our welcome bags for months. While my idea of custom embroidered leather tote bags didn't quite come to fruition, I think our paper bags had a Brooklyn-like quality that not even Hermes could replicate. Also, the environment!

Ha.

For those of you unfamiliar with this custom, amenity or welcome bags are delivered to the hotels where you have room blocks and are presented to your wedding guests upon check-in. We had a bit of a problem with delivery -- cough Helmsley Park Lane -- cough, but I think mostly all of our out-of-town guests received their goodies as long as they booked the room under our wedding reservation block.

Since we weren't going to see everyone at our rehearsal dinner, I thought leaving a little something for people upon arrival was a nice way to greet everyone even if we couldn't be there in person. Plus, who doesn't like candy?

Gotham Cookies!

It was important for me to inject as much of my and Mike's personality as I could within a paper bag (read: not really that much, but a girl can dream). To that extent, the first item I knew I wanted included was Gotham Cookies, my friend Liz's delicious confections. Those of you who have been reading for awhile know that she was also in charge of goodies at my New York bridal shower. Her cookies n' cream cookie may be the most perfect baked good in Manhattan. Fact.

Personalized stickers were also a nice way to liven up the bags. We bought ours through Zazzle and the extras have made their way onto everything from my Kindle to Mike's face while he's sleeping.

I hate that tank top but I love that man.

Above, you can see Mike diligently stuffing our bags. I'm literally holding my fingers back from typing a dirty joke right now.

In addition to the cookies. we put in bottles of water, an NYC map (brazenly stolen multiple times from the NYU Student Center), and single-serve Advil. Because people drink lots at weddings.

And more food!

The amazing team at popChips were kind enough to send us boxes of Katy's Kettle Corn, which, if you haven't tried it, is supremely addictive. The Katy, by the way, is Katy Perry. NO BIG DEAL.

The equally fabulous and beautiful team at Alison Brod and Godiva provided us with bridal-white chocolate truffles from Godiva. I may or may not still have a few of these chilling in my fridge. Yum.

We picked up this sweet box of Haribo gummies on Amazon. Probably a good thing we didn't have leftovers of these; pretty sure I could eat at least 75 pounds in one sitting.

Using the cartouche from our wedding invite, we printed little cards that were affixed to the outside of each bag. You hear that Martha Stewart? I'M COMING FOR YOU.

The finished product!

We tied each bag with a bit of floppy ribbon and voila!