The polite bride's guide to receiving wedding gifts

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• Published Tuesday, 18 March 2008
• 3 Comments

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Getting the wedding gifts you love, without feeling embarrassed to ask!

Let’s face facts – the majority of your guests would like to buy you a gift, and they also appreciate knowing what you’d like. If you feel embarrassed to ask for gifts, here’s how.

• Include details of your gift list with the wedding invitation. The key is to keep it discreet – a small card or mention along with any other ‘wedding information’ is perfect. Simply give details of where the list is held, should they wish to buy a gift.

• Don’t include details of your wedding gift list with ‘evening only’ invitations. It’s not polite to ask guests that you’re not inviting for the entire celebration. If they want to buy you a gift, they’re likely to ask whether you have a list.

• Equally, putting together an engagement gift list is a little excessive – the wedding gift list is plenty!

• Asking for money is always a risk. If you’re determined, it’s a good idea to put together a gift list as well. More traditional guests would generally prefer to buy something specific, so give them a guideline.

• If you really can’t stand the idea of having a wedding gift list, it’s still worth making your own list of items you might like. Be prepared as the majority of guests will ask whether you have a list and you don’t want to receive ten shiny new kettles!

• Always say thank you! In this instance, an email won’t suffice. It’s time to put pen to paper and write each guest a personal note of thanks. If you receive any gifts before the big day, it's fine to write a note of thanks straight away.

• Keep a personal list of every gift you receive. That way, there won't be any confusion when you're writing your thank-yous, and you can be sure to show off your treasured present the next time that guest pays you a visit!

Image: Sia

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