The comfort of your guests is always a high priority during the wedding weekend. With out-of-town guests making a trip to make it to the wedding, a great way to greet them is with a "Welcome Basket"! A welcome basket waiting at the hotel is a way to give your guests (especially the out-of-town guests) some snacks, water and most importantly more information about your wedding. Here are some suggested items to include in your welcome basket. Depending on budget and how fancy you want to get, we have separated the list with some "basic" items and "upgrades":

The Basic

• A Welcome Letter: Great way to greet your guests and let them know how excited you are they could attend the wedding.
• Schedule Of Events With Directions: Since your wedding cards may not have directions from the hotel, it's great idea to put a schedule of events and include directions from the hotel to the venues. This will take a lot of stress off the shoulders of your guests.
• A List Of Things To Do In Chicago: Some guests may stay after the wedding; it's a nice gesture to give them a book of some local tourist attractions. You should be able to pick these up for free downtown.
• Bottles Of Water: Not all hotels offer water for free, so we consider this item a must.
• Indian Snacks: This can include anything from "spicy mix" and/or Indian cookies
• Granola Bars: These are filling and easy to buy in bulk at a local warehouse store (Sam's Club or Costco)
• Candy: Always a hit and very easy to buy in bulk at a local warehouse store

The Upgrades

• Mango Juice or Something Similar: This is a huge hit, especially if there is a fridge or a way for your guests to cool the drinks.
• Gum or Mints
• Spiced Peanuts or Cashews: There are a few stores in Chicago that will mix nuts for you with various indian or non-indian spices. This is also a great item to have at any event!
• Local Products: Chicago is famous for so many things, so why not include something in your welcome basket. Maybe some Garrett Popcorn or Frango Mints.
• High End Chocolate: Boxes of Godiva or you can put a local touch and put some chocolate from a local vendor.
• Local Gift Cards: If you have some downtime during the wedding weekend, it's an opportunity for the out-of-town guests to check out Chicago. Help them out by giving anyway some small gift cards to local attractions or restaurants (i.e. Deep Dish Pizza, etc.).

You can put these items in a gift "bag" or a traditional basket. If you go to your local dollar store, you'll find nice wicker baskets that would work great, that your guests can take with them. If a majority of your guests will be flying in though, we suggest gift bags, as those are less expensive, but more importantly, guests feel less guilty about throwing them away once the wedding is over.

As always, if you need any other suggestions or locations to get some of these items, please feel free to contact us (info@ChicagoIndianWedding.com). As part of our fre Bridal Concierge service, we would be more than happy to help out.