There’s nothing more exciting than planning your wedding. But what happens when you realize you need cash instead of the usual wedding gifts from your guests? You may be worrying you’ll alienate those you love as you figure out how to ask for cash for your wedding.
Don’t make plans to elope just yet! We’ve got all the information you need on how to ask for money for a wedding. Our strategies will help you discover simple ways to request monetary gifts without sounding crude.
How To Ask for Cash for a Wedding
- Create a Gift Registry.
- Include a Link on Your Wedding Website.
- Specify How You’ll Use the Money.
- Ask Friends and Family to Spread the Word.
- Have an Envelope Station at Your Wedding.
- Include a Short Poem on Your Invitation.
Can I Ask for Cash for My Wedding?
These days, people are asking for cash gifts for their weddings more than traditional gifts. Couples who ask for cash on the wedding registry are up 50% since 2016, according to The Knot (1).
Couples often need a starter fund for a new house together, cash for the honeymoon fund, or money towards a particular shared goal, like a business or charitable project.
Once you’ve made the decision to ask for cash gifts, it’s important to go about the proper etiquette, so guests don’t feel forced into the decision or taken for granted.
How To Ask for Cash for a Wedding
Knowing how to ask for cash for a wedding can be tricky. After all, you’re essentially asking your guests to put a price on how much they love you and value being at your wedding. But fear not; there are several ways you can approach this somewhat awkward request.
On Wedding Invitations
We don’t recommend including registry or gift requests on the initial invitation. However, if you won’t be using a website or an online registry, there are ways you can go about it.
- Keep it Brief: Your request should read tactfully and appear as one line at most.
- Simple Language: Lines include phrases like “should you wish to,” “in lieu of gifts,” and “appreciation.”
- Make Them Feel Special: Make sure your guests know that their appearance at your wedding is the most important to you.
On a Wedding Website
- Monetary Fund: Most wedding websites have cash fund pages where you can nicely set up a place for guests to give. You can customize it to fit a honeymoon locale or design it with a specific goal in mind, like a starter home.
- Card Collection: Guests were once expected to bring cash in envelopes to be collected by the bride in a white satin bag. While the white satin bag may be a long-forgotten tradition, you can still set up a card-collection station at your wedding. Guests will have a safe place to leave their contributions, and you don’t have to worry about holding onto them all night.
By Word of Mouth
Alternative options to figure out how to ask for money instead of gifts for a wedding include word-of-mouth.
- Make a Video: Put together a short, funny video that asks loved ones to contribute cash to their wedding instead of gifts. There’s a lot of fun wording and creative approaches to play with. The personal angle will likely touch your wedding guest too.
- Spread the Word: Rely on your parents and wedding party members to let guests know that cash gifts are preferred. They can start a Facebook group page or an email distribution list to keep guests in the know, politely and with care.
Wording for Monetary Gift Requests
Asking for money isn’t an easy task. Letting your guests know what the money is going towards is a good way of personalizing your request and ensuring that they know they are contributing to something significant to you. When they feel special, they’ll do everything they can to make your wedding fund a successful one.
- Since we are saving for (fill in the blank), we would appreciate cash donations instead of gifts. Thank you so much!
- We would be delighted by a cash gift to help us save for (fill in the blank)! Your contribution means the world to us!!
- In lieu of gifts, cash donations can help us save for (fill in the blank).
- It would mean so much to us to receive monetary contributions toward our future together.
- We would love to go on the honeymoon of our dreams together. Our wedding registry includes a honeymoon fund that you can easily contribute to.
Cute Poems To Ask for Money as a Wedding Gift
Entertaining poems are one of the latest cute ways to ask for money as a wedding gift. Here are some sweet examples you can use when you want to ask for cash and keep guests happy:
“Roses are red; violets are blue,
We can’t wait to share our big day with you!
Afterward, we’ll be on the way,
To our adventurous honeymoon getaway.
There are ways to help us take flight,
Have a spa day or a date night.
Be a part of our first married trip,
We’re so excited; we could flip!”
“We’ll soon be saying ‘I Do,’
And for a gift, if you haven’t got a clue,
Then we’d really love some cash,
So that for our home, we can splash,
Out on a cozy new bed for two!”
“If you’re thinking of giving us a gift to help us on our way,
a gift of cash towards our honeymoon would really make our day.
Then while we’re relaxing on the beach or by the pool so blue,
we’ll sit back and know that it’s truly thanks to you!”
Poems like these look great on the wedding registry website, but they can also work on wedding invitations or via an email list for guests.
Tips for Asking for Money for a Wedding Politely
Keep these guidelines in mind so you’ll best know how to ask for money for a wedding and keep things easy for guests:
- It’s best not to ask guests for specific amounts. Make sure to allow for different contribution values depending on their relationship with you and their budget.
- Being personal and specific with what the money is going towards is the most polite approach. Guests will enjoy knowing what they contributed to and how much it means to you.
- Don’t overwhelm your wedding guests with too much detail. Being specific is important, but they don’t necessarily need an itemized itinerary for your entire honeymoon or blueprints of your dream kitchen.
- Let your guests know how important their presence is above all.
FAQs
Conclusion
From your initial wedding invitation to the wedding registry site, you can create a warm and welcoming place for guests.
The more they understand your shared goals and needs, the more willing they’ll be to contribute to them. Donations are also a thoughtful alternative to traditional gifts. Guests won’t have anything to think about other than having a great time at your wedding!
