Who Pays for Wedding Welcome Bags?

Even though it’s your special day, making your guests feel appreciated and cared for is what creates a meaningful experience for you and your loved ones. That's why greeting your friends and family with welcome bags is a lovely way to express your love and gratitude, especially to those who have traveled great distances to witness your vow exchange. “Welcome bags are the kickoff to the overall wedding weekend experience,” planner Taryn Blake explains. “They not only provide some essentials and comforts during their stay, but they also serve as a snapshot of the overall theme and vibe of the wedding weekend.” 

Although welcome bags aren’t required, distributing them to your guests is a thoughtful gesture that sets the tone for your celebration and generates excitement for the upcoming festivities. And if you’re hosting a destination wedding that spans multiple days, or if many of your loved ones need to travel to the site, these pre-wedding goodies are especially suitable to help make their experience more enjoyable. However, when putting together this package of snacks, beverages, hangover remedies, and more, you may start to wonder who's responsible for covering the exact costs. The answer? It depends.

Ahead, we called upon our Rolodex of experts to figure out who foots the bill for these special treats. Keep reading to find out who should pay for the wedding welcome bags, in addition to a few money-saving tips.

Who Pays for Wedding Welcome Bags?

There’s no official rule that outlines who pays for the welcome bags, but the person responsible for financing the wedding often funds these gifts, according to planner Evie Morgan. Traditionally, the bride’s family covers the total cost of the soirée, but this practice has become outdated within our modern society. Now, either both families split the expenses, the couple helps chip in, or the future newlyweds foot the entire bill—meaning, anyone from the couple to the parents can pay for these special treats if they're able to afford them.

How Much Do Welcome Bags Cost?

According to planner Danielle Leilani, welcome bags usually range from $15 to $100 per bag, depending on the items included. For instance, an assortment of candies, packaged snacks, and a water bottle will be less expensive than a bag with a custom T-shirt, a personalized baseball hat, and gourmet cookies. In addition to the contents inside, couples are also paying for the packaging and labor fees associated with assembling and distributing them, Blake explains.

When Should Couples Purchase Welcome Bags?

Planning and designing your welcome bags in advance will help you feel the most prepared, but Morgan notes you won’t be able to buy any of the items until you receive your RSVPs. “Start brainstorming and researching early, but purchase and assemble the gifts in the eight to 10 weeks leading up to the wedding,” she suggests.

How to Save Money on Welcome Bags

If you want to include welcome bags at your wedding but prefer to stay within budget, the experts share how to keep expenses relatively low.

Know Where to Cut Back

You don’t need to overload your bags with an excessive amount of items to make an impact. Morgan recommends cutting costs by setting a limit of five to seven goodies. You can also lower the bill by choosing relatively affordable contents, like water, snacks, and small emergency kits. Instead of splurging on full-size products, Blake advises selecting travel-size ones wherever possible.

Prioritize Quality Over Quantity

Chances are your guests won’t want to travel with (or even keep) a bag of knick-knacks, so be intentional with every item you select. Focusing on high-quality products—that reflect your love story or venue—over a large number of meaningless objects will go a long way with your loved ones and be less expensive for whoever is covering the costs. Blake encourages you to invest in one show-stopping moment and keep the rest more affordable. For example, consider an eye-catching bag filled with travel-size goods, or a standard one with full-size ones.

Rethink Your Packaging

While personalized packaging is definitely attention-grabbing, Morgan says it’s one of the more costly elements that can jack up the price. “Getting your bags or containers from a dollar store and then creating your own tags is a nice way to conserve costs,” she advises. If you have fewer items, she also mentions buying a package with filler, so your welcome bags look more full.

Shop in Bulk

Head to your local Costco or Sam’s Club to purchase your welcome bag contents in bulk, according to Morgan. Since buying large quantities of an item is cheaper per unit, you’ll end up saving a significant amount of money. This is a particularly smart choice if you have a larger guest list.