Favors
Charitable Donation Favor and Buffet Reception
We are having our reception in a family member's home and can't do a plated meal. We are going with a buffet dinner. We'd like to go the charitable donation favor route but I am not sure how to let our guests know. Suggestions, please?
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Re: Charitable Donation Favor and Buffet Reception
My Planning Bio
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[QUOTE]I suggest reading the MANY MANY posts on charitable donations as favors.
Posted by CA2MT4EveR[/QUOTE]
This too. Typically charitable donations are frowned upon on this board. The bottom line is that the donation is not seen as a "favor" at all. If you want to make a donation, then you should do that - privately. You don't need to announce to your guests that you have chosen to make a donation.
And also, I am not concerned if other posters frown upon the donation angle - that is more who I am than gifting matchbooks with our names on them. I wouldn't want them the matchbooks and don't see a purpose in having my guests inevitably throw them out. And I do make donations regularly but would like to commemorate part of how we became engaged by making a donation to the charity we visited while on our vacation (when we became engaged).
Thanks.
Just don't pretend that they're a favor to your guests. Because they're not. As for telling your guests, typically you don't tell someone what they're NOT getting.
And I'm always curious about why it's the $$ for favors that gets used for the donation. Why not the flower budget? Or or another part of the wedding expenses?
I don't need a favor at a wedding. Presumably I'm already being given dinner, drinks, and entertainment. I don't care if I get a favor. But please don't try to tell me that donating to something important to YOU is somehow a gift to me.
Donations are great. But they're not favors. Make the donation and don't pass out any junk to your guests. And don't have the band/DJ announce the donation, because that's just asking for people to pat you on the head.
RSVP Date: April 25
[QUOTE]I completely disagree with most these reponses, why can't it be a favor if you make the donation in their names? This has made me want to do the same thing, why spend money on a chocolate that will last 2 seconds, or a wine stoppers that will be thrown out. My brother got married last year and over half his guests forgot to take their favors. I think anyone who looks down on a donation is shallow. Especially if you <strong>make the donation to a charity that is somewhat personal,</strong> then in only further brings the personalities of the couple into the wedding. I say go for it!!
Posted by svach059[/QUOTE]
Personal for YOU. But what if I am agains said charity? How is that a favor to me? And yes, there are plenty of charities out there people would be against that you would never think of.
RSVP Date: April 25
[QUOTE]Well for one, any favor you pick, someone isn't going to like. Not everyone likes dark chocolate or wine, and are therefore is "against it". Secondly, if said charity is for something like heart or cancer research, how can someone be against that? And if they were I wouldn't want to be associated with them. For me personally I have not decided whether I am doing a charitable donation for my wedding yet, but if I do, it will got to cancer and Lupus research as I lost my father to a stroke last year and my mother to lupus when I was eight. I don't see how anyone can be against this...
Posted by svach059[/QUOTE]
You never know. Someone may have had a bad experience with a particular charity- you just don't know. The main point to "donations as favors" is that it is NOT at all in any way shape or form a FAVOR to your guests. It is you deciding to donate money (which is great) but boasting about it at your wedding (which isn't so great)
[QUOTE]Well for one, any favor you pick, someone isn't going to like. Not everyone likes dark chocolate or wine, and are therefore is "against it". Secondly, if said charity is for something like heart or cancer research, how can someone be against that? And if they were I wouldn't want to be associated with them. For me personally I have not decided whether I am doing a charitable donation for my wedding yet, but if I do, it will got to cancer and Lupus research as I lost my father to a stroke last year and my mother to lupus when I was eight. I don't see how anyone can be against this...
Posted by svach059[/QUOTE]
First of all, that's still not a FAVOR. You get a tax deduction for the donation. Your guests get... a piece of paper.
Second, no one's telling you not to make a donation. Just do it quietly instead of favors. Don't print out the stupid pieces of paper proclaiming the donation. Do it for a meaningful charity, and if someone asks, you can tell them what you did.
But be aware, not everyone loves every charity. Animal rights supporters might be against charities that give money to scientific research. Some international charities only give a small portion of the donations to the needy and keep the rest for hefty administration fees.
And for my family, which you did not seem to get from my last post, would see my donations as a favor. I would be donating to diseases which took two very specail loved ones. I believe everyone at my wedding would love that idea. And please check this link, there are lots of people out there who believe this to be a wonderful favor. If you don't, that's fine but you shouldn't put a person down who likes the idea.
http://www.favorideas.com/learn-about/wedding-favors/donations-as-wedding-favors/
RSVP Date: April 25
RSVP Date: April 25
Fi's Gpa had Alzheimers before he died, and my cousin recently passed away with Leukemia.
Everyone that will be there knew them (his side knew his gpa, and my side knew my cousin). So therefore, it's pretty much widely accepted.
We made cards on moo.com (the mini cards) with breath taking photos my bridesmaid shot. They are only $20 for 100 cards.
good luck! I highly recommend using moo.com! It's soooo simple!
And also if I make the donations in their name are they the ones that get a tax deduction?
Not that that is the point of doing it, i'm just clarifying a previous post.