Welcome Bags - Chocolates

[christene]

Hello everyone --

I'm thinking through my welcome bags and two ideas I received from the forum that I really like are Dutch cookies and Belgian chocolates. We plan to hit the store when we arrive. My question is can anyone tell me sources for affordable Belgian chocolates with maybe 4-6 per package? Is there a particular brand that's really good but affordable? Same with cookies - can I find them in individual packages? Or should I plan to buy bigger packages and divide them out maybe in some favor bags / boxes? And how about large quantities of bottled water? Do you have anything like a Costco where you can buy products by the case? I'd like to be able to provide 2-3 bottles per person. And finally - is there a place that's best for purchasing beer, wine and liquor? We get there only one day before our guests so I want to know what I need to bring with me, what I'll be putting in bags from Aruba and where I need to go when I get there.

Thanks,

Christene

[Arubalisa]

Originally Posted by christene

Do you have anything like a Costco where you can buy products by the case?

http://www.aruba.com/forum/f37/buying-bulk-costco-like-store-37433/

is there a place that's best for purchasing beer, wine and liquor?
Thanks,

Christene

Right at the grocery store.

[christene]

Thanks! My fiance and I are Costco junkies so we'll definitely check out PriceSmart!

[Bryan Morris]

Hi Christene,

The Belgian chocolates everyone is reffering to are really the chocolates from "A Taste Of Belgium" they are great for the lack of a better word. They are located in the Paseo Herencia Mall opposite to the Holiday In hotel in Palm Beach at the high rise area, Down town in the Renaissance Mall and the are opening a new location at the Renaissance Market Place.

Shopping in bulk I second the suggestion above, you'll however pay 10% on the label price as you're not a member. Now if you find a nice local that's a member......

Regards,

Bryan Morris

[arubaweddingbound]

Is the beer,wine cheaper at PriceSmart than at the grocery store ?
Are you able to get the Aruba Aloe products there as well-is that the best place to get them ?

[christene]

I've heard Aruba Aloe is cheapest at the grocery store or maybe at the factory. Forget about the prices on their website - its for American distribution and pricing is a LOT higher. (Ling & Sons has some of the products and prices posted online)

At one time I had hoped I could purchase "travel sizes" and even contacted the factory directly, but was told I would have to purchase a minimum of 96 of each product I wanted. And there are only 4 products available in travel sizes. So, instead, I'm going to go to a grocery store and stock up on full size products to bring to our excursions. I'll also give a bunch to my bridesmaids, and provide my guests with bridesmaid contact info in their welcome letter. I want to have some sunscreen on hand and more importantly, 'after sun' and burn products.

Of course I never thought thought to ask if there are other brides that might want to split a case of travel size products with me. In particular, I'd like to be able to put the "after sun" product in the bags. 1 oz cases are available for 30SPF sunscreen, "Special Care" lotion, "After Sun" lotion and "Hand and Body" lotion. They even offered to deliver it to my hotel for me which would save time. I know pricing of the after sun prices out to about $1.60 per tube. I wish I could mix and match the case but was told now. I was hoping there might be a store where the 1 oz products are sold but haven't heard of any yet.

Originally Posted by arubaweddingbound

Are you able to get the Aruba Aloe products there as well-is that the best place to get them ?

[Arubalisa]

Originally Posted by arubaweddingbound

Are you able to get the Aruba Aloe products there as well-is that the best place to get them ?

Don't know if pricesmart carries aruba aloe.

http://www.aruba.com/forum/f13/welcome-bags-aruba-aloe-39615/

Here are how the prices converted from florins to dollars for our purchase 6/27 at Kong Hing Supercenter
All prices in USD

$4.71 Shampoo 9 oz.
$4.71 Conditioner 9 oz.
$6.13 Special care lotion 9 oz.
$5.46 Refreshing bath gel 9 oz.

[arubaweddingbound]

So Ling & Sons or the grocery store is the best place to get those. What about the Chocolates or Cookies ? I really like that idea. I wanted to put something in our Welcome bags that was unique to Aruba. Does anyone have a general idea of what the chocolate or the cookies cost ?
Do you have any idea what the cost of the Aloe would be if your getting it in Aruba ?

[Sheree10]

Great idea for welcome bags. I also didn't want to have to lug gifts for my guests down to Aruba. Everyone loves food so I plan to go to one or two stores when I arrive to fill up their welcome bags/ gift bags.

[christene]

I believe Ling and Sons is a grocery store and they have Aruba Aloe prices right on their website (you have to scroll a bit)... http://www.lingandsons.com/ling/list...d=1&entityId=1

We're going to purchase some of their full size sunburn products (Aloe and Burn Balm) to have available for our guests - we can't afford to put them in all bags. The one thing I would like to put in all bags is the After Sun Care. I plan to purchase a case of 96 1oz After Sun products. There are some other 1oz products available too (Sunscreen, Hand & Body Lotion, and 'Special Care' lotion), but they also have to be purchased by the case. In the bag I plan to put one After Sun per person and a note in the welcome letter that more are available upon request (we'll only have about 35 people). Pricing on the After Sun works out to $1.60 per tube and they'll deliver to the hotel. I'm getting ready to email them back to confirm my order and see if individual full size products are available from the factory at a good price. I'm hoping to just place one big Aruba Aloe order and have the products delivered.

I have not yet found a source that sells singles of these small sizes (like the 'travel size' section we're used to seeing at the grocery store). So far I only know of the small sizes being available directly from the factory and only by the case.

For cookies - at the moment instead of hoping to find individual packages of cookies, I'm planning to bring some cellophane treat bags, personalized stickers and a pretty ribbon so I can buy cookies in bulk and divide them among the bags. It looks like maybe PriceSmart has a bakery though I would love to know if there are other great bakeries in town for cookies and other goodies.

I'm also planning on putting at least two bottles of water per person in the bags. We're hoping to find bottled water by the case at PriceSmart. If anyone happens to know if that is available and the approximate size of the bottles I would love to also include some koozies that will fit the bottles and keep them cool. It would be nice if the same koozie could fit the water bottle and/or a can of soda.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by arubaweddingbound

So Ling & Sons or the grocery store is the best place to get those. What about the Chocolates or Cookies ? I really like that idea. I wanted to put something in our Welcome bags that was unique to Aruba. Does anyone have a general idea of what the chocolate or the cookies cost ?
Do you have any idea what the cost of the Aloe would be if your getting it in Aruba ?