Okay, so I need some advice. I don't want to have a bridal shower. I just think the tradition is awkward. Essentially, you're inviting a select few of the "more important" people from your wedding invitees to spend even more money on you by having them not only buy you something that you already picked out, but then they have to give you money at your actual wedding too. Also, my fiance and I have to wait a couple of years after we get married before we get our own home, so I don't want new towels, sheets, plates, etc to be lying around somewhere until then. I'd rather we pick out and buy all our new house stuff together when we're ready.
And this is where our dilemma comes in. Since we don't want a shower, how can we (politely and tactfully), ask for just money or gift cards only at our wedding? It gets tricky because a number of our favorite stores that we would buy stuff for our future home don't actually have wedding registries (e.g. Best Buy, Ikea, etc). Is there anyway to do this without being a tacky jerk? Does it make up for it if we're not having a shower and don't expect two sets of gifts like traditional weddings?
Thanks for your help and advice!