Already got all the toasters, kettles and irons you need?
Why not give back for your wedding and choose a charity gift list for your guests to donate through. Whether you go for money donations or physical gifts, it really is worthwhile. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Just Giving
Looking for a charity gift list with a great mix of charities for your guests to choose from? This simple to use online service allows couples to sign-up and choose one or more charities for their guests to donate money to. Charities participating in the service include BBC's Children in Need, Barnardo’s, British Heart Foundation, Help for Heroes, Breast Cancer Care, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Samaritans, Save the Children and many others – the variety of charities give such a wide range for couples and guests to choose from! There are no charges for couples, no minimum total expected and there are no hidden costs for guests – every penny they spend goes to the charities and all the costs are covered by the Gift Aid. You can use it as your only wedding list or, as some couples do, use it alongside a traditional list and send the details to as few, or as many, of your guests as you feel appropriate – it’s your day so do it your way.Â
Oxfam Unwrapped
You can celebrate any occasion by asking guests to buy gifts through Oxfam Unwrapped. You select a wish list of items and email them out to your friends and family - nice and simple. From simple necessities such as water and food, to farmyard animals to help those in poverty earn a better living.
Action Aid
If you have enough toasters and kettles to last a lifetime, then why not help the world’s poorest people by asking for donations to ActionAid? Your support will help provide children and their families with clean water, shelter, health care, education and food security for life. You can set up your own personalised wedding web page where you can post photo albums, blogs and accept online donations. They send you a wedding pack with their alternative wedding list and wedding cards to send to friends and family. You'll also receive a certificate with the total amount raised and a personal message to read out on the day.
World Vision's Alternative Gift Catalogue
World Vision offer opportunities for people to buy gifts for others in need. Joanna and Lindsay Marshall opted for ‘alternative gifts’ for their wedding, such as chickens and malaria tablets. "We were already living together and had everything we needed. We knew these gifts would help others. We also sponsor a child in Africa called Nicolas through World Vision. We would never have used something like a blender and our guests thought it was a great idea to benefit others!"
Sarah and Richard Gough chose gifts such as sheep, goats and emergency water kits to benefit people in developing countries. Sarah explained, ‘We have a lot of stuff between us already and didn’t want to duplicate. We thought, why should we benefit ourselves when someone else needs it?’ The couple received many positive comments from their guests and strongly encourage other couples to do the same. ‘It’s a great idea. I can’t see the point of buying new things just for the sake of it.’
Simon and Rosie Satchell's priority was just for the guests to come to their wedding, so they chose to focus on immunisations, chickens and vegetable starter kits for a community in Zambia, where a young boy they sponsor through World Vision lives. Through just 150 guests they raised £3500 worth of gifts!
If you want to give something back on your wedding, consider an alternative gift list and give to charity.Â