Already own a complete set of dishes? Possess enough towels between you and your groom that there’s no need for your guests to buy more? Rather not receive a new ironing board as a wedding gift? Then, Las Vegas brides, reconsider your Las Vegas weddings’ registry plans.
Let Your Guests Know
Invite your guests to join with you to support a cause of your choice. You can begin this theme by including small cards in your invitations or a message on your personal wedding website’s home page. Through these methods, politely explain your decision to forgo usual gifts, show your support for a certain organization, and direct guests to a website where they’ll learn more information and be able to donate in lieu of traditional wedding gifts.
Give and Receive
For all you brides and grooms who do need a few staples for your home, but who also love the idea of giving back as you receive your wedding gifts, consider incorporating both concepts. Set up a small registry with the final items you need—such as a complete set of silverware, floor lamps, hardware tools, etc. Then give guests the options of purchasing you a gift from your gift registry or making a donation to the charity of your choice. For those guests who do purchase from a typical gift registry, you can link your wedding registry to groups like The I Do Foundation, who allow 10% of all registry purchases to benefit a charity of your choice.
Show Your Support
While charity registries may be the most popular option (even British royalty Prince William and Miss Kate Middleton have endorsed this wedding trend), you may also continue to show your support throughout your wedding day. But bear in mind your guests are attending your wedding, not a fundraiser. Show your support in subtle, elegant ways that are appropriate to the wedding’s tone.
To do this, select one of the following ideas, or create your own method: Print wedding invitations on fully recyclable paper. Place polished information cards on the ceremony seats for guests to view as they wait for the wedding to begin. Pay tribute to a cause by wearing attire that’s symbolic of your charity choice—be it a certain material for your gown, a specific shoe brand, awareness bracelets, or a color that’s cause is briefly explained in the wedding program. Serve guests a vegan cake, or donate all untouched leftovers to a local food bank. Ask a disc jockey to make a quick announcement, perhaps after the toasts or before the dance party.
Choose Your Charity
However you choose to include the charity of your choice is up to you, brides and grooms. Whether your involvement extends to just replacing the registry or to including the cause in your wedding day’s events as well, you are making a difference for the better.
Love the idea of helping others through your Las Vegas wedding planning? Consider which nonprofit organizations you can partner with for your wedding’s charity choice. Then contact the organization, set up an online gift account for your wedding, and let the giving begin!
Author: Allyson Siwajian
Photo Credit: first image provided by Debra Hansen, second image by http://www.toms.com/wedding
1 comment on “Reconsider your wedding registry: Choose to benefit a charity of your choice”
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Charitable donations can sometimes rub the guests the wrong way since you’re choosing to give them a gift, but then hand it off to someone else. And, sometimes it’s to a charity they aren’t on board with. I usually recommend giving a small favor, like a cookie, and then making a donation to your charity in the name of the wedding couple or a member of the family who is gone or afflicted.
Sorry to disagree with the author, but we never mention gifts of any kind in a wedding invitation.