Top tips for compiling your wedding gift list

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Rice wedding gift list

If you want to steer clear of the traditional gift list, we have lots of suggestions:

Give it away
If you’ve got everything you need for your home, there are plenty of good causes that would be more than happy to receive donations from your guests. Just Give (www.justgive.org) and The Alternative Gift List (www.alternativegiftlist.co.uk) allow guests to donate to a charity of their choice, while for something more specific, Oxfam Unwrapped (www.oxfam.org.uk)
lets you choose exactly how you want to help others – from stocking a library in Cambodia to donating a cow to provide milk for a family in Sri Lanka.  

The trip of a lifetime
Going on the honeymoon of your dreams is a whole lot easier if your guests are contributing towards the cost. Several big-name tour operators such as Kuoni (www.kuoni.co.uk), Trailfinders (www.trailfinders.com) and Thomson (www.thomson.co.uk) offer guests the option of buying vouchers to use against the cost of your booking, or for a room or flight upgrade. Alternatively, for an online honeymoon service that provides your very own dedicated agent to help plan your trip, look no further than Abercrombie & Kent (www.abercrombiekent.co.uk).

A work of art
Buying a piece of original can be expensive so it’s definitely one worth starting a fund for. Both Eyestorm (www.eyestorm.com), which specialises in contemporary art, and Artisan Fine Art (www.artisangalleries.com), which offers a great range of fine art prints, originals and sculpture, offer a wedding list service where guests can contribute to the artwork of your choice. Alternatively, Lenswall (www.lenswall.com) has a range of world-class photography worthy of a lifelong investment.

A greener future
If you’d like to kick off your married life with a clear conscience and no carbon footprint, there are plenty of gift lists to help you on your way. Both Our Green Wedding List (www.ourgreenweddinglist.com) and the Natural Store (www.thenaturalstore.co.uk),
can help make your wedding day greener, offering everything from organic food to garden furniture. While for the best choice of eco-brands, including Adili, Ethical Superstore and Natural Collection, have your wedding list at The Bottom Drawer (www.thebottomdrawer.co.uk).

Food for thought
If you love fine dining, why not do it in the comfort of your own home? A wedding list at Berry Bros & Rudd (www.bbr.com) can help solve all your wine dilemmas, offering a dream wine cellar to choose from, along with gourmet dinners or wine courses at its renowned
school. And to help hone your kitchen skills, Divertimenti (www.divertimenti.co.uk),
renowned for its fabulous kitchen utensils, offers guests the option of buying vouchers that can be exchanged for cookery courses.

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