10 Western Bachelorette Party Favor Ideas

Nothing deflates the excitement of a high-spirited weekend quite like a tote bag stuffed with plastic neon shot glasses, flimsy rhinestone tiaras, and polyester sashes destined for a trash can by Sunday noon. When curating favors for a modern western bachelorette, hosts often find themselves caught between kitschy novelty novelties and generic spa kits that feel completely detached from the destination. Here is the refreshing truth: creating a memorable guest experience doesn’t require a mountain of branded merchandise. You simply need better inspiration.

The secret to gifting that guests genuinely appreciate is to anchor your selections in utility, authentic materials, and understated artisan craft. Instead of buying ten cheap knick-knacks, choose a single, beautifully made item that feels at home during the celebration and integrates effortlessly into everyday life long after the boots are packed away. The ten curated concepts below present distinct, elevated takes on western favors—proving you can nod to ranch culture while keeping your aesthetic undeniably refined.

What Makes a Western Favor Worth Keeping

The difference between a favor that gets cherished for years and one left behind on a hotel nightstand comes down to intentionality, tactile quality, and personal utility. When souvenirs prioritize novelty over real-world function, they instantly lose their charm the moment the party ends.

When sourcing favors for your weekend, use these design and quality principles:

• Authentic, Aging Materials: Prioritize vegetable-tanned leather, heavy-gauge copper, raw selvedge denim, stonewashed cotton, and genuine mineral stone. These materials develop a rich patina with use rather than degrading.

• Understated Branding: Resist the urge to plaster “Bride Tribe,” exact calendar dates, or giant slogans across the front of items. If you want to personalize, opt for blind debossing, small tonal monogramming, or custom-designed removable paper tags.

• Regional Craft and Provenance: Choose goods that highlight local makers or authentic frontier crafts, such as small-batch desert apothecary formulas, hand-poured beeswax, or woven textiles from regional looms.

• Real Everyday Utility: Ask yourself candidly: Would someone display this on their bar cart, keep it in their everyday handbag, or wear it on a casual weekend? If the answer is no outside of the party context, leave it behind.

• Thoughtful, Low-Waste Packaging: Ditch the synthetic cellophane and glitter ribbons. Wrap favors in reusable cotton bandanas, unbleached linen pouches, or recycled craft boxes tied with raw-edge twine or leather cord.

Favor Concept	Best Inspiration For	The Detail Worth Borrowing
Vegetable-Tanned Leather Luggage Tags	Destination fly-in weekends (Jackson Hole, Santa Fe, Aspen)	Blind-debossed minimalist initials on natural saddle leather
Hand-Dyed Cotton Bandanas	Outdoor adventures, horseback riding, and pool days	Natural plant dyes (madder root, indigo, marigold) on washed cotton
Custom Poured Amber Glass Desert Candles	Relaxing cabin weekends and fireside welcome gifts	Scent profiles based on piñon pine, sweet smoke, and desert sage
Hammered Heavy-Gauge Copper Mule Mugs	Cocktail-focused weekends and ranch mixology nights	Solid unlined copper with raw hand-hammered indentations
Wildflower Honey & Desert Bee Skep Bundles	Low-key country retreats and farm-to-table brunches	Raw local honey jars sealed with beeswax and dried prairie stems
Cast-Iron Bottle Openers	Bourbon-tasting nights and casual backyard barbecues	Heavy hand-forged blacksmith iron with a beeswax rust-resistant finish
Turquoise Mineral Pocket Stones & Pouches	Spiritual, wellness-focused retreats (Sedona, Joshua Tree)	Raw tumbled Kingman turquoise stones tucked into suede drawstring bags
Small-Batch High-Desert Botanical Face Mists	Sun-soaked pool parties and arid mountain climates	Amber glass spray bottles infused with prickly pear and rosewater
Hand-Rolled Cedar & Sweetgrass Smudge Bundles	Cozy fireside gatherings and sound-bath mornings	Aromatic white sage wrapped in cotton string with a tiny quartz point
Miniature Barrel-Aged Bourbon & Bitters Kits	High-energy saloon tours and historic hotel stays	Petite amber cork bottles finished with personalized dipped wax seals

1. Vegetable-Tanned Leather Luggage Tags & Cardholders

Saddle leather is the ultimate cornerstone of western craftsmanship. When executed with clean, modern lines, handcrafted leather goods offer a sophisticated heirloom quality that synthetic leather simply cannot match.

Vegetable-Tanned Leather Luggage Tags

For a destination weekend where guests have traveled from across the country, a durable leather luggage tag makes an immediate impression. Choose thick, un-dyed or caramel-colored vegetable-tanned leather that darkens and richens with exposure to sunlight and natural oils from hands.

Instead of printing party slogans, have an artisan blind-deboss each guest’s individual initials onto the lower right corner of the tag. Fasten the strap with a sturdy, brushed antique brass buckle. In a recent destination celebration outside Bozeman, Montana, each attendee found a personalized leather tag looped around their room key upon arrival. The tags accompanied their suitcases on flights back home, serving as a subtle, high-end reminder of the trip that will last for decades.

Minimalist Leather Card Wallets

If luggage tags don’t fit your itinerary, pivot to a sleek leather card sleeve designed to slip easily into a jacket pocket or small purse. Cut from the same sturdy bridle leather, a three-slot card wallet provides immediate function for holding room keys, credit cards, and IDs throughout the bachelorette festivities.

Keep the exterior entirely clean, reserving any commemorative custom text for a subtle interior heat-stamp. The natural grain, tactile feel, and rich scent of authentic leather instantly elevate the gift from a disposable souvenir to an everyday essential.

Craft Note: Seek out independent leatherworkers on platforms like Etsy or at local leather workshops. Many makers offer bulk studio discounts for sets of 8 to 12 pieces and can match custom thread stitching to your party’s core color palette for a unified finish.

2. Plant-Dyed Cotton Bandanas & Brass Slides

The classic western bandana is an iconic frontier accessory, but standard polyester versions often feel scratchy, stiff, and cheap. Elevating this favor comes down to shifting to organic woven textiles and artisanal dyeing techniques.

Plant-Dyed Cotton Bandanas

Swap standard paisley print synthetics for lightweight, pre-washed organic cotton or cotton-silk bandanas dyed using natural botanical pigments. Look for soft, complex earth tones derived from raw plant material: dusty blush from madder root, warm marigold ochre, weathered terracotta from cutch bark, or faded denim indigo.

Because botanical dyes take to natural fibers with subtle variations, every single bandana in the batch carries a unique, one-of-a-kind depth. Guests can knot them effortlessly around their necks for a horseback trail ride, tie them into their hair during a sunny afternoon, or wrap them around the strap of a canvas tote bag.

Hand-Turned Brass Slides

Rather than asking guests to struggle with awkward knots, complete the gift by pairing each bandana with a solid, brushed brass slide or scarf ring. A simple brass cylinder, engraved with clean southwest geometric patterns or left perfectly minimalist, allows the fabric to glide smoothly through and rest comfortably against the collarbone.

The warm golden hue of aged brass complements botanical dyes effortlessly, transforming a basic utility scarf into a piece of wearable artisan jewelry.

Fabric & Dye Choice	Color Palette	Best Functional Use
Washed Organic Cotton / Madder Root	Dusty rose, pale terracotta	Breathable neck scarf for hot sun protection and trail rides
Cotton-Linen Blend / Marigold & Onion Skin	Sunbaked ochre, warm sand	Hair kerchief, wrist wrap, or head accessory for casual pool lounging
Lightweight Silk Habotai / Natural Indigo	Muted slate blue, faded chambray	Elegant evening neckerchief paired with a denim jacket or white linen shirt

Presentation Tip: Use the bandana itself as the gift wrapping. Lay the bandana flat, place small secondary items (like a lip salve or sunglasses) in the center, and fold the fabric using traditional Japanese furoshiki techniques, securing the top with the brass slide.

3. Hand-Poured Amber Glass Candles & Matches

Scent is our most powerful memory trigger. Gifting a thoughtfully scented candle inspired by the local landscape allows guests to take the exact sensory essence of the weekend home with them.

Desert-Botanical Amber Glass Candles

Skip generic sweet vanilla or sugary floral scents. Instead, partner with a small-batch chandler to pour soy- or coconut-wax candles infused with rugged, grounding aromatic oils native to western landscapes. Think of crisp piñon pine, dried silver sage, sweet tobacco leaf, cracked campfire wood, and warm high-desert amber.

Package the candles in heavy amber glass jars paired with minimalist matte-black screw tops. The amber tint casts an ultra-flattering, warm honeyed glow when lit, fitting seamlessly on a modern nightstand, desk, or bathroom shelf without clashing with existing home decor.

Western Strike-on-Bottle Match Sets

Elevate the presentation by pairing each candle with an apothecary-style glass match cloche or petite corked vial. Fill the glass container with 3-inch wooden matchsticks featuring colored sulfur tips—such as desert rust, sage green, or charcoal black.

Affix an adhesive strike strip directly to the bottom or back of the glass vial. Tied together with a strip of rough rawhide lace, the candle and match pairing functions as a cohesive, high-end gift set that feels cozy, purposeful, and inviting.

Scent Guide: When selecting scents for a mixed group, avoid heavy synthetic fragrance oils that can trigger headaches. Stick to candles scented with pure essential oils and clean-burning botanical isolates so the throw remains subtle, gentle, and relaxing.

4. Solid Hammered Copper Mule Mugs & Bar Picks

A signature cocktail night is a staple of many celebrations. Giving guests their drink in high-end barware that they keep at the end of the night bridges entertaining and gifting seamlessly.

Heavy-Gauge Hammered Copper Mugs

The Moscow Mule and its regional cousin, the Kentucky Mule, are staples of western saloons. Invest in heavy-gauge, 100% solid copper mugs featuring hand-hammered surfaces rather than machine-polished, coated stainless steel.

The hand-hammered indentations refract ambient candlelight gorgeously across a dinner table, while genuine copper conducts freezing temperatures instantly, frosting the outside of the cup with a satisfying chill. Skip loud printed text; instead, present them clean, allowing the brilliant metal and tactile dimpling to do all the visual work.

Hand-Forged Brass Cocktail Picks

To round out the barware favor, place a set of two hand-forged brass cocktail picks inside each mug. Look for picks topped with simple, architectural western motifs—such as a clean arrowhead silhouette, a twisted rope finial, or a raw turquoise stone chip.

Packaged with a small, printed cocktail recipe card featuring the bride’s signature drink of the weekend (such as a Smoked Honey Paloma or a Bourbon Blackberry Smash), this gift transforms into an ongoing invitation to mix craft cocktails at home.

Barware Element	Material Specification	Why It Outlasts Generic Merch
Mule Tumbler	100% solid unlined copper, welded handle	Develops an authentic, rich vintage patina over years of home bar use.
Garnish Picks	Solid brushed brass with hand-twisted stems	Eliminates single-use plastic cocktail picks while adding vintage luxury.
Recipe Card	Heavy deckle-edge cardstock with letterpress print	Doubles as a charming, framed piece of mini-kitchen art or bar cart decor.

Care Note: Genuine copper naturally oxidizes over time. Include a small, stylish printed care card explaining how to clean the mug with a gentle lemon-and-salt rub to restore shine, or how to let it age naturally into a vintage matte finish.

5. Wildflower Honey & Hand-Carved Dippers

For low-key countryside gatherings, vineyard retreats, or rustic mountain cabin weekends, gifting artisanal local food goods grounds the party in the regional terroir.

Raw Regional Wildflower Honey

Honey is a timeless symbol of sweetness and celebration. Source small 4-ounce glass jars filled with raw, unfiltered honey harvested directly from local apiaries near your destination. Depending on the location, the honey might carry distinct botanical notes of high-altitude clover, mountain sage, desert wildflower, or mesquite blossom.

Seal the lid of each jar with hand-dipped beeswax for a rustic, apothecary look. The amber liquid catches morning light beautifully when arranged across a welcome breakfast table, offering guests a delicious flavor of the region to enjoy with tea, toast, or charcuterie boards long after they return home.

Hand-Carved Wooden Honey Dippers

Pair each jar with a miniature 4-inch wooden honey dipper hand-carved from olive wood or mesquite. Tie the dipper securely to the neck of the jar using a strip of hand-torn linen ribbon in an earthy tone like wheat, sage, or terracotta.

Tuck a single sprig of dried lavender or preserved wheat under the knot. This simple, culinary-focused favor bypasses fashion preferences and size requirements entirely, making it a universal hit that guests can immediately enjoy during Sunday morning brunch.

Sourcing Tip: Reach out directly to local beekeepers associations or farmers markets in your destination town a few weeks in advance. Buying directly from local beekeepers supports regional agriculture and often allows you to secure custom, unlabeled jars at wholesale volume pricing.

6. Hand-Forged Blacksmith Bottle Openers

Utilitarian items crafted using traditional metalworking techniques carry an inherent permanence. A hand-forged iron bottle opener feels substantial in the hand and functions as a functional conversation starter for any kitchen or patio.

Hand-Forged Iron Openers

Commission or source bottle openers hand-hammered on an anvil by a blacksmith. Forged from blackened steel or raw iron, these openers feature rough, hand-struck textures and organic twists along the handle that no factory mold can recreate.

Finished with a traditional beeswax or linseed oil bake, the dark metal has a smooth, rust-resistant matte finish. In a recent ranch gathering in Wyoming, guests were gifted an iron opener featuring a clean, hand-turned loop at the base. It provided an immediate, heavy, and satisfying tool for opening craft beers and sodas around the evening campfire.

Stamped Rawhide Lanyards

Loop a thick strip of raw, vegetable-tanned leather lace through the handle opening, fastening it with a simple brass rivet or tight whipstitch.

You can personalize this favor cleanly by hand-stamping each guest’s single first initial into the rawhide tail using a basic metal leather punch set. The marriage of dark, heavy wrought iron with warm, supple leather encapsulates classic frontier functionality without relying on gimmicks.

Weight Consideration: Keep airport luggage limits in mind. Hand-forged iron openers are pleasantly hefty, so if your bridal party is traveling light with carry-on luggage only, choose compact designs (around 4 to 5 inches in length) to avoid weighing down their travel bags.

7. Raw Tumbled Turquoise Pocket Stones & Pouches

For parties set in the American Southwest—such as Scottsdale, Sedona, or Santa Fe—turquoise carries deep cultural resonance, traditionally cherished as a stone of protection, friendship, and positive journeys.

Authentic Mineral Turquoise Stones

Skip artificial dyed howlite or plastic turquoise beads. Instead, source authentic, raw tumbled turquoise nuggets from historic regional mines like Kingman, Sleeping Beauty, or Royston. Each natural stone features its own intricate, marbled matrix of dark brown, gold, or black host rock running through vivid sky-blue or dusty seafoam-green minerals.

Holding a cool, polished pocket stone provides a tactile, calming grounding point. Guests can place the stone on their work desk, keep it tucked inside a coat pocket as a talisman, or use it as a decorative paperweight.

Suede Drawstring Pouches

House each mineral stone inside a supple, sand- or espresso-colored genuine suede jewelry pouch finished with braided leather drawstrings.

Include a small, beautifully typeset card printed on textured watercolor paper detailing the geological origin of the stone and its historic significance as an emblem of enduring connection and safe travels. The presentation feels thoughtful, personal, and profoundly connected to the desert setting.

Stone Variety	Color Characteristics	Regional Connection
Kingman Turquoise	Brilliant sky-blue with black or silver matrix	Classic Northwestern Arizona mine; bold, traditional western color.
Royston Turquoise	Deep emerald green shifting into soft dusty blue	Famous Nevada mine; prized for striking two-tone color shifts and rich brown rock matrix.
Sleeping Beauty	Pure, uniform robin’s-egg blue with minimal matrix	Celebrated for its exceptionally clean, pristine, and bright finish.

Authenticity Check: The market is flooded with synthetic dyed plastic passed off as real turquoise. Buy directly from certified mineral dealers or lapidary artists who can verify the specific mine origin of your stones to ensure you are gifting genuine mineral treasures.

8. High-Desert Botanical Face Mists & Balms

Traveling across arid ranch regions, spending days in the high-desert sun, and enjoying late evenings out can quickly dehydrate the skin. A thoughtful, luxury skincare favor offers immediate relief throughout the trip.

Hydrating Prickly Pear Face Mists

Provide guests with an instant refresh by gifting high-desert botanical facial mists packaged in compact, 2-ounce matte-amber glass spray bottles. Look for clean formulas starring organic prickly pear seed oil, desert rosewater, and wild-harvested aloe vera.

Prickly pear is renowned for its intense antioxidant and hydration benefits, providing a soothing, cooling splash of moisture when spritzed over the face during dry outdoor excursions, poolside afternoons, or the morning after a night out. The compact bottle easily clears TSA carry-on guidelines, making it an instant travel companion.

Herbal Desert Sage Lip Balms

Pair the mist with an artisanal, hand-poured lip balm packaged in a pocket-sized metal slide tin or eco-friendly kraft paper tube.

Formulate with nourishing local ingredients such as raw beeswax, shea butter, and infused desert botanicals like sweet sage, wild chamomile, or peppermint. Free from artificial dyes and synthetic fragrances, this practical duo protects skin against arid mountain winds while pampering guests with elevated self-care.

Packaging Detail: Replace commercial product stickers with custom, clean-lined paper labels. Use a classic serif font on unbleached kraft paper to list the pure, organic botanical ingredients, lending the bottle an artisanal apothecary charm.

9. Aromatic Cedar & Sweetgrass Smudge Bundles

For a retreat centered around wellness, relaxation, and mindfulness, gifting fragrant natural smudging botanicals invites guests to create a serene, grounding space both at the rental house and at home.

Hand-Tied Cedar & Sweetgrass Bundles

Step away from mass-harvested commercial sage bundles and opt for hand-gathered, sustainably harvested bundles of western red cedar, fragrant sweetgrass, and dried high-altitude lavender. Cedar carries a crisp, woodsy, and purifying aroma that instantly evokes alpine cabins and forest trails.

The wand should be tightly bound by hand using natural unbleached cotton string, with small dried prairie blossoms or mountain larkspur tucked beneath the cord for a delicate pop of color.

Raw Quartz Points

Elevate the botanical wand by tying a small, natural clear quartz crystal point directly against the front of the bundle using a strip of raw leather lace.

Clear quartz is traditionally celebrated as a stone of clarity and harmony. When paired with the fragrant cedar boughs, the bundle functions as a stunning, sculptural art piece that can sit decoratively on an entryway tray or coffee table book even if the recipient never chooses to burn it.

Safety & Sustainability Note: Ensure all herbs are ethically and sustainably wildcrafted, respecting local harvesting regulations. Include a small card with safe burning instructions: light over a heat-safe ceramic dish, never leave burning herbs unattended, and keep away from active air drafts.

10. Miniature Barrel-Aged Bourbon & Bitters Kits

Celebrate frontier spirits and cocktail craft by gifting an artisanal, mini cocktail kit that guests can crack open during the weekend or pack away for their next happy hour.

Dipped-Wax Petite Spirits

Source 100ml vintage-style glass flasks with cork stoppers, filling them with craft small-batch bourbon or rye whiskey sourced from an independent distillery in your bachelorette region.

To give the bottles an unmistakable high-end heritage look, dip the corked neck into melted sealing wax in a deep terracotta, forest green, or matte-black shade, stamping the top with a simple brass seal. The tactile wax seal gives each bottle the feel of an exclusive, limited-reserve distillery release.

Artisanal Craft Bitters

Pair each whiskey flask with a 1-ounce dropper bottle of regional small-batch bitters—such as smoked orange, wild cherry bark, or sarsaparilla.

Package both bottles inside a small wooden slide-top box cushioned with natural wood excelsior shavings. Paired with a wooden cocktail muddler or dried citrus wheels, this kit feels interactive, mature, and undeniably celebratory.

Non-Alcoholic Adaptation: If your group includes non-drinkers, swap the whiskey flask for an artisanal non-alcoholic distilled botanical spirit or high-end barrel-aged maple syrup. Paired with the specialty bitters and sparkling water, it yields a sophisticated, non-alcoholic craft mocktail.

Copy the Principle, Not the Exact Favor

The most common trap when sourcing party favors is trying to replicate every item seen in an elaborate social media welcome basket. Lavish, multi-item gift boxes look impressive in photos, but they frequently lead to bloated budgets and wasted items that guests can’t fit into their luggage.

Direct replication usually runs into three major problems:

1. The Budget Strain: Assembling seven or eight bespoke items per person multiplies shipping costs, packaging materials, and overall expense exponentially.

2. Travel Logistics: Bulky, heavy, or liquid-heavy gift bags create major headaches for guests who traveled with carry-on bags only.

3. The Clutter Factor: Guests rarely need three different keychains, four drink koozies, and branded sunglasses. More items dilute the perceived value of your gift.

Instead of distributing a grab bag of small novelties, select one single, exceptional design principle and invest in one thoughtful item executed with premium materials and genuine artisan craft.

Instead of Copying This Trend	Borrow This Timeless Design Principle
Giant tote bags filled with 8 cheap branded novelties	Gift a single, beautifully made plant-dyed cotton bandana tied with a brass slide.
Pink plastic shot glasses with “Last Rodeo” printed in vinyl	Provide solid, hand-hammered copper mule mugs that double as evening cocktail glassware.
Matching mass-produced fast-fashion graphic t-shirts	Offer personalized vegetable-tanned leather luggage tags blind-debossed with guest initials.
Plastic beaded bracelets with printed alphabet beads	Present raw tumbled turquoise pocket stones housed in authentic suede pouches.
Commercial aerosol mini perfumes or chemical lotions	Gift small-batch prickly pear hydrating facial mists in amber glass bottles.
Disposable printed foam beer koozies	Commission heavy hand-forged iron bottle openers finished with custom rawhide ties.

Build Your Own Favor Formula

Creating an unforgettable favor doesn’t require a professional events coordinator. It simply requires understanding how to balance physical materials, sensory engagement, and everyday practicality. The best favors feel organic, personal, and connected to the shared memories being made throughout the weekend.

To curate your favors with total confidence, use this straightforward, repeatable formula:

Mix and match elements across these core categories:

• The Material: Full-grain saddle leather, raw cotton flax, hammered unlined copper, blackened iron, or genuine mineral stone.

• The Scent / Taste Anchor: Desert piñon pine, raw clover honey, craft barrel-aged bourbon, or soothing wild sage.

• The Post-Party Function: A travel luggage tag, a home bar cocktail cup, an everyday desk accessory, or a versatile neck kerchief.

• The Finishing Touch: Handwritten deckle-edge notes, raw-edge linen ribbon, dipped beeswax seals, or stamped rawhide ties.

When you invest in honest materials and timeless utility, you aren’t just handing out a polite party souvenir. You are giving your guests a tangible piece of craftsmanship that carries the laughter, warmth, and shared spirit of your celebration forward into their daily lives.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I personalize western favors without using cheesy bridal party text?

The most sophisticated way to personalize favors is to focus entirely on the guest rather than the event title. Use small blind debossing or tonal hand-stamping to feature each guest’s individual first name or initials. Avoid loud phrases like “Bride’s Last Ride” or specific dates printed directly across the item. If you want to include commemorative event details, print them on a beautifully designed, removable paper gift tag or a handwritten letterpress note tucked inside the packaging.

What are the best compact favors for guests flying home with carry-on luggage only?

When guests are traveling light, prioritize flat, lightweight, or non-liquid items. Hand-dyed cotton bandanas, flat leather cardholders, luggage tags, and raw turquoise pocket stones pack completely flat without adding noticeable weight. If gifting liquids like facial mists or honey, ensure all bottles are strictly 2 ounces or under (well beneath TSA’s 3.4-ounce liquid limit) and securely sealed against cabin pressure changes.

How much should I realistically spend on western bachelorette party favors?

A realistic budget for elevated favors ranges between $25 and $55 per guest. Instead of spending $50 on a basket filled with six cheap, novelty items that will be discarded, allocate that entire amount toward a single, high-quality hero piece—such as a genuine solid copper mule mug, an artisan-poured amber glass candle, or a hand-tooled leather accessory. One exceptional item always makes a vastly better impression than a pile of disposable trinkets.

How far in advance should I order custom handcrafted western favors?

Because high-quality western favors often involve independent artisans, leatherworkers, or small-batch chandlers, order your items at least 6 to 8 weeks before the event date. Handcrafted leather debossing, custom candle pours, and blacksmithing require dedicated production time. Ordering early also gives you a comfortable cushion to inspect items, tie on custom tags, and arrange your packaging without last-minute stress.

What is the best way to present favors to guests during the weekend?

Skip the standard plastic goody bag. Instead, let the presentation enhance the party decor. Place leather luggage tags or custom bandanas directly on top of each dinner plate as part of your tablescape setup, turning the favor into a functional place setting. Alternatively, arrange favors neatly across a wooden console table in the entryway of your rental house, grouping them alongside a floral arrangement and a framed welcome note welcoming everyone to the ranch.