Monday, October 18, 2010

OOT Scoot Boogie

Every time I see "OOT," I start singing "Boot Scoot Boogie."  Maybe that's not normal.  But that's just what happens.

Of course, I'm talking about OOT bags, or out-of-town bags!  Approximately 84% of our guest list will be coming into Atlanta from elsewhere.   Most are from Florida, we have several from Massachusetts, and even a few from overseas!  Many of these loved ones have already expressed that they plan to attend our wedding.  Mr. Lion and I are just so humbled by the fact that these people would inconvenience themselves just for us; the least we can do is give them a little somethin' extra to make their stay more comfortable.

Though I've never actually received an OOT bag as a wedding guest, I've run into quite a few in the wedding blogosphere.  My personal favorites are the ones with a theme:
A Baseball Basket by Kate Parker Weddings

I like the idea of building a basket around the couples' interests (like the baseball one above), but what better theme for an OOT bag than a local theme?  As an OOT guest, I would appreciate some exposure to local fare and flair; I'm sure some others would feel the same way.  Most city-specific OOT bags that I encountered included a map, a list of fun local places, and some local delicacies, not unlike this Miami bag:

I found all kinds of inspiration for cities across the Northeast and the West Coast, but it was slim pickins for little old Atlanta.  Then, I found some inspiration where I least expected it:

A light bulb went off over my head during one of my cherished weekly trips to TJ's.  What if we bought groceries for our OOT guests?!  And not just groceries...Georgia-themed groceries!  So naturally, I bought as many of these babies as I could get my paws on (Get it?  Lioness?)
{personal photo}

Trader Joe's makes these reusable grocery bags for every major city (Sister Lioness has a really cute NYC one with a fun spin on Lady Liberty's "Give Me Your Tired").  They're only $1 and they're fabulous.  We decided to fill our Atlanta bags with:
  • A glass bottle of Coca Cola
  • Peaches
  • Pecans
  • Peanuts
Aaaand that's about all I've got so far.  "Cotton" balls?  Maybe some vidalia onion jelly?  Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated!

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