Yes, It's Possible to Make Amazing Welcome Bags on a Budget. Here's How

Welcome bags are one of the most thoughtful ways to thank your wedding guests for joining you on your special day, but they can also eat up a big chunk of your big-day budget. Is it possible to surprise guests with an in-room treat without breaking the bank? According to our expert wedding planner Shannon Leahy, the answer is yes. Here, she provides her best tips for creating the most beautiful, useful wedding bags on a budget. Best of all, your guests will have no idea how much you saved.

Think big with packaging.

"Amazing welcome bags are all about presentation," said Leahy, so spending a little more on the packaging and a little less on what's inside often goes a long way. She says choosing bags you really love, then stuffing them with affordable snacks from the bulk aisle at the grocery store. Pretzels and popcorn are crowd-pleasers that won't set you back too much.

Keep them simple.

Your guests aren't expecting an overflowing welcome gift. Leahy says to keep it simple and thoughtful. She recommends including a few bottles of water with custom labels to water bottles (you can order affordable sticker options online!), then adding one sweet and one salty snack, plus a nice note.

Don't underestimate the power of boxes.

"We love to put everything in a little box with filler and maybe a small tag on the outside," Leahy says. Boxes tend to hold up better in transit, so they make for a cleaner presentation than when items are tossed in a bag. Plus, everything can be nicely arranged inside a box, so it looks a bit more luxe.