Let’s talk about presents. We register for them. We get them. And then what? Some people may not be quite ready to store their presents or commit to household big-ticket items. Dana Ostomel, creator of Deposit a Gift, weighs in on how to enjoy a traditional bridal experience, including a shower, and still make a non-traditional registry work for you and your love!
Even in these modern times of different starter needs and alternative registries, the fun of the traditional wedding shower needn’t be lost. But let’s face it, when you think “shower” you think “gifts,” so what’s a shower-thrower to do when the guest of honor has a cash gift registry? We’ve got some tips and tricks to create a gratifying gift-giving experience for guests, and also give the guest of honor what they really want. We get this question a lot, so it is perfectly suited for the Deposit a Gift’s guest blog on The Wedding Yentas.
“How do you throw a shower for someone with an alternative registry like Deposit a Gift? Guests want to bring a gift to be opened. Is this possible with a cash gift registry?”
The Basics:
We created Deposit a Gift with showers in mind. During checkout, gift-givers have the option to delay their gift for the date after the shower, so as not to spoil the surprise, and also once the purchase is complete, they can print a gift certificate to bring to the party. Here is an example gift certificate:
The gift certificate can easily be slipped in a card and brought to the party. However we realize that people often want to have something more elaborate to open, so below are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing. But before we get to that, how do you get the guests on board?
It’s All In The Positioning:
As with any new idea, people’s willingness to jump on board and give a gift from an alternative registry is all in how it’s presented to them. If someone is throwing you a shower we recommend you or your shower hostess:
- Help guests understand why the guest of honor has chosen this type of registry and how it will be helpful to them.
- Tell them that they can print a gift certificate to bring to the party.
- Plan a theme based on some of the below ideas that help guests have fun giving this type of gift.
- Sometimes even a cute invitation poem can get folks in the mood. Here’s one we recently saw:
Like many young couples these days,
Jack & Jill have most things anyways.
A honeymoon in Fiji is how they’ll start out their life,
In their beautiful journey, as husband and wife!
If you want to give a present we’d like to suggest,
that you make a contribution to their treasure chest.
For without the help of this little pun,
their honeymoon would just not be as much fun!
You can find their honeymoon registry at XXX.mydagsite.com. We hope you enjoy picking out something with a romantic sheen, then bring the gift certificate wrapped in something fun like lingerie or sunscreen!
Fun and Inexpensive Ways to “Wrap” a DAG Gift Certificate To Be Opened At The Party:
- Put out art supplies for guests to decorate their cards and envelopes. Then offer a pretty memory board or cork board to hang the gifts — it’s also a nice keepsake for later
- Wrap the gift certificate in something useful, lightweight and inexpensive, like a cloth napkin, dishtowel or apron
More Ideas for Wedding Showers:
- Include the gift certificate in an envelope with a favorite recipe.
- Wrap the gift certificate in sexy underwear or pretty cloth napkins. A store like TJ Maxx carries nice stuff at low prices.
- Encase it in a picture frame that can be used for a wedding photo. Target is a reliable place for great finds.
- Attach the gift certificate to a kitchen gadget or slip into a reusable shopping bag like awesome Envirosax.
- For a honeymoon to paradise, buy a beach bag with towels, and have the guests fill the beach bag with the gift certificates attached to small tokens that would be perfect for fun in the sun like: sunscreen, chapstick, a frisbee, or water bottles.
Deposit a Gift is a cash gift registry service. We provide the tools to build a unique registry and free custom event site, all in one place. Create a gift list for monetary contributions towards dreams and experiences you want most: from honeymoons to home down payments, cribs to college funds!
With a traditional registry service, you sign up at specific stores for gifts you’d like to receive today. With DAG, you build a registry based on what you’d like to buy down the road and receive your gift money to spend where and when you want. SIGN-UP FREE TODAY.
