Wedding Invite Wording: Gifts Graciously Accepted

Wedding gifts are a tricky topic to navigate. It's considered bad etiquette to include registry details on your wedding invitation, but every guest will expect to give a gift. So, how do you word a wedding invite about gifts? The key is to be authentic, gracious, and helpful. Let your guests know their presence is most important, and if they do wish to buy a gift, let them know about your wedding registry or that you would prefer money.

Asking for gifts vs money

When it comes to wedding invites, it's considered bad etiquette to include gift requests on the invitation itself. Instead, it's better to include a separate gift card or a line or two on an information card. Here are some tips and examples to help you word your wedding invitations and politely ask for gifts or money:

Asking for Gifts:

It's essential to strike a gracious and authentic tone when asking for gifts. Here are some tips:

• Emphasize that their presence at the wedding is the most important gift.
• Let guests know their gift preference, either directly or through word of mouth via relatives.
• Provide details about where guests can find your gift registry or honeymoon registry.
• Include a well-placed and labelled box at the reception for cards and gifts.

"Your presence at our wedding is the greatest gift of all. However, should you wish to honour us with a gift, a list [of gift suggestions] has been registered with [store name]."

"We've lived together for a while now and already have all the household items we need. If you would like to give us a gift, we will have a wishing well at our reception that will go towards our future together."

"Your presence at our wedding means so much to us. However, if you wish to give us a gift, we would be incredibly grateful for a contribution to our honeymoon, as it will help create memories that will last a lifetime."

Asking for Money:

Asking for money instead of gifts has become more common, especially if the couple already lives together and has most household items. Here are some tips:

• Create a cash fund wedding registry to give guests an option to contribute to specific goals like a honeymoon or a new home.
• Avoid asking for money directly on your wedding invitations. Instead, include a link to your wedding website or an insert card with the website address, where guests can find information about your registry.
• Use your wedding website to explain why you've registered for cash and how you plan to use the funds.
• Designate a place for cards at the reception for guests who prefer to give monetary gifts in person.

"Your presence at our wedding is enough of a gift, but should you wish to buy us something, we'd greatly appreciate a contribution towards our [honeymoon/new home/other specific fund]."

"Thank you for sharing our special day with us. If you feel inclined to give us a wedding gift, a monetary contribution towards our [honeymoon/new home/other specific fund] would mean the world to us."

"We are so grateful to have you celebrate this day with us. Your presence is the greatest gift of all. However, if you wish to give a gift, we would graciously accept a contribution towards our [honeymoon/charity donation/other specific fund]."

Wording for wedding website

Your wedding website is the communication hub for all your wedding details, so it makes sense to use this as the primary place for listing registry information. It's commonplace (and proper etiquette) to include the URL for your website on your wedding invitation to direct guests to the web page to RSVP and to find more details, including your wedding registry.

Most wedding website templates offer a "Registry" tab. This is the perfect place for engaged couples to list their registry information—if guests navigate to that section, they're actively seeking your registry to buy a wedding gift. The "Wedding Details" section of your website is also a good spot. Simply create a "Wedding Registry" section.

A wedding website is less formal than an invitation, so feel free to make the registry wording sound like you! Make it as personal and as specific as possible. Here are some wording examples to get you started:

"We're looking forward to celebrating with you on our big day. Having you attend our wedding is the greatest gift of all, however, if you're looking for wedding gift ideas, we've registered here for things that we need to outfit our home: [insert details]."

"We're moving in together for the first time after the big day, so we've put together a gift registry of things we need to complete our home and for our new life together. You can find our wish list at [insert details]."

"Your presence at our wedding is the greatest gift we could ask for! If you would like to honor us with a gift, we have registered a list with [insert details]. Gift cards to [insert details] are also appreciated, as we are moving into a new home after the wedding."

"We're thrilled that you're coming to celebrate with us—and that's the best gift of all! But, if you'd like to help us spruce up our place, you can find our registry at [insert details]."

If you'd like to use your gift list to ask for money instead of physical gifts, that's completely fine! You can do this by setting up funds. Our advice would be to personalise your funds so that your guests know what they're contributing towards! For example:

"We're hoping to create once-in-a-lifetime memories on our honeymoon, and it would mean the world if you could help us make this a reality. There is no pressure to contribute, but if you'd like to, you can find our honeymoon fund and activities at..."

"We’ve built a dream wedding gift list that will set us up for our new home together. Please don’t feel obliged, but if you’d like to help us on our journey, please find our gift list details below."

"We're so lucky to have everything we need to start our life together. But if you wish to give a gift, we would be so grateful if you could help us make memories by contributing to our honeymoon fund.

"The biggest gift to us is your support and presence at our wedding. However, if you wish to buy us a gift, we do have a list with [insert details]. Our list reference is [insert details] and [insert date]."

If you have registered for gifts at a particular store or travel agent, you'll need to include the details on your website for your guests—store name or street address, website, and any codes or details they need to reference. Here are some examples:

“Your presence at our wedding is the greatest gift of all. However, should you wish to honour us with a gift, a list [of gift suggestions] has been registered with…”

If you have a wishing well:

“Your love, laughter and company on our wedding day is the greatest gift of all. However, should you wish to help us celebrate with a gift, a wishing well will be provided on the day.”

If no gifts are requested, a simple line such as "Your presence is present enough" on your wedding invitation should suffice.

Wishing well wording

Wishing wells are a popular addition to modern weddings, providing a creative and meaningful way for guests to send well wishes and gifts to the happy couple. Here are some ideas for wishing well wording that is detailed, direct, instructive, and focused:

Simple Wishing Well Wording:

"Your presence at our wedding is a gift in itself. However, if you would like to contribute to our future together as a couple, a wishing well will be available at our reception."

"We are blessed to not only have each other but the guests who will make our wedding day so special. We’d rather not receive gifts, but if you’d like to contribute to our wedding and our future together, we will have a wishing well at our reception to which you can contribute."

Playful Poems Wishing Well Wording:

"Your love and laughter at our wedding are all we truly need. But a wishing well contribution will be warmly received."

"Your presence at our wedding is present enough, so don't worry about gifts, we have plenty of stuff. However, if you were thinking of helping us on our way, some money towards our honeymoon would truly make our day."

"We're simply so grateful for your presence here, to celebrate our love and cheer. As we begin our journey anew, we’ll cherish your friendship into our future, too. If you’d like to contribute to our wishing well, however, you’ll help us create memories tonight and forever."

Purposeful Wishing Well Wording:

"Your presence on our wedding day is the most special gift we could possibly ask for. However, if you do wish to bless us and contribute to our future together, we are saving for our new home. A wishing well will be present at our reception."

"We’re thrilled that you’re able to make it to our wedding - that’s more than enough for us. However, if you would like to bring us something, spending money for our honeymoon would be most appreciated."

"We are thrilled to celebrate our special day with all of our loved ones. And of all the gifts you could bring, your presence is the most cherished. However, if you would like to contribute to our wedding costs, we will have a wishing well set up at our reception. We appreciate your love and support and can't wait to create unforgettable memories together on our wedding day."

Formal Wishing Well Wording:

"While your presence on our wedding day is a cherished gift, we understand some guests like to offer more. In lieu of a traditional gift, we would be grateful for a monetary contribution towards our life together. If you would like to participate, you can leave your donation and well wishes in our wishing well, which will be available at our reception."

"As we embark on this new chapter of our lives, we are grateful for the love and support of our family and friends. If you feel inclined to contribute to our wedding costs and the beginning of this next step in our lives together, we have set up a wishing well where you can leave your well wishes and support. No matter how big or small, your generosity is greatly appreciated."

Casual Wishing Well Wording:

"No gifts are necessary — we just want to see you! If you do wish to give us a little something, a little cash to spend on our honeymoon (or our new home) would be very much appreciated."

"We can't imagine our wedding day without having all our loved ones here to celebrate with us. We know some of you have come from far and wide, and we're so grateful for the effort you've taken. If you'd like to give a little something extra to help start our journey on the right foot, we've got a wishing well set up where you can drop your cash and loving messages. Thank you all for being a part of our day."

No gifts requested

When it comes to wedding invites, it's essential to be clear and direct about your wishes regarding gifts. Here are some paragraphs you can use as inspiration for wording your invites to convey that no gifts are requested:

Paragraph 1:

"Your presence at our wedding means more to us than any gift. We are blessed to have all that we need, and we kindly request no boxed gifts. However, if you wish to contribute, we would be grateful for donations to our favourite charity, [Charity Name], which is close to our hearts."

Paragraph 2:

"As we are already settled in our home together, we find ourselves in the fortunate position of not needing any gifts. We would prefer your presence at our wedding over any presents. If you feel inclined to contribute, we would appreciate donations towards our honeymoon fund, as we plan to create new memories as a married couple."

Paragraph 3:

"We are so grateful to be surrounded by such loving friends and family, and we want to share this special day with you. We kindly request no gifts, as your presence is the best gift we could ask for. If you wish to mark the occasion, we would be honoured by donations to a charitable cause, [Charity Name], which we have supported for years."

Paragraph 4:

"We are humbled by your support and presence at our wedding, and we want to emphasise that your attendance is the only gift we desire. We have everything we need in our home and would instead encourage you to donate to a charity of your choice in lieu of gifts. This would mean the world to us and allow your generosity to benefit those in need."

Paragraph 5:

"Our wedding day is about celebrating our love and union with those we hold dear. We kindly request no gifts, as we believe your presence is the greatest gift of all. If you feel moved to contribute, we would be touched by donations towards our future plans for [honeymoon/house/other specific fund]. We thank you for your understanding and support."

Remember, it's essential to communicate your wishes clearly and respectfully. You can also include additional information on your wedding website or spread the word through close friends and family.

Including registry details

"We're looking forward to celebrating with you on our big day. Having you attend our wedding is the greatest gift of all, however, if you're looking for wedding gift ideas, we've registered here for things that we need to outfit our home: [insert details]."

"We're so thrilled you're making the trip to [insert location] to share in our joy. Celebrating with you after we say "I do" is all we could ask for, so, in lieu of gifts, please bring your hugging arms and dancing shoes."

"We are lucky enough to already have nearly everything we need for this new chapter together! However, for friends and family who have expressed an interest, we have created a gift registry for your convenience here: [link]."

"Your presence at our wedding is present enough! However, for friends and family who have been asking for gift ideas, we've created an online registry with [store name] here: [link]."

"We've recently been asked for gift suggestions by friends and family. Please know that your presence on our special day is present enough, but for those who have expressed an interest, we've listed the charities below that are closest to our hearts. A contribution would be most appreciated in lieu of a gift."

Frequently asked questions