Charity registries provide alternative to wedding gifts

Saige Heyer

Sometimes couples have everything they need before getting married, so they don’t have anything for which to ask. Other couples just don’t feel right asking for gifts from their guests. One solution to these problems is having a charity-based wedding.

A charity-based wedding is when a couple chooses a particular charity, or charities they feel passionate about and ask their guests to make a donation to that rather than purchase the couple gifts.

There are websites, such as the I Do Foundation, that help you set up what is called a charity registry. This registry allows you to provide a list of charities to which you would like your guests to donate.

Once your charity registry is set up, you can share the link to it via your wedding website or printed on an instruction sheet and inserted in your save the dates or invitations.

Not only do the charities of the couple’s choice benefit from this form of gifting, but the guests do too. When you make a charitable donation, it is tax-deductible.

The I Do Foundation offers other forms of charity registries as well:

• Give-back registries: Pair with major retailers and a certain percentage of the gifts purchased is donated.

• Charity favors: Charitable donations are made by the couple to honor its guests.

• Shopping for change: Anything purchased for the wedding generates donations.