One of the best things about getting married, aside from committing yourself to a life of love and joy with your soul mate, is all the fun get-togethers you get to plan in the run-up to your big day. The bridal shower is, of course, one of them, a great way of getting all the girls together for a fun-filled afternoon.
But what about when it comes to gifts? What if you are looking for cash gifts only and want to suggest this without coming across as funny or rude? How do you go about it? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Today, we are going to be discussing all.
So without further ado, here are some suggestions as to how you can politely ask for monetary bridal shower gifts with some specific wording examples.
How Do You Politely Ask For A Monetary Gift On Bridal Shower Invitations?
You can politely ask for a monetary gift on bridal shower invitations with a simple yet considerate message. You’ll want to specify clearly that you would prefer cash while clearly stating it is optional and not necessary. Stating you will be setting up a cash registry is a great, indirect way to suggest you would prefer cash.
Consider The Language
You will want to avoid any language that insinuates that cash gifts are something all guests are supposed to give; it should be optional.
If you are going to ask for a cash gift for your bridal shower, you want to make sure you don’t come across as rude.
You don’t want to pressure your bridal shower guests into handing over any cash they don’t want to give.
So, ‘we want money’ is definitely going to be a sentence you want to avoid printing on your invitations.
Some brides are happy to print a short, and sweet ‘monetary gifts appreciated’ note at the end of their invitations.
It’s short and to the point, but it may still rub some people up the wrong way.
Finding the right wording for asking for a cash gift can be tricky, but with a little time and a little sweetness, you can tell your guests that you don’t need anything, but if they wish to gift you something, you’d rather have a cash gift.
Make It Optional
Your guests want to feel their appearance at your bridal shower is important.
So, avoid making them feel like a cash cow.
Let them know you are so looking forward to spending this time together.
You could even say that you aren’t expecting gifts at all, but for those who want to give, a donation towards your honeymoon fund would be better appreciated.
State Its Purpose
Always let your guests know where any money will go.
Money gifts can feel so impersonal, but explaining to your invited guests what the cash donations will go towards can help them feel far more involved in how special your wedding is going to be.
How Do You Say Monetary Gifts Only On Invitations?
If you want to ask your bridal shower guests for a monetary gift, the best place to put this is on your invitations.
Not sure what to say? Here are ten simple ways you can politely ask for a cash gift for your bridal shower.
1. “We are blessed to have everything we need. However, if you would like to contribute to our wedding/honeymoon fun, that would mean the world to us both”
2. “Monetary gifts appreciated”
3. “With all that we have, we have been truly blessed. Your presence is all that we request, but if you want to give the bride a gift, A monetary gift, we suggest.”
4. “If you were thinking of giving a gift to help us on our way, a gift of cash towards our wedding/honeymoon would really make our day.”
5. “All we need is for you to join the bride and celebrate her big day. However, if you wish to honor her with a gift, a cash gift would be very welcome.”
6. “Cash gifts are welcome if you would like to contribute to our honeymoon, but they are not expected.”
7. “If a gift is on your mind, A contribution would be kind. It will help us, more than words can say, to celebrate our special day.”
8. “As we’ve lived together for a year or two, we really don’t need anything new. But if you were thinking of getting us a small shower gift, some money for our future wouldn’t go amiss.”
9. “We do not expect any gifts, but if you wish to give a little something, please go to our cash registry.”
10. “In place of gifts, our registry allows you to contribute to our wedding fund/honeymoon fund.”
Important Considerations When asking For A Monetary Gift
If you have decided to ask your guests for a cash gift for your bridal shower, here are a few things you will want to keep in mind to make sure it comes across as polite and respectful.
Suggest An Amount
One of the hardest things about giving a cash gift when you are a bridal shower guest is knowing how much is acceptable.
Cash gift expectations can be a source of stress for some guests, especially if they are worried about looking tight-fisted.
You could set an amount or a cash gift budget.
However, don’t be greedy here. That will look even worse than not suggesting a cash gift amount.
Even if you set it at $50 – even though the average cash gift is around $100 – this can help your guests feel under less pressure to give you a big cash gift.
Include On All Invites
Make sure you include your cash gift request on all of your invitations.
This way, you know everyone is aware that you don’t need any physical gifts for your bridal shower, and you won’t have to worry about telling every single guest face to face.
By including a quick cash gift note on every invitation, you can also avoid any awkwardness that may come with telling guests you prefer money to their faces.
Give Reasons
One of the reasons that many guests don’t give cash gifts is because they can feel really impersonal.
Most guests want to give something that you will love, and a cash gift can feel like a bit of a cop-out.
Let your guests know how any cash gifts will be used, whether it is for your wedding fund, a honeymoon fund, or even to go towards renovations on your home together.
Guests will feel far more comfortable giving you a monetary gift if they feel as though their money is going towards something important that will make your big day even more special.
However, do avoid over-explaining where their cash gifts will go.
This can make you seem desperate, which can make your request for cash gifts seem a little bit tacky.
Using A Cash Registry
If you want to avoid adding a cash gift note on your bridal shower invitations, you can always opt to sign up for a cash registry.
This alternative to a traditional gift registry has been gaining popularity over the last decade, and there are loads of cash registry options on the market now.
Cash registries come with a lot of options; many have no limits on how much your guests can donate, and this can make cash giving a little less stressful.
It could be $30 or $200; whatever your guests are comfortable giving as a money gift, they can do it quickly and easily with a cash register option.
You can even set up a cash registry to give a certain amount you raise from your guests as a charitable donation.
Setting up a cash registry is also incredibly simple and takes money management off your mind as you enjoy your bridal shower.
Ask Friends And Family To Spread The Word
It can feel uncomfortable for some to add a cash gift-only note to your bridal shower invitations.
If this is something you really don’t feel you want to do, you can ask your family and friends to kindly spread the word that you aren’t looking for any physical gifts for your bridal shower.
If you’re worried that they won’t get to everyone with your cash gift message, don’t.
You’d be surprised by the number of people that will go to your parents or your best friend to get an idea of what you would enjoy as a gift.
Make sure your friends and family are clued into what you plan to do with any of the cash gifts.
This way, when they tell your invited guests, they can inform them as to why you’ve chosen to go with a cash gift-only policy for your bridal shower and where their money will end up.
Are You Asking For A Cash Gift?
Money can be an uncomfortable topic, especially when it comes to asking for monetary gifts.
Just remember to be polite and put no expectations on how much your guests are expected to donate.
That way, you should actually find you get the cash you actually wanted without rubbing your guests up the wrong way in the process!
Hey, I’m Allison – a recent bride, an expectant mother and the chief editor here at Everlasting Occasion. Here I document all the knowledge and experience I accumulated while researching and planning my dream wedding and ahead of our new baby. Here, I try to answer those many questions couples have when planning their dream wedding, while equally, helping expectant parents ahead of their new arrival!