Welcome Bags - Aruba Aloe

[christene]

Hey All --

I'm trying to think though (and put a budget to) my Welcome Bags for my wedding. I've read great things about Aruba Aloe products but looking on their website it looks like they're pretty expensive. I did email them directly to see if they had maybe "travel sizes" available. They do for a few products (2 oz.) but I have to purchase 96 of any product I'm interested in!

I was getting discouraged but just found Aruba Aloe products on the Ling & Sons website and it looks like they're prices are a lot less than Aruba Aloe's website. Could this be correct? For example, on AA site the "After Sun Care" (4oz) is $18.95, however on Ling & Sons its only $7.07. Could that really be? Is there maybe a currency conversion I'm missing? AA's aloe gel and burn balm are both $11.95, yet Ling & Sons lists these products at $6.84 and $7.26 respectively. Looks to me like the sizes are the same:

http://www.lingandsons.com/ling/listingItemSearch.do
http://www.arubaaloe.com/Testimonial.cfm

So, I'm trying to figure out if AA products should stay 'on the list'. Also, is there maybe a drugstore that sells travel size products? I was thinking some travel size products for the welcome bag but loading up on some burn products which we would share with those that do end up with a burn.

Thanks,

Christene

[Jacki]

The products are less expensive at Ling's We found that out when we visiting Ling's the day after touring Aruba Aloe

[cindyo]

Originally Posted by christene

Hey All --

I'm trying to think though (and put a budget to) my Welcome Bags for my wedding. I've read great things about Aruba Aloe products but looking on their website it looks like they're pretty expensive. I did email them directly to see if they had maybe "travel sizes" available. They do for a few products (2 oz.) but I have to purchase 96 of any product I'm interested in!

I was getting discouraged but just found Aruba Aloe products on the Ling & Sons website and it looks like they're prices are a lot less than Aruba Aloe's website. Could this be correct? For example, on AA site the "After Sun Care" (4oz) is $18.95, however on Ling & Sons its only $7.07. Could that really be? Is there maybe a currency conversion I'm missing? AA's aloe gel and burn balm are both $11.95, yet Ling & Sons lists these products at $6.84 and $7.26 respectively. Looks to me like the sizes are the same:

http://www.lingandsons.com/ling/listingItemSearch.do
http://www.arubaaloe.com/Testimonial.cfm

So, I'm trying to figure out if AA products should stay 'on the list'. Also, is there maybe a drugstore that sells travel size products? I was thinking some travel size products for the welcome bag but loading up on some burn products which we would share with those that do end up with a burn.

Thanks,

Christene

ALL ARE CORRECT...Ling and sons has the cheapest around...
other ideas are belgium chocolates, dutch cookies at lings, asst cheeses...

[purestone2004]

My friend got married in Aruba last year and we did the same thing as you are planning, we own a home in Aruba so I did the research for when she arrived. This is what we did in the end (although we didn't have to do as nearly as many bags) She did a beach bag per couple (or one for singles) we bought the beach bags and towels at the flea market that runs on the weekends close to the grocery stores. Buying in bulk gives you an amount of bargaining power at the market. Now the towels and bags weren't of luxury quality but all you need for the beach. And yes the aruba aloe products are cheaper at Ling and Sons which is where we purchased all that. In all my time I don't recall seeing travel sizes for the aruba aloe products.

[christene]

Thanks so much for the info everyone! I'm surprised there is that much of a difference.

Sounds like we're on the right track then. We arrive a day before the guests (us, Wednesday, guests Thursday). We'll have a car and our first stop will be to the grocery store to pick up some sun products, bottled water, soda and some dry snacks like chips for the bags. I also like the idea of the Belgian chocolates if I can afford them. Dutch cookies may be a good touch too since my family is Dutch. (Or at least we had grandparents that came to the US from the Netherlands.) Then maybe stopping back the day they arrive for some fruit and maybe a few other cold snacks since all the rooms at the Marriott have refrigerators.

How about a place that has a good selection of postcards and stamps for purchase? I was thinking of putting a few stamped postcards in each bag. One idea I came across was taking one postcard for each bag and pre-addressing it back to us, asking the guests to send it at the end of the weekend with their favorite memory from the trip so we'd have them to add to a scrapbook later.

I wish we'd have time to go to a flea market. Instead I'm planning to bring bags with me. I was hoping to find something that could be used as a beach bag. The best I've been able to find so far is these: http://www.blissweddingsmarket.com/store/000414.htm. I'd like to do one bag per room which could be about 15 of them.

[Randi]

I think the Aruba Aloe on the website is the price it sells for in the US. I have ordered online and it is shipped from the US and the prices are higher for obvious reason.

[Liz - Aruba Lover]

I would go to the Aloe store in Aruba. The supermarkets don't have a big selection and they might not have the quanity you need. I found Lings more expensive on Aloe products than Superfoods and Hong King. The Aloe store is not far from the Texaco at the roundabout.

[christene]

Thanks Liz. We'll keep that in mind. I'm just relieved to find those website prices are for American distribution and am glad to know we'll be able to find these products a lot more affordable there. How about travel size products? They sell a few different products in 2 oz travel sizes. Has anyone seen those around town? When I contacted the factory they said I'd have to buy a whole case if I wanted the smaller sizes.

[Liz - Aruba Lover]

I have never seen travel sizes of Aloe products in the shops or Aloe factory store.

[Arubalisa]

I saved our receipt from all the different products we purchased at Hong King. When I have a chance in the next few days I will convert from florins to USD to give you an exact price for the different products: shampoos, conditioner, body wash and body lotion.

Liz is correct though, the travel sizes and widest variety will be found at their factory store.