Gifts Be Gone! Alternatives to a Gift Registry

We live in an increasingly modern society, and many couples are making the choice to live together before marriage. This means that they might already have a houseful of cheese graters, cast iron pans and a fancy knife set ordered online that can supposedly cut soda cans in one swift slice.

We live in an increasingly modern society, and many couples are making the choice to live together before marriage. This means that they might already have a houseful of cheese graters, cast iron pans and a fancy knife set ordered online that can supposedly cut soda cans in one swift slice.

A gift registry, historically, is to help get couples ready for the big step of cohabitating, but what would work for today’s couple that has already taken that step? There are many fun and even downright charitable ways a couple can receive congratulations on their nuptials that don’t involve their guests spending an afternoon at Bed, Bath and Beyond contemplating napkin rings.

The real estate market may be a disaster zone, but it is still the dream of many young couples to buy their own home. One couple in Los Angeles, CA turned their flair for the creative into a nest egg they could use as a down payment on a home. The groom, an artist, and the bride, a writer, held a silent auction for their work both before and after the ceremony. Not only did they make a nice little contribution to their house fund, but their guests got to bring home something that the couple had put a lot of time, effort and love into making. A win-win situation.

Another developing trend is to have wedding guests contribute to a honeymoon fund. Many couples are no longer going from saying “I do” to hopping in a taxi to the airport, and instead choosing to spend time with out of town guests for a couple of days following the ceremony. This allows for more family time after the wedding craziness has died down, but can also give the couple time to figure out how much money they have to work with to plan their honeymoon trip.

If you feel like you have all your ducks in a row around your living situation and honeymoon trip, you may want to consider the charitable route. You can pick a specific charity or cause that you want to support, and have guests send donations to them.

Instead of including the standard “the couple is registered at Bloomingdale’s” card that comes along with an invitation, you can feature a fact sheet about why you both believe in this particular charity’s work and what specific monetary donations will allow them to accomplish. You can feel good about this type of choice, because you won’t be getting a ton of gadgets that will probably sit in storage, and you’ll be helping to make the world a better place.

Another fun option would be to simply ask that if guests are going to give you gifts, they be something homemade. This would leave them the option to not bring anything if they aren’t particularly crafty, but you might also end up with some amazing art made by your old college roommate, or a case of home brewed beer carefully crafted by your Uncle Joe.

No matter which route you end up taking, if you decide to buck tradition and avoid the gift registry, you may end up with some wonderful things you didn’t even know you needed, and at the very least, some special lasting memories.

No matter which route you end up taking, if you decide to buck tradition and avoid the gift registry, you may end up with some wonderful things you didn’t even know you needed, and at the very least, some special lasting memories. If you are looking additional ways to bring a personal and unique feel to your special day, please visit Irish Celtic Jewels. We feature the best in Celtic jewelry that is crafted in Ireland. We have a large selection of Irish wedding and engagement rings that can help lend a distinct sentiment to your vows. We have the highest in quality customer service and superior products, and guarantee you will always find what you are looking for.

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