1bigpresent.com Blog

It appears that one of the biggest challenges facing all of you brides and grooms-to-be is how to politely ask your guests for cash as a wedding gift.  Recently we have had more and more emails asking for advice about this and asking for specific words, phrases and poems which politely ask for cash.  It appears that no matter how familiar we all are with Gift Lists and Gift Funds most people still struggle with the ‘how to ask’ bit.  Taboo or not it may just help you to know that according to a nationwide survey carried out by research group i3 78% of consumers actually prefer to give cash as a wedding gift.  Most friends and family members appreciate that monetary gifts are far more useful than traditional gifts.  It is a great deal more satisfying for them to know that they are contributing towards something you really need or are saving for.  Feeling a bit better about it now?

Anyway here goes with a little bit of 1BigPresent poetry. There is no doubt that some people like to be asked for cash gifts with words of some kind, but that others don’t, so you really need to decide what feels right for you!  My advice: don’t worry too much about offending one or two people as you really can’t win and the reality of it is that you are likely to offend one or two folk no matter what you do, so if it’s right for you then take a deep breath and ask away! 

Have a read at these then go ahead and copy and paste, edit bits or delete (ouch), but hopefully some or all of this will go a little way to help you with your polite request.  Watch this space for more ‘polite’ poetry!

Option 1

 

As our special day draws near,

we hope our sentiment is clear

Our dearest wish is that you’re there,

and in our happiness you’ll share

Your presence is what matters most,

not gadgets for our tea and toast

But if a gift is on your mind,

A small contribution would be kind

We’re planning for our life ahead

and things we’ll need as we are wed

Each little gift from you we’ll treasure,

 but value we will never measure

So ‘thank you’ is all that’s left to say 

We’ll see you on our wedding day

 

Option 2

 

As our wedding day draws near

We hope our sentiment is clear

We need you there as we are wed

to witness our love as vows are said 

But as for gifts, please, please don’t try 

 to find the ideal thing to buy

We have no list of pots and pans

just hopes and dreams and honeymoon plans

So if a gift is on your mind

A contribution would be kind

It will help us more than words can say

To celebrate our special day

Thank you

 

 

Option 3 

 

Your presence will be the greatest gift at our wedding and we look forward to spending our special day with you!

As Jonathan and I are so lucky to have a home together and already own many of the items that we need we have not requested wedding gifts. We know however that some of you have been enquiring about this so we would like to say that if it is your intention to mark the occasion of our marriage with a gift then we would be more than grateful to receive a small contribution towards our honeymoon/new kitchen/new furniture etc.  More than anything we hope that you can make it on the day so please don’t feel obliged in any way .