“You want the people who are coming to feel special,’’ said Novick. “You want the gift bag to have a personal touch.’’
Ideally, welcome bags should include practical items and goodies that give both a sense of place and a sense of the couple. The lemon squares were one of the couple’s favorite pastries, while the Stonewall Kitchen jam evoked memories of Maine where the groom grew up and proposed. The idea was to bring a piece of Maine to guests who would be attending a wedding in Connecticut.
On the practical side, it’s helpful when bags come with information about the local area and its attractions, wedding itinerary with transportation details, and snacks.
Food presents the perfect opportunity to blend practicality with creativity. Looking to add New England flavor to a welcome bag for out-of-town guests? Trying to take guests on a tour, to showcase regional destinations, without leaving the wedding location? Why not provide beverages and snacks from the region.
Done well a gift bag can take guests on a unique, virtual trip around the region, perhaps reminding them of a summer day at the beach or a winter warm-up in a ski lodge. Or, it might inspire them to explore other parts of New England.
Stonewall Kitchen wild Maine blueberry jam (www.stonewallkitchen.com) No guest wants to arrive to a live lobster, or to lobster rolls left sitting in a hotel room, so focus on Maine’s other famous food: wild blueberries. Maine is the world’s No. 1 producer of wild blueberries and, 10 years ago, adopted the fruit as its official state berry. Stonewall Kitchen is a Maine company, headquartered in York. When Stonewall Kitchen turns wild blueberries into a not-too-sweet jam, it’s Maine in a jar.
