Thoughts on card box- lock needed?

I was the same as you... wasn't initially worried about anyone stealing cards/gifts/money, but then I learned of a few stories that happened and sadly, you can't always trust everyone, especially in a party setting. I think it's a good idea to get a locked/secured box for cards. A lot of people use birdcages (that's what we did). I'd also recommend asking a parent/trusted friend to take the box/cage to a private room or inside your home (depending on where your wedding is) a little after the reception starts, so you no longer have to worry about it.

I didn't worry about this honestly...at some point during our reception, the maitre d' brought the card box and gifts up to our hotel suite. I would have someone remove it at some point - lock it in a car, hotel room, etc.

I was worrying about the same thing. Our venue has a locked bridal suite, so only my girls, mothers and myself will have the lock number. I am probably going to have it put in there and then at the end of the night have either my parents or his parents take it. My FH is so worried about it. You think your loved ones wouldn't do something like that, but friends have had bad experiences of stolen items in other situations (birthday limo where $500+ and an ipod got stolen) so we just feel most comfortable entrusting it to that room or our parents

Zip ties are also an inconspicuous way of securing a cage/box without a bulky lock Black ones blend in. Yes, they can be cut or broken, but it still adds a hurdle so someone can't just come and swipe cards away.

Ours is a one way box that you'd have to flip over in order to open it, and it's fairly heavy. Our DOC will be emptying it at the end of cocktail hour and putting everything in our room, then she'll put it in the reception room in case someone missed it during cocktail hour.

I'm not worried so much about our guests stealing, but no one is checking names at the door so anyone dressed appropriately wouldn't look out of place. Ours is a popular wedding venue and steps from the main part of town. Friends would think a stranger was family, family would think friend, or either could think the person worked there. Better to be safe than lose all your cards!

Our box didn't lock but it did have a latch on it. We weren't concerned about our guests but there were a lot of vendors and reception staff floating around and sadly you just never know.

I didn't have a lock on my card box and everything turned out okay. My DOC was pretty much on top of everything anyways, so we had no worries.

Good input! @Catlady, I love yours!!

Zipties are a great idea too, @Rachel.

I would hope the guests wouldn't think to steal. But our venue is right downtown in a mid-sized city. Anyone could potentially come in and help themselves, as @SkitoBe points out. My answer to most wedding dilemmas has been "whatever provides peace of mind", so - locked/secured it is!

Thanks.

It's unfortunate that this is a concern, and that this actually happens! It happened to my mother - my mother & step father had a mostly adult wedding... and someone took the card box along with some decor. It was a small wedding at a friend's farm. It's hard to imagine "your friends" stealing but it happens

@OnceuponaCarter, how sad!!

This is a big concern of mine. I am not worried about our friends and family, but to be honest anyone can attend a wedding and mingle as a guest. I will ask two people to remove the card box from the hall once the reception starts and move it to the locked bridal suite. I always suggest having two eyes on the money box. It protects the person you entrusted with it. If any other cards are received after the box has been moved they will go to our parents and the same two people will be responsible for collecting them and moving them to the locked suite.

I tested this out at my sister in laws wedding and it worked out great

I was firmly on team #nolockonthebox but I got outvoted by my husband and MIL. So, we had tiny little gold heart-shaped locks on the box. Here's the finished product:

I am so worried about this happening, not because of the guests I am inviting but anyone could pretend to come into a wedding and pretend to mingle and then swipe the box.

You'd have to be pretty crafty to get something out of my card box, but we will have a little lock on it and my maitre d will look over it. I have some cousins who I cannot not invite, but they have stolen from multiple family members.

Similar to @CatLady5x, I was also going to have a vintage mailbox. I am going to put a lock on it if I feel like it's too flimsy and easy to open. You never know what a person is going through or why they would feel the need to steal but I'm not going to sit around and wait to be a victim of that mess.

I didn't think about this but after reading a few comments I'll be doing a lockbox

Our venue coordinator told us a few horror stories of the public coming into weddings inconspicuously and later finding open cards in the bathroom trash bins. So we are securing our box. FH is going to figure out a way to weigh the box down as well with out piling rocks in it. It is an unfortunate but necessary consideration.

@Zaz Did you make your card box? Your wedding card box is beautiful!

I was worried about this but also felt weird about having a conspicuous lock. I trust my guests but I've also heard horror stories. (There is a possibility that there will be another wedding happening at the same time at our venue, so crashers were mostly on my mind).

I ended up buying this one on Etsy. It has a screw and slides open from the bottom. I thought it was a good size and would be pretty impossible to open without anyone noticing. I will probably also ask our catering manager to lock it up at some point during the evening.

@Dee - thanks! My MIL made it for us - which is why her vote counted on the lock situation lol

She made it out of sturdy cardboard boxes she found at Michael's or Jo-Anne's, covered in the fabric. I'm not sure exactly what went into the construction of it, but I know she found tutorials on Pinterest and youtube.