Which charity for a wedding

[redappleandaquamarinebow1987]

Our wedding is coming up next June so we are sending out invites soon. We have everything we need for the house and have no use for candelsticks holders or picture frames etc. We are comfortable so feel it selfish and rude to ask for financial contributions towards the honeymoon. I suggested that we pick a charity that we would like people to donate to instead and putting the money to better use etc. So far I have thought about maybe the Make a Wish foundation but wanted to see if there is any other charities I should consider

but I wouldn’t enjoy being told what charity to donate to

I don't get this at all. Nobody is telling you you donate anything, it's saying we don't need anything but if you really want to get a present then this is the present we would like. I do this for my birthday every year. I hate receiving actual presents (including cash/vouchers). But if people really want to spend money on my behalf then that's what I'd like them to do. Can't understand how it's offensive

Thank you all for the lovely advice. Going to be a very long list to go through tonight ☺️

@BitchyArriver they don't have to donate it's just a option if they do want to get us anything. We have everything we need and there are places the money is needed more. We are comfortable, don't need anything and have a roof over our heads. The same can't be said for everyone

@redcupbluecup I live in the UK

@DappledThings thank you so much. I have been kind of worried of the opinion that has been expressed and worried that this will offend people 😔 or make them annoyed 😔

Something sentimental that’s close to you is better. So a kidney charity would be a good way of remembering your dad too on the day

Perhaps look into smaller, more local charities that get very little in the way of outside funding or government grants. If you feel more strongly to children, animals, charities for the elderly...etc...see if you can find one nearby that might cover whichever you feel more strongly about or drawn to.

For instance I am a trustee of a local (a specific , as opposed to a general) children's charity, became involved as we had involvement from them ourselves and then became a trustee and volunteer, and am also involved in their fundraising. Obviously it depends where you live, but I could pm you the type of charity it is and who/why it helps, so you could see if you could find similar where you are. There are a lot of independent, local charities up and down the country providing the same specific service and many are dangerously underfunded. (No, we have no links financially or otherwise to any of these other charities! It's just a cause I feel strongly about and bleat on about it irl regularly so would be spotted immediately! )

I prefer the idea of giving money to a local charity because I feel they often get left out while other bigger ones benefit. Is there a local hospice perhaps that you'd like to support? I know when my friend's husband was seriously ill, the help the hospice gave her was invaluable.

@JoanieCash right now kidney, cancer or a charity that helps soilders especially wounded ones are top candidates as both effect our families

Thank you for the advice will do research into what local charities or small ones there are that support our chosen cause

I'm pretty sure newnameguy was joking.

You have been given some wonderful suggestions though, apart from that.

@SalmonScale I have been made aware but thank you so much.

Oh sorry I thought you’d be making the donations instead of favours! Your wedding guests would make a charity donation? I’ve never seen this at a wedding ever. Not sure about this idea.

Choose something local and smaller, it will have a bigger impact because they are small and you will have nice memories when you see them locally (maybe even set up an annual DD to go out on your anniversary).

Your wedding guests would make a charity donation? I’ve never seen this at a wedding ever. Not sure about this idea.

It's not that unusual. I've seen it a few times (and did it myself). Rather than a link to a traditional gift list you just provide a link to a website for donations. It's becoming increasingly popular I think.

@Witchinaditch they are becoming increasingly popular as people tend to live together before getting married so don't need items to set up a home any more. I have also seen people ask for contributions towards honeymoon but as we are more then able to afford it like asking for household stuff it felt grabby so we picked this solution.

@Palegreenstars I like the yearly donations. Maybe I can talk to DP and say rather then get each other gifts we can donate to that charity

Our chosen charity is always going to be our sons school (yes schools are charities too - our PTFA is a registered charity)
But before we had children we would donate to CES - cauda equina syndrome and The Scoliosis research fund.

Whats important to you...personally i go for the local hospice where ever you are or air ambulance as not keen on big charities

Hmm really? I went to 6 weddings last year and 4 this year and haven’t ever seen anything like that. All the couples lived together before the wedding. I see the sentiment but I’m still not sure about it.

We did the RSPB, whose work I support anyway. Everyone had one of their lovely wildlife pins as a favour, most people wore them on their outfits. It came in very useful when there was a jacket swap mishap and we could go through the photos looking for the blue jacket with a beetle pin

@Witchinaditch did they still need any household items or money towards something? we picked charity because we have no need for either one of those

I probably should also point out that we still had people prefer to buy us unnecessary gifts rather than make a donation on our behalf.

My SIL for example, called us up to ask if she could gift us money towards something for the wedding (flowers were mentioned) and when we said no as everything was budgeted for, and we'd prefer she used the money to donate to the hospice, she declared that a donation "isn't really a gift your sister would give" despite knowing our reason for choosing the Marie Curie hospice.

(She ended up buying us a very beautiful picnic basket that has never been used and sits in the garage on top of the fridge - where she checks on it whenever she visits!)

Woodland trust or Trees for cities.

It’s lovely to think the trees will be there to serve future generations.

Some did honeymoon and some asked for household things but not things they “need” if you know what I mean. No one needs wedgewood plates but they are nice to have especially as a gift from your wedding. I think you are extremely practical (nothing wrong with that!) and a wedding is a time to be a bit romantic and sentimental.

I got married a few months ago. It was my 3rd marriage and DH's 2nd. We had combined our joint households of stuff. We asked for charity donations. Put a postbox at the reception and everything. Nobody wanted to do it! Instead we were given some photo frames and stuff like that and also a few "experiences". We tried!