to ask for your help wording this (wedding related so ignore if this stuff bores you :) )

[LizaTarbucksAuntie]

We're not having a wedding list.

we realise people may want to get us a gift so we are suggesting if they don't have something specific in mind we'd appreciate John Lewis or Ikea vouchers, bottles of wine or fizz are never a bad gift in our house.

I need to word that gracefully as some of the lovely people I know are asking and I don't want to feel like a great clumsy oaf when responding.

Thanks in advance.

Just say we would appreciate anything that you deem appropriate, alternatively if they cannot think of anything John Lewis/Ikea vouchers would be appreciated.

We are going to a wedding this week and the invites said "we want your presents, not your presence, please do not feel obliged, but if you insist on a gift, we would love vouchers from John Lewis".

ooo I like those, I knew asking here was a good idea.

thanks.

Squeaky, I think you may have got your presents/presence the wrong way round... :o

arf! Squeaky was it the other way round?
I LOVE the idea of going - we're just inviting you to get some gifts!

What you've said in your post sounds fine if people are asking. I'd prefer more choice if you were putting this on the invite.

no, not on the invite, we didn't want to send out present information on the invite.

Squeaky! That's the kind of wedding I'd like to go to - was the bride a bridezilla

hmmmmm.... I think I may have... bugger it.. you know what I meant!!! haha!!!

You'd have to admire the honesty though Grabaspoon!

We asked for debenhams or ikea vouchers for our wedding too, as I think unless you are in the very rich part of society, it takes the piss a bit having a "present list", as nobody ever seems to register one with Argos or Tesco!!.. it always has to be Selfridges or John Lewis it seems!!..

peabodyblue's version for me!

The presence/presents thing has been done to death now

I am liking the "we don't want you there, just send us a gift" attitude... I can see it catching on. Think of how much money you'd save on catering!

We didn't mention anything on invite.

We got a mixture of JL vouchers, cash/cheques and a couple of really nice presents (piece of art from a couple who own a interior shop and have fab taste), we also got a silk padded photo album but we don't talk about that

Think we got some Veurve too

Good idea, there are lots of good suggestions already. We didn't have a wedding list either, we already have most stuff for the house and asked for alcohol! Since many guests of ours were not well off, this saved any embarrassment for them as the price was not obvious. 1 year on, we still have some lovely champagne left to toast our anniversary!

geordie - I just know one couple will be bringing something with satin padding...but I love them to bits and they will be giving something they think is just stunning.

..we're just both a bit old to be having a bottom drawer, I spent the last 3 months finding innovative places for all DP's stuff (moved a 3 bed house into an already crowded 2 bed cottage) and I just can't ANY more space, I have seen some lovely outdoor furniture at Ikea though and am working on the garnde at the moment. having said that I hate giving vouchers and would rather give a really good bottle of fizz!

The way I look at it people will either ask or do what they think is best, and if it's the later then it's likely they would have done that whether you had made a request or not.

Am sure most people will ask or go fo JL