Household appliances and chinaware are the common and traditional gifts given to newlyweds. But today, couples tend to own some of these generic wedding gifts before they get married, therefore, as an alternative of asking for traditional gifts, they ask for money instead. Couples in the present time fund their weddings themselves and receiving money from guests can help them recoup some of their wedding expenses. If you’ll be getting married soon and you want to ask your guests for money instead of gifts, here are some tips on how you can do it politely and avoid the awkwardness.
Delicately spreading the word is where it all starts. You can also consider putting together a registry for your guests. They also often reach out to your close family members and other people responsible in your wedding party about the registry information. The same as asking your parents to let your guests know which store you’ve registered at, you can also ask them to tell your guests that you’re saving for certain things like your honeymoon, a car, preparations for a baby, a charity, or a home down payment. Letting your guests know where you’ll be using the money can make them feel more connected to your plans. Most guests will love it when they know how they’re contributing to your new life together. But don’t skip the traditional registry completely because some of your guests might really want to give you something material, therefore, give them a choice.
Today, there are some online wedding registry you can use to ask for money as gifts. Here are some which might be useful for you.
- Buy Our Honeymoon – through this registry, your guests can buy parts of your honeymoon like a dinner out, a stay in a luxury hotel, or a breakfast by the beach.
- Patchwork – this is another registry where your guests can donate cash for anything you and your partner want. It has wonderful visuals so that your guests can see each gift you wish to have.
Another way of asking money as a gift is by writing a simple request at the bottom of your invites. It should be carefully and politely composed. Here are some examples:
- Your presence at our wedding is all that we wish for. But if you want to give us a gift, we will be grateful for a small cash donation to be used for our (new house/honeymoon/etc.).
- Your attendance is all that we request. However, if you wish to give us a gift, then we have a small gift list at (where you registered at). On the other hand, monetary contributions towards planning our future together would also be greatly appreciated.
You might also need money for a home renovation such as removing wallpaper and adding a new fresh coat of paint.
Some also use poetry in conveying the message to the guests. It is one of the classiest ways in requesting money as a gift. If you are creative, you can write your own poem. Here are some of the common poems that were written in wedding invites.
- “Our home is bursting with stuff,
From toasters to kettles, we’ve definitely got enough!
Instead of more plates, we’d appreciate some cash,
To help us book our honeymoon so we can go in a dash.
A fun-filled city break would do just the trick,
The moment we can afford it, we’ll get on that plane quick!”
- “So what do you get for the bride and groom
Whose house needs things in every room?
When shopping for a present please don’t be rash
As there is always the option to just give cash!
We hope you don’t find our request to be funny
But we really would appreciate a gift of money.”
- “We made a commitment, some time ago,
Together through life, we were destined to go.
To save you looking, shopping and buying,
Here is an idea, we hope you’ll like trying!
Come to our wedding, to wish us both well,
And please make a donation to our wishing well.”
Also, if you’ve decided to ask your guests for money instead of gifts, there should be a well-labeled box in the reception where they can put the envelopes. You can also ask someone you trust to be in charge of collecting them or checking on them at the reception.
It doesn’t matter how big or small the money you’ll receive is, as well as the gift off of a traditional registry. It’s the thought behind each gift that counts. That’s why you should not forget to send thank you cards to your guests when you return from your honeymoon. Let them know that their efforts are much appreciated.