Charitable Donations as a Wedding Favor?

A donation isn't is lieu of a favor; it literally does not enhance your guests' experience, which it what favors are for.

If you want to donate, which is a lovely idea, just donate. Don't make signs, don't send notes don't announce it. Do it privatley and often!

It's your grand gesture, and it's great. The problem with donations is that, besides having nothing to do with the guests, it's virtually impossible to find a charity that everyone agrees upon, whether it's the actual cause or the administration of the fund. You aren't really doing it in their name and they don't benefit at all from it.

So take the money you'd spend on koozies and write that check, but keep it quiet. And best wishes for your continued health!

Charitable giving is great and should be done frequently, but it literally has nothing to do with wedding favors. It also is a private matter and shouldn't be announced. I don't think there's ever a good reason to say unsolicited that "look at me, we donated to charity".

I dont think it is a wedding favor. Skip favors entirely and donate to whatever you want

Thank you so much for your comments! Etiquette is key, and I don't want to offend anyone. Back to the drawing board! We have some great ideas for favors, we just need to be serious in selecting one. Thanks again!

Lynelle - you can also skip favors. They aren't necessary and sometimes most people end up throwing it in the trash, leaving them behind or leaving it in their junk drawer.

Maybe you can use the money that would go towards favors and put it someplace else, or just keep the money in your pockets. Just something to consider.

Lots of us (brides and grooms) are skipping favors for our weddings.

Happy planning!

ETA: or use that money towards the charity. ;-)

We are skipping favors. I've never seen even an idea for a favor that someone would want or use.

Skip the favors and add the money to the budget for food and drinks.

I been to a wedding where they ask to donate to any charitable donation in the couple names in lieu of gifts.

I had a donation made to charity in my name as a wedding favors. We got a little card that said so and a few Hershey kisses. It ended up being a controversial issue (pro-life vs pro-choice) and some disagreements broke out. I ended up donating to a charity on the other side of the issue.

Some hospitals and nursing homes will accept wedding flowers donated to them. Can you look into that?

These are all great ideas. Our concern is not money, it's selecting a favor. To simply, not give a favor to our guests was never a thought. A great money saving thought, but it's not our concern.

Edible favor? Those always seem to go over well.

Cookies, moon pies, whoopie pies, smores, cupcake, chocolate.

Lynelle, may I just say you handled that with total class. It is so refreshing to interact with those who take community advice in the spirit in which it was intended.

Sorry to be the voice of dissent-- I think "charitable donation is lieu of favors" is an excellent idea. No one really wants favors, half of them get tossed, and it is a case where the cost of my individual favor wouldn't mean much to the charity, the price of everyone's favor adds up to something. It is the one situation where I think a charitable donation in lieu of a gift is great idea.

I've noticed a lot of people on here don't like this idea but I have seen it done a few different times and I have absolutely no problem with it! I think it's important that the charity has a special connection or meaning for the couple - I DO notice favors, and I appreciate a sign telling me why there isn't a favor, because you have instead donated to a charity that is important to you. At one wedding, my friend donated to the American Federation for Suicide Prevention, Out of the Darkness. This is an organization she is already involved in, after her brother's suicide, but it was a nice way to remember her brother on her wedding day, because of course she was missing having him there.

I've noticed a lot of people on here don't like this idea but I have seen it done a few different times and I have absolutely no problem with it! I think it's important that the charity has a special connection or meaning for the couple - I DO notice favors, and I appreciate a sign telling me why there isn't a favor, because you have instead donated to a charity that is important to you. At one wedding, my friend donated to the American Federation for Suicide Prevention, Out of the Darkness. This is an organization she is already involved in, after her brother's suicide, but it was a nice way to remember her brother on her wedding day, because of course she was missing having him there.

Why is it when someone wants to donate to charity,they always use favors. Just once, I would like to see "in lieu of a wedding dress, we have donated to a charity". The charity would get more money and the guests experience won't be impacted.

No one is saying not to donate; they're just saying not to announce it. And not to consider in 'in lieu' of anything. It's a donation, plain, simple and wonderful.

No. This is a huge pet peeve of mine, especially as I'm a believer that one should donate privately. Donating to charity is great. Donating to a charity and making an announcement to your guests is tacky. You either have favors or you don't. Taking that money and donating to a charity, while a nice gesture, has nothing to do with your guests. It's just patting yourself on the back for the great thing you did.

I've been to a wedding where there were four different charities and each guest wrote their name and dropped it in whatever jar they wanted the couple to donate to as their favor. I thought it was a cute idea. I definitely wasn't offended by it and thought it was sweet. I won't be doing it, I will probably do something edible.

Better to just skip favors and make your donation separately from your wedding.