Are Wedding Welcome Bags Worth It? Expert Gifting Tips for Couples | WDP Ep 80

🎧Listen to learn:

• What couples should include in hotel welcome bags
• Budget-friendly gifting ideas that still feel meaningful
• Why outsourcing gifting can save couples time and stress
• How local products can enhance the wedding experience
• Creative gifts for bridal parties and wedding weekends
• The logistics behind gifting for hundreds of wedding guests

On this episode of Wedding Day Podcast, Sonja Babich, CEO of Iron Diamond Media, and Carrie Fisher, Publisher of Wisconsin Bride, sit down with Summer Rich, founder of Wisconsin-based Gift & Co by Summer. Specializing in curated welcome gifts, wedding favors and personalized gifting experiences, Summer shares how thoughtful gifts can transform a wedding weekend and leave a lasting impression on guests.

From hotel welcome bags and destination wedding gifts to bridal party presents and meaningful keepsakes, Summer explains how gifting can serve as an extension of a couple's story while helping guests feel appreciated and connected to the celebration. She also shares her approach to sourcing local products, creating customized gift experiences and managing the logistics behind gifting programs of all sizes.

Whether you're considering welcome bags for out-of-town guests, searching for creative wedding favor ideas or looking for ways to thank the people who helped make your day possible, this episode offers practical advice and inspiration for creating memorable moments through thoughtful gifting.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome to Wedding Day Podcast with your host, Sonia Babbage, CEO of Iron Diamond Media, a leading wedding resource featuring seven localized wedding brands across the country.

SPEAKER_02 0:10

Hi everybody, Sonia here on Wedding Day Podcast. We are here at the beautiful Tinsmith in Madison, Wisconsin. My co-host today is Miss Carrie Fisher. Hey everyone. And we are sitting here with um Summer. She's the owner of Gift and Co. by Summer. And her specialty is the gifts on a wedding day, the welcome bags, the party favors, you name it. And this is actually one of my favorite things on a wedding day because it just adds the extra detail, the extra experience for your guests and all that jazz. So thanks, Summer, for coming on. And you're based here in Wisconsin.

SPEAKER_01 0:45

Absolutely, absolutely. And I love um promoting other small businesses and the gifts as well, so we can get into that later. Yeah, so Northern Wisconsin, but I serve all of Wisconsin.

SPEAKER_02 0:56

Northern Wisconsin.

SPEAKER_01 0:58

And you're a finalist for Best New Business. That is pretty exciting. Yeah. Super exciting and honored to be along all the other nominees too.

SPEAKER_02 1:06

But Summer, this is such a niche of like a niche niche for planners to have this contact too who can assist with this and actually like do all the steps of from tying the bow and going local with creating those experienced gifts for your attendees. So how do you even get started with this? Do you work with the planners directly or even couples?

SPEAKER_01 1:29

So I actually do both. I'll work with the planners. That's how I first started. And they have a real good touch with what the couple, what their wedding's already gonna look like, you know, the feel, the vibe. And then they'll contact me with this is what we're thinking. Um, and can you work with that? And everybody is so different, every couple is so different what they want and what's important to them, and that's what makes it so much fun. Um, I'll also create, I'll work with brides and grooms that are at wedding shows. They'll contact me through that way as well. So yeah, a little bit of both ways, and I'm just happy to work with everybody.

SPEAKER_02 2:05

So, where's a different example where a party gift or a welcome gift can show up for a wedding day?

SPEAKER_01 2:12

So some people have the wedding welcome parties, so we can definitely set that all up as they enter into that evening, um, that weekend that just starts the weekend rolling, right? So I can have a beautiful table all lined up with these gorgeous gifts, and it's the presentation that really it's like, oh, is that for me? You know, that's what's so touching. Like you have these guests that have taken so much time out of their lives, they've taken vacation, they're traveling all day long, and they're exhausted and they're here to celebrate you because they love you, you know. Um, so yeah, I I can have a matter of welcome party set out. We deliver to hotels, each individual hotel, which is really nice because they're you know checking into their hotel and then they get into their room, just platform.

SPEAKER_00 2:56

I love having a little something when I check in if I'm traveling for a wedding. It is such a great personal touch. I mean, it warms me up, especially when it's something where you use those local products too.

SPEAKER_01 3:09

Welcome to Wisconsin, yeah, right? Welcome to Milwaukee, Madison area. And some people have never been here. So let's give them a taste of what we really have. We'll just see. So, do you like when they're handed to them when they get checked in or waiting in in their room? I have never been on the receiving end, so I would like either sometimes it's nice as soon as you're greeted at the hotel. Hey, we have something for you. Or it's a little surprised when you get into the hotel.

SPEAKER_02 3:33

I personally love it in the hotel room because you got your purse, you got your luggage, and you're like, and I got a gift, and I want some water. Yeah. So I like that when you walk in and there's like a pretty display just saying, Oh, hello, Mrs. Babbage. Yes, nice touch. Absolutely. Yeah. Do you do gifts too, even for bridal parties? Because you were just saying, like, taking the time to come for a wedding, but bridal parties, they're like spending a lot of money to be in a wedding. 100%. You know, from the bachelorette party, buying the dress, the shoes, hair and makeup. Um, do you assist it all with those?

SPEAKER_01 4:09

I do. I do gifting all across the board for any any occasion. But for those bridal parties, like you said, they spend a lot and they invest. They love the bride, they love the groom. And then this is a way to share with them just something. Maybe there's an inside joke between you two. Maybe it's something that you've shared and experienced together, and you want to, it's not just a a generic gift. We're putting meaning into it and personalizing it, and so that can be whatever is between the couple and those members of the wedding party, which makes it super special. What is the largest wedding that you've helped with for a welcome bag or a party favor bag? Currently I have one for 330 guests. Um, but that's hauling all of the gifts in the back of my SUV, sometimes making two trips from northern Wisconsin down here. Um, even if we have to haul have a U-Haul. I'll rent a U-Haul and I have a very large order coming up. Um, and so we'll need a U-Haul for that. Yeah, do you ship or like how I do ship as well. Okay, how does that look? So I have um we can just use regular UPS shipping, those can go to the hotels if if need be, but we can work out the details and just smooth. It's seamless for the bride and groom, they don't have to worry about anything. I take care of all that, which is cool, right?

SPEAKER_00 5:25

Now, for our listeners, how far out do they have to be booking you?

SPEAKER_01 5:29

That's such a good question, right? Because I'm just like any other vendor, you have timelines, you have sourcing, it all depends on what you're including in those gifts and especially shipping. We want to make sure those gifts arrive on time, even beforehand. We have issues, maybe you have to send another round. What if something got lost in shipping, right? So you just want to at least have it's nice to have a year, but nine months to six months out to for sure get that date locked in, and then we can have a conversation after that. Okay, so I want to open up these bad boys.

SPEAKER_02 6:00

So, um, so we um Carrie asked Summer to assist with thank you, uh thank you gift to our planners for Wisconsin Bride Best Sov. And before you reveal it, Summer, yeah, how did you start how like deciding to put in here?

SPEAKER_01 6:17

So I did a little research on each individual's web website, and I did a little research on their Instagram, and it's a little investigative work. They maybe maybe that's a little fun that I have with it, but then you find out what they're really interested in. Sometimes they have on a little about me section, or they talk about in their stories their what they share daily, what's really meaningful to them. Maybe they're wearing um different things or drinking different things, and I take note. I want to make sure the gifts are very practical, you know, tailored to the individual. Okay. So here's shall we do the biggest. I let it go. I said somebody trust me.

SPEAKER_02 6:52

Is this who is this for Ashley?

SPEAKER_01 6:54

Is this for Ashley? With my Western Pride. Okay. So we have a personalized card, and then because she is a big Taylor Swift fan, we included little elements of that. So the card, I'm not gonna open that up, but little mirror ball. We have she loves rose. Yes, she does. So we had to include that and some sparkling rose bears. We have rosé eye patches and a little comforting body polish, along with a little sneak underneath. There's a little collagen booster for energy. A little sparkling water. And for comfort body polish when she has some downtime, because she said downtime with her husband's important. Yeah. A little local chocolate from a chocolate company in Milwaukee. And then we have some bath soaps underneath. Oh, that is very perfect. Hope you like it. I'll read I'll tie the ribbon later. That's a practice. Yeah, that is a big ribbon. A labor of love. Yes. And then I have the other one for Deanna.

SPEAKER_02 8:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:07

And olive with the olive green branch event. You really think of everything somewhere. It's so fun. It's so fun.

SPEAKER_02 8:17

She's not here. Listen.

SPEAKER_01 8:18

I yeah, this isn't being aired until later. Yeah, okay. So here we go. She loves to entertain and host. So I she's a busy bee. Went off that. And she loves boba tea. Took note of that. We're cooking, she loves to read. So we have bookmarks, magnetic bookmarks. We have olive oil underneath, pasta, and some local sauces from a company in New York. Or Green Bay, sorry. Yes. So, and then I think underneath here we have some more bath salts.

SPEAKER_02 8:52

So a little personalized card. Um bow tie eye patches eye patches.

SPEAKER_01 8:59

That is so cute. She loves cookies, so I had to keep it all in the theme. It's beautiful.

SPEAKER_02 9:05

So you just I love that you took like the challenge, and you know, we have public profiles as business owners in our businesses to be able to do that and be so customized. Yeah.

unknown 9:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:16

That was really nice. So from start to finish, like how long did that take you?

SPEAKER_01 9:21

Quite a few hours. Yeah. You know, because I live so far from town, I do I am intentional about who I shop with and I don't keep a lot of inventory because the gifts are so personalized. Of course. So then I specifically shop for the individual. So there's quite a few hours in there, but labor and love.

SPEAKER_02 9:38

I know everybody's now thinking budget. What is a good budget for a par especially for a wedding for 350 people? Like, because it can get expensive doing a party favor, and sometimes that's one thing that they cut out when they're doing their budget planning. But it's so I'm gonna tell everybody don't do it because it's one of the takeaways and to celebrate and enjoy something after the wedding.

SPEAKER_00 10:01

It's so personal.

SPEAKER_02 10:02

So, what's a good realistic like minimum to like top for a budget?

SPEAKER_01 10:07

It really can go all over the place, honestly. It depends on how simple you it doesn't have to be elaborate and expensive, it can be simple and still super meaningful. That's what makes this so beautiful. Um, so we can do something simple with maybe the bride and groom's favorite snacks, water. You think of checking in the hotel, you've traveled. What are the practical items? Water you're looking for. Why search around for that stuff when you have something right here in the gift? A mint late snack. Um, so really those are simpler where you can go all the way to let's be extravagant, and maybe there's a a personalized jewelry case for traveling. Maybe there's um a whole charcuterie idea. Just the the possibilities are endless in these gifts, and so there is no budget.

SPEAKER_02 10:56

I know sometimes I actually did a welcome gift at for the hotel, and I'm like, I included Swedish fish because I'm Swedish, obviously. Perfect, but like where he's from, the iron range, like we really thought of like what to put in to be bring our personality into the bay.

SPEAKER_00 11:12

It's fun to do, but as a bride, as a group, you know, you you have so much else on your plate. So being able to outsource is really and then you know, just to be able to trust somebody like yourself, Summer, to really execute it and curate such a thoughtful presence as well. Right. And like, yeah, as much as I'd like love to do it, it's like take it off my plate, please, you know.

SPEAKER_01 11:33

Yeah, and that's I think something that's not noted enough because you think you can DIY. We all can. That's a great idea, and it's cute in theory, but now your house looks like a warehouse. Yeah. You're sourcing or you're making calls to all these small businesses. When is the timeline? Are things gonna melt? Are we checking the products? Are they breaking? Um, quality control. And so that's what my job is. Yeah. And you just tell me what you want, and I'm just gonna fill those and make them beautiful for the guests when they arrive.

SPEAKER_02 12:04

Like I the other ideas still utilize you. Bachelorette gifts. Like if you're going to Arizona, a custom beach towel. 100%. You know, the heart sunnies. Just little just to give the um followers, the listeners, just ideas how they can utilize you. Because there are especially these um couples, they're either they're working full time or they're buying a house already uh during this time too. All the other wedding planning. Yeah, like but they want to say thank you to who the event, the people involved, or again their guests uh utilize you to handhold, handheld, hand hold them through this.

SPEAKER_00 12:41

The guests are gonna remember. They're gonna, like you said, take home with you and really remember. I mean, yes, they're gonna remember the food, the fun, but to be able to say that couple did this to show their appreciation back, it's really, really meaningful.

SPEAKER_01 12:55

I mean, oh no, you go. Yeah, I was just thinking there was a a wedding that I worked for and they wanted a custom or a a clover pin included. It can be the tiniest thing, right? So this clover pin was included in memory of someone who passed away who couldn't be at the wedding. And so everyone received that in their gifts and they were to wear it at the reception.

SPEAKER_02 13:15

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_01 13:16

So how meaningful is that? It's something simple and yet you're taking that home. That's a constant memory. It's not just something they're gonna throw away. What a great idea. What a great touch.

SPEAKER_02 13:26

What um what is one of the like top three gifts at the end of the wedding night that you helped put together for a takeaway?

SPEAKER_01 13:36

Like would I wish what I've done already? Yeah, like top three. I would say the clover pin was was number one. Um, those are good questions. Anytime I can utilize a small business that is also working as hard as everybody else in the small business world, right? We think about all the wedding people, all the wedding vendors, you guys work hard. Um so anytime I can include a business that just maybe they're not as active on social media or in their they don't have time. And so now I can do a little shout out to them and use their product and it tastes good and people love it. It's like comfort, maybe comfort food. Maybe it's a popcorn from a local company. Yeah, those kind of things really are meaningful. Um, yeah, I'll have to think about a third one. I mean, they're all just so good.

SPEAKER_00 14:25

Yeah, do you have a favorite experience like a one that really stuck with you personally?

SPEAKER_01 14:30

Initially, I think about the very first wedding I I did, and it was a wedding, a lake wedding weekend. So the couple were coming from New York, they were coming to the area. All these guests are flying into Wisconsin, they've never experienced anything here before, right? And so it was a chocolate she wanted included from her local co chocolate shop she grew up with. Yeah. It was meaningful. But then we did a little um twist on it and had it they had added the old-fashioned flavor to that truffle. And that was pretty incredible to include that. Old fashion. Yes. And then people were traveling, so they had late what was it, um sunscreen and bug spray. Because now they're prepared for the weekend. They're not gonna travel with that, they don't know what to expect.

SPEAKER_02 15:15

Bug spray. Yeah. I mean it's a it sounds, but it it all works because you're from out of town and you haven't no know about mosquitoes here in Wisconsin.

SPEAKER_01 15:24

Terrible and a snack and a water, late night, all these things that just make it more of a comfort. It's like the first hug, is how I like to liken it too. It's the first hug these guests get. It gets them excited about the weekend and celebrate that true love. And maybe they haven't seen these individuals for a long time. So it's like building that connection again.

SPEAKER_00 15:44

Yeah. And that's their first, like, I don't know, it elevates right away. As soon as you walk in the door and you arrive. Right. That's something to elevate your experience. I just keep goosebumps talking about it.

SPEAKER_02 15:53

I know it is that's how meaningful they can be. I love that you said it's the first hug to the wedding weekend. Well, Summer, thanks for coming on the podcast. I'm so excited for you and this journey. And again, I'm excited that my planners get to meet you and hear about you, and knowing that you can ship and do all the things and tie 350 bowls on those gift beds. Yes. Very meticulously.

SPEAKER_00 16:17

I can't wait to watch Summer Girl here. Yeah, you really got something special. It is fun. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_02 16:23

Well, thank you for tuning into Wedding Day Podcast. We'll see you next time.