London - It wasn’t all that long ago that the problem of unwanted wedding presents was banished by the advent of the wedding register at a department store.
After decades of putting up with useless sets of candlesticks and hideous crockery, couples were able to pick out exactly what they wanted before their big day.
Now, however, a survey has found that department store lists are dying out because of an even more pragmatic approach – the desire for cold, hard cash. And to head off any awkwardness at the prospect of asking for money from friends and relatives, today’s engaged couples are increasingly doing it in the form of a poem.
Nearly four-fifths of couples who will marry this year will ask for a financial contribution from their guests, according to the survey by wedding website confetti.co.uk.
Of the 78 percent who ask for money, half will ask for cash while the other half will set up a honeymoon fund, the survey found.
In comparison, just 15 percent have a store-managed gift list.
Agnes Los, from confetti.co.uk, said: “When asking for cash, a large majority of guests would like to be told what the married couple intend to spend it on – not to be nosey, but simply because it pleases them to know what contribution they are making to the wedded couple’s life.”
Traditional wedding gift lists have fallen by the wayside partly because many couples have already set up home by the time they walk down the aisle, so money is more useful than a matching toaster and kettle. The only lingering issue is the awkwardness of demanding cash. And many are choosing to get round it by adding a humorous verse to their wedding invitations.
Miss Los said: “The UK brides’ favourite way of asking for cash is with a poem. Many creative couples write these themselves, or use the internet to find one.
“They are usually short, sweet, with a touch of humour, and they make the asking far less awkward.”
Among some of the rhymes used are: “So rather than give us something we have already got/Please give us money for our saving pot.” Another example is: “We thought we’d ask you all for something else instead/A small contribution for us to take a holiday in the Med.”
Although not the custom in Britain, in many cultures giving money is the norm. In countries including Greece, Azerbaijan and parts of the Middle East, it is generally seen as rude not to give money as a wedding gift. - Daily Mail