Going green for gifts

summerbaby8844 · July 2010

My fiance and I have talked about asking our guests to use the reusable shopping bags to wrap gifts instead of $4-5 paper bags that we will never use again. Hope should we go about letting people know. Word of mouth? Our wedding is a small (20 guest) destination wedding and a family reception when we get back. Is it appropriate to put registry info in the invites to the party?

Brie2010 · July 2010

Nothing about gifts should ever be mentioned on a wedding invitation. I would spread this by word of mouth, or possibly put it on a shower invitation or your wedding website.

cschuma2 · July 2010

Judge me all you want, but when I shop from a registry, I pick something that I will enjoy wrapping. I like to make things look pretty and if you tell me to wrap it in plastic bag, I am going to be irritated. You can recycle my giftwrap.

Confession: I have a color coordinated Christmas tree every year. I make my giftwrap, ribbons, and bows match my tree.

summerbaby8844 · July 2010

to the first post: they wouldn't go into the wedding invites because we are only having 20 guests to that. it would be in the invites to the reception/ large bbq we are having a month later. I don't see how that could be bad etiquette

frenchy730 · July 2010

[QUOTE]to the first post: they wouldn't go into the wedding invites because we are only having 20 guests to that. it would be in the invites to the reception/ large bbq we are having a month later. I don't see how that could be bad etiquette
Posted by summerbaby8844[/QUOTE]
It's bad ettiquite because giving wrapping requirements implies you are expecting a gift, which is a no-no.

You shouldn't be telling people how to wrap their gifts to you. Just be gracious and accept what they want to offer-- "green" or not.

gottahavashorti · July 2010

It is bad etiquette because it indicates that you're expecting gifts.

Go green in other ways. The gifts will come with plenty of packaging as it is. Personally, I reuse gift bags and tissue paper all the time. They're much more reusable than wrapping paper, so I rarely buy them.

banana468 · July 2010

Are you serious that you'd never use the bag? Won't someone invite you to her wedding or shower? How will you give gifts then?

This isn't worth the time or effort.

summerbaby8844 · July 2010

Yeah im serious i wont reuse bags i have no place to save them and i just wont turn into my mom who hoards everything

Brie2010 · July 2010

OP, it's inappropriate to mention anything about gifts on a wedding or reception invite because no gifts are required for weddings. Would you send out a birthday party invitation for yourself saying, "Please bring gifts"? No? This is the same concept.

Also, re: gift wrapping...you can always recycle it if going green is important to you. I'd personally be irritated to have to buy a special reusable bag for your gift when I have perfectly good wrapping paper at home--that tacks $2-5 onto the price of the gift.

banana468 · July 2010

Then donate the bags to your mom. If you refuse to keep gift bags that's YOUR issue about refusing to recycle. Not sure what you'll do when you're invited to another event though.

gottahavashorti · July 2010

About 30 gift bags take up the same amount of space as the largest gift bag in the bunch, when stuffed inside of each other. It's really not that much space, considering that it saves gas to go buy a gift bag, which reduces the levels of greenhouse gases emitted by running your car and the energy, water and trees used to produce the gift bag.

If you're that opposed to reusing, which is much more efficient than curb side recycling, put the gift bags up on freecycle.

leilahaustin · July 2010

If you want your guests to be eco- friendly then ask them. You are having a small wedding so I can assume they are very close family right? It's not awkward or rude.

Oh and when a bride and groom register for a wedding registry, they are already implying they want a gift. Please people, get of this rude kick!

banana468 · July 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_registering-gifts_going-green-gifts?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:34Discussion:62d0b60e-05fe-4f50-a2b0-28d372dc4ba2Post:5bbe83db-ac06-4802-96b8-7cbc805472b0">Re: Going green for gifts</a>:
[QUOTE]If you want your guests to be eco- friendly then ask them. You are having a small wedding so I can assume they are very close family right? It's not awkward or rude. Oh and when a bride and groom register for a wedding registry, they are already implying they want a gift. Please people, get of this rude kick!
Posted by leilahaustin[/QUOTE]

By having a registry, you let people know what they can give you should they choose to.

It's poor form to broadcast that you have a registry on your own and it's even worse to tell people HOW you want your gifts to arrive. You don't get to be the rudest with your close friends and family because they're your close friends and family.

leilahaustin · July 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_registering-gifts_going-green-gifts?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:34Discussion:62d0b60e-05fe-4f50-a2b0-28d372dc4ba2Post:cfe83091-4688-462f-924b-515670037c84">Re: Going green for gifts</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Going green for gifts : By having a registry, you let people know what they can give you should they choose to. It's poor form to broadcast that you have a registry on your own and it's even worse to tell people HOW you want your gifts to arrive. You don't get to be the rudest with your close friends and family because they're your close friends and family.
Posted by banana468[/QUOTE]

So sorry but I don't think it is rude and it is my opinion.<img src="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-wink.gif" border="0" alt="Wink" title="Wink" />

ehathewa · July 2010

On my Macy's registry you can select a "No gift wrap please - We're going green!" option. I'm not sure if other registries have this option, or if there is a place where you can write a little note.

ledalia · July 2010

If you can make a note on your registry (something like the Macy's registry does), then go ahead. But I wouldn't go around asking for it. Plus, think about it - even if they don't wrap a gift, you still have the cardboard, plastic, paper, styrofoam, etc packaging of the item. You are going to have to recycle anyways so I wouldn't worry about it.

aimers1525 · July 2010

As a suggestion, here's the wording that my MOH used on her wedding website under her "registry" page:
We had fun putting this together, but we are most looking forward to seeing your face at the wedding! But if you insist, we would like to encourage you to consider wrapping any gifts in newspaper or recycled paper--we don't want this wedding to negatively impact the environment too much! Thanks in advance for helping us build a home together.

summerbaby8844 · July 2010

Thanks to the last 4 ladies your help has been wonderful and yes we are a close family!!!!

leilahaustin · July 2010

Wow do you really like starting fights over a message board. Not that serious hun!

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