Gift Attendant?

Well, gifts do get stolen. Mostly cards from unlocked card boxes. I could see where this could be a good idea for a larger wedding.

Depending on your venue/area/crowd, it's not a bad idea to have someone run large gifts out to a car or safe space after the ceremony. It's sad, but I know I've been at weddings where cards or gifts were taken from the table. You don't need an actual "gift attendant" though, just have an usher, bridesmaid, or groomsman handle it.

eta: And when I say "have an usher, bm, or gm handle it" I mean ask them nicely to handle this for you, not just tell them or assign them to do it haha! And Mrs Gee makes a good point, your DOC can do this, too.

Nope. We had our DOC handle the gifts and cards once the cocktail hr was over. She put them in my bridal suite and at the end of the right we collected them.

I actually think it's a great idea.... I totally forgot about this but i'll def look into it for my wedding. Ive heard so many horror stories of people stealing cards/gifts. I'd like to think no one would do something like that but you never know especially if another event is going on at same venue or if you don't really know someone's guest.

We had two of the bridesmaids watch the gift box during cocktail hour, and then DH ran the envelopes upstairs to our hotel room and put them in the safe (our wedding was at a hotel and we had a room upstairs).

That's absolutely awful... I can't imagine people doing this to loved ones.

@Katie - Can your DOC do this? And I'd definitely suggest a locked (or otherwise closed) box for the envelopes.

While I can see the point, you don't want a guest to miss the cocktail hour because they're standing watch over the table. Talk to your DOC about it!

Here all the cards are given to the bestman or groomsman, if people don't really know them they will often give them to either the parents or bridesmaids who will then give them to the bestman. He usually puts them in the safe if its in a hotel (most weddings here are in hotels), here most people give cards, but the few gifts that are given are put straight into the couples room, or are kept at reception until they are brought up. We don't do card boxes, guests here don't like them.

If you do need someone to watch a table I would ask one on the ushers/groomsmen after all they are there to help with things for the day.

Our DOC was so intense about it lol - she brought a black garbage bag to transfer the envelopes into and made DH do that instead of bringing the box up. I loved her for it though.

My only ONE caveat of having the DOC do it, is make sure you trust your DOC. I've heard horror stories of DOCs who have stolen from their clients. Our DOC was all about helping/facilitating, but she made it crystal clear from the outset that she isn't comfortable handling any of the gifts or money herself - she didn't want to take on that liability.

@nenabear, I don't think it's typically close friends and family doing this or at least that's not what I typically hear. I hear more issues with maybe guests you don't know as well at larger weddings, +1s/guests you don't actually know at all, and (what I hear most often) vendors/staff. My mom was a little worried that my card box didn't lock and it might be easy for one of the staff members that we didn't even know to reach in and grab something. Plus our original plan was to leave the garden gate open which would have meant only a couple steps in to the gift table. We ended up changing that and people would have had to walk all the way around the building to get to it. I figured it was ok because of that and since it would be right in the middle of guests roaming around and to my knowledge we didn't have any problems. Only real potential lost item was that DHs sister (and my BM) didn't give us a gift, card, anything and that seemed really odd to me, esp since she had already told me what she was giving us. But I just let it go.

I think that we will be having a family member or possibly our MC doing this for us. Once everyone has arrived, I was going to have a groomsman or two grab all of the gifts and envelopes and bring them to our room. Our wedding is at a hotel/resort. This way we won't need to worry about it all night. The least we will do is have someone take the card box to our room and leave the gifts.

Wow, this never occurred to me. I guess I'm too trusting, haha!

I'm arming my niece with a nerf gun. She's 6'5" tall and very imposing. I dare someone to interfere with the gift table / card box.

In all seriousness, I worry about this too. My reception is at a busy hotel. We plan on putting the table in a location very far away from the ballroom door, probably near the DJ booth. Basically in the eye-line of everyone. Our DOC tells us she will periodically move gifts and cards to the safe room behind the front desk.

So yeah...talk to your DOC or venue manager.

I've never seen one. ever.

My gosh, I expected everyone to agree with me that it wasn't necessary! Ok, I 100% trust my DOC to handle it, I've known her for years. Glad I asked!

This is interesting. I have a card box with a lid. My wedding will have 40 guest. A couple +1 we will be meeting for the first time. Hmmm should I be worried? I noticed most comments say this is more common at large weddings.

I have never ever seen one.

I was going to have a card box, but was told by my mom and FH's grandmother not to have one. My mom is going to take all envelopes. If any boxed gifts are brought, I will make sure they go into a family members car or get put somewhere where noone has access.

My mother has the same concern. We just planned to do a card box that can't be opened until FH and I completely dismantle it.

I have never seen an actual person assigned to attend the gift table. However, at several of my cousins' weddings I know they asked close friends/their siblings to keep an eye on the gifts/cards throughout the reception. Not stand guard, but just have several eyes occasionally glancing that way. I think at the most recent wedding I attended the coordinator put the gifts away after cocktail hour ended.