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Original poster

Am i right to find this cringeworthy?

143 replies

Ledodgy · 04/04/2006 09:01

Ok today I recieved a wedding invitation to the evening do to a university friend's wedding it had this poem stuffed inside:

"We've been together a few years now;
We have pots and pans and linen and towels;
We have glasses and toasters, really quite a few;
So instead of more gifts, we suggest this to you;
If it doesn't offend and it won't send you running;
What we would really appreciate is quite simply money;
We know choosing gifts can be such a pain;
And this way there is no chance of bringing the same."

Now apart from it being an awful poem with dubious punctuation (won't) I can't help feeling that it's really crass asking people straight out for money. Am I being unreasonable feeling this way?

OP posts:
fairyjay · 04/04/2006 09:25

Buy something for a family in Malawi - in their name!

Then compose a nice little ditty telling the bride and groom that as they're obviously so lucky, you decided to help a family who aren't so lucky, on their behalf.

fairyjay · 04/04/2006 09:26

Cross post BBBH - but you're much more imaginative than me!!

ItalianJob · 04/04/2006 09:26

get them a cheap bog brush from Home and Bargain!

Original poster
Ledodgy · 04/04/2006 09:26
Grin
OP posts:
blueteddy · 04/04/2006 09:29

Shock Unbelievable!!!

Original poster
Ledodgy · 04/04/2006 09:31

The girl in question has only seen my daughter once in 3 years and hasn't even met my son yet i've spoke to her about 4 times since I graduated from uni 6 years ago.

OP posts:
fairyjay · 04/04/2006 09:44

They've probably done their sums, and reckoned that a couple of egg and cress sandwiches will have a decent return for them.

Presumably not a free bar!

Original poster
Ledodgy · 04/04/2006 09:48

That's exactly what I thought fairyjay.

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 04/04/2006 10:00

F*ck it, that would peeve me so much, I couldn't be bothered to even make the effort to get dressed up to go to the wedding. Oh, hurray, another pair of materialistic gits gets married! Just what the world needed! Let's shower them w/coins.

Besides, if you don't go, you can just send along a card w/your congratulations.

A homemade one. Wink

spacedonkey · 04/04/2006 10:01

I'd seriously have to reconsider the friendship on receipt of an invitation like that

Kathy1972 · 04/04/2006 10:02

The poems on this thread are quite brilliant.
Mumsnet Poetry Book anyone?

lucy5 · 04/04/2006 10:03

Also , if it's only an evening invite, why are they asking for anything at all?

mazzystar · 04/04/2006 10:05

Some people just have no manners.

alexsmum · 04/04/2006 10:07

so why are you considering going to her wedding ledodgy? you haven't seen her since...the war! and she is money grubbing, and sh writes bad poetry! surely this is a friendship to say bye bye to?

georginarf · 04/04/2006 10:07

Thanks for the invite you grasping gits
But I fear that your poetry is the pits
And whilst the evening would have been fun
I'm worried I might bring a gun
So to save embarassment at how that would look
Do me a favour and SLING YOUR HOOK

Original poster
Ledodgy · 04/04/2006 10:08

Alexsmum I've no intention of going.

OP posts:
alexsmum · 04/04/2006 10:09

oh good!

spacedonkey · 04/04/2006 10:10

and to think, they must've actually sat there poring over the composition of that "poem"! Shock

cataloguequeen · 04/04/2006 10:38

Alright the poem was sub standard(extremely naff) but honestly so what! they want money! they have all the essentials and when you think about it it's easier for you too no shopping no list... I went to a wedding last year and was asked for money or gift vouchers at first you think "what a cheek!!" but they have been together for years!! they don't need a toaster anymore!! so I put £50 in a card and that was that.

Just admit it! you love buying bad bedding and dodgy smelling candles as gifts don't cha!!Grin

cataloguequeen · 04/04/2006 10:39

You don't like the woman and this is your excuse isn't it!!!Grin

fairyjay · 04/04/2006 10:48

I still think it presumptious to assume that you'll get a present, simply because you've invited someone to your wedding.

Shouldn't they approach you first for a list or whatever, and then - if you choose - the question of a donation can be made!

By the same token, I don't agree with putting a copy of the wedding list in with invitations.

I'm ducking now!

paolosgirl · 04/04/2006 10:50

Cut her some slack, you lot! OK, so the peom is rubbish, but we're not all Keats. She acknowledges that it might offend (but doesn't mean it to), but instead of gifts, and the time it takes to think about what they might want, inc. the petrol and time you have to set aside to buy the thing, they are suggesting you stick some money in a card instead. No big deal.

spacedonkey · 04/04/2006 10:51

It's a minefield isn't it. If you don't mention presents at all then people don't know what to do, if you do mention presents you could be seen as being presumptious.

It is owing to issues like this that my next wedding (should there be one) will be a cloak and dagger, don't-tell-anyone local reg office affair.

ProfYaffle · 04/04/2006 10:55

Pruni took the words out of my mouth - Crass, crass, crass. DH and I got married last year and asked for charity donations instead of prezzies.

When my cousin got married he was doing up his house and asked for gift vouchers from B&Q or IKEA, I thought that was a reasonable halfway house.

4blue1pink · 04/04/2006 10:58

Those five pound coins are so shiny Grin

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