WEDDING INVITATION QUESTION

we are having a very small simple wedding in may and i will be moving to the uk in nov......my question is this......i really dont have room to take gifts over with me to the uk......my friends say its not rude to ask for visa gift cards but i think its very rude......i think ive come up with a simple solution.......i was going to put on the back side of our invitations " we will not be registering anywhere as steffunny will be relocating to the uk on nov 1st 2010 and space will be very limited. thank you. "

opinions please.........thanks steff

I think that is a perfectly reasonable idea Steffunny, it avoids potentially offending people by asking for money but lets everyone know that you don't need *stuff*.

thanks.....i think its an okay idea

I think it is a perfect solution...I agree that it isn't right to ask for money or gift card or anything in particular....great idea, I would get the hint if I received it but would also realise if I wanted to buy a gift that I need to make sure it is something very very small

We got married in the US but were living in London so just registered at John Lewis and amazon.co.uk and people purchased gifts online that were delivered to us here when we got back from the honeymoon.  We also got some money and visa gift cards, but no one brought us actual gifts to the wedding because they had all thought of us having to take it back with us.

We also got some money and visa gift cards, but no one brought us actual gifts to the wedding because they had all thought of us having to take it back with us.

Someone got me a huge, heavy box of dishes for my wedding shower a week before I moved over! (needless to say they didn't join me in the UK)

We got married in the US but were living in London so just registered at John Lewis and amazon.co.uk and people purchased gifts online that were delivered to us here when we got back from the honeymoon.  We also got some money and visa gift cards, but no one brought uses actual gifts to the wedding because they had all thought of us having to take it back with us.

i think thats a wonderful idea and i did consider doing that but honestly we are both in our early 50s and have most everything we need......i am taking much of my nick nack stuff over......so i felt like we could just use money towards moving expenses.....i really would be just as happy to not receive any gifts but my friends here feel otherwise....lol

That's a brilliant way of wording it.  I had the same dilemma.  It was awful! I ended up putting a little note in, like some now do with registry notes, worded like it was from my dad.  It said something along the lines of how the greatest gift they could give us was their love and company on our joyous day, but that as we had a cross-continental move, our space was extremely limited, and if they felt they needed to provide a gift for us, could they make it of a postable kind.  All but a few took the hint.

thanks everyone for you thoughts and ideas........i just didnt want to sound rude.......so i think ill go with the plan........steff

Sounds fair and reasonable.  If you're going small try having it spread amongst family and friends that this is due to weight restrictions on luggage etc.  If there's a reason besides just "moving" peole tend to understand a bit better and are more responsive and understanding to that reason.   

Unfortunately all my family and friends knew that I was relocating and we registered in the UK (with places that could accept US payment) and let everyone know, but I had friends and family that still ended up getting us MASSIVE gifts (dishes, wrought iron candle holders etc) anyway from the US that I was unable to bring over that are just sitting collecting dust at my Mom's house.   

If people are adamant about giving you a gift possibly consider registering with Amazon.co.uk, Debenhams, John Lewis etc. that way you can get items that you want and they'd be delivered to where you'll be living in the UK.

Good luck & congrats! 

We basically told people that their presence was gift enough, and then I sent my mother and sister out to remind everyone that a) I had to fit everything in a suitcase and b) the electrical stuff wouldn't work in the UK. Worked like a charm, we mostly didn't get gifts, if people *really* wanted to give us something, it was usually a check or a small memento type gift, and we only got ONE cuisinart.  From a cousin who, well, probably doesn't really even know where England is honestly.
We had so many people come from all over the country and the UK that we were just pleased all of our friends and family were finally hanging out together.

our wedding is really small and just very close friends.....no family........everyone really seems to already have in mind to give us gift cards.....not to change the subject but i am.......my wedding dress arrived today and its so beautiful!!!!!!!!

Have you thought about registering for a honeymoon and having them contribute to that? It's what all my friends have been doing the last handful of weddings I've been to. All my mates have been settled and living in a home together for years and didn't really need items. It's still a gift (because I'm simply one of those people that feels I'd have to do something and it helps fund a trip, which can only be a good thing).

Have you thought about registering for a honeymoon and having them contribute to that? It's what all my friends have been doing the last handful of weddings I've been to. All my mates have been settled and living in a home together for years and didn't really need items. It's still a gift (because I'm simply one of those people that feels I'd have to do something and it helps fund a trip, which can only be a good thing).

what a great idea......only thing is we are going to a reggae festival for our honeymoon and its already paid for.......but i think that is a fantastic idea......i know that john wants us to go to italy next year for another honeymoon type trip....hmmm maybe we could do that.....thank you for the idea

what a great idea......only thing is we are going to a reggae festival for our honeymoon and its already paid for.......but i think that is a fantastic idea......i know that john wants us to go to italy next year for another honeymoon type trip....hmmm maybe we could do that.....thank you for the idea

The company all my friends have been using is Trailfinders, if it helps.