It was magical!!! Everything went very well. We had storms to the south and north of us but only a brief sprinkling of rain during the dancing. It was everything my daughter had dreamed of- outside under twinkly lights with great friends, loving families (we meshed so well!) and great music. The photos I have seen from the photographer look like a magazine spread. So, so happy. I hope all of your children have as much fun and happiness as mine did.
Oh, @Onward, how wonderful! Best wishes for a future of happiness for you D and SIL.
That is so great Onward!!!
Has anyone had success with place cards (the little things that say John Doe, Table 5) that you print yourself on a computer? Is there a particular brand you recommend?
I have access to a printer at my office that prints well on cardstock, so I’ve offered to take on this task for my daughter and her fiance. But I’ve heard awful things about some of the products on the market.
^^ I purchased some place cards by Avery and did it myself on my printer. Avery has a template for the cards but what took the longest time was choosing the right font for the names and a different font for table number.
Thank you for the recommendation, @cbreeze. I would feel more comfortable with Avery than with strange fly-by-night brands that I’ve never heard of.
I used the Avery brand as well. The template worked nicely.
I also printed a “thank you for coming” card that we put on each plate at the reception. Her wedding got moved up several months to get it in before her dad had major surgery, so there were no printed invitations. I wanted them to have a keepsake. Staples had a nice moss green card stock in half sheet size and I used a cursive script font. It was arranged like a formal wedding invitation and said (nottheir real names)
Emily Claire Dragon
and
Jason James Jones,
together with their families,
thank you for sharing their wedding day.
June first, 2015
Seattle, Washington
Neighbors related how a friend’s DD is getting married and has 4 showers already lined up. Seems all about the stuff. They found it refreshing that our DD’s wedding is about getting married and celebrating together.
Sometimes it is not the bride’s fault there are several showers. Some people have big families, or friends in different towns, work place showers, etc. When I had a baby, two different groups of friends wanted to host showers and I asked them to combine to just one. Well, then that one got so big I sort of regretted not just having two. I didn’t want my family to have to go to two. I was just so tired I didn’t want to do two, and then just a few weeks later we had the baptism so it was a lot of socializing for me.
You really can’t win. Some people like to be invited to all the showers, some only to the one for their ‘group.’ Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
My D has had two showers and two more to go. Ummm…not “all about the stuff”. But more about some loving friends of mine, her aunt and cousins in our home state, her fiance’s family and her work & college friends in her new state honoring them with a shower. D & FSIL are very touched and appreciative, not only of the gifts they have received, but also for the incredible events and coming together of so many of their family and friends.
I’ve enjoyed, because the showers have given me the opportunity to meet some of FSIL’s family and D’s work friends before the wedding. And when D & her future MIL flew here for a shower, it provided her the chance to get to know people from D’s home.
I’ve been to several showers that were no gifts, just favorite recipes, photos of the bride and groom and memories. Those were very touching and naturally led to lots of stories of the bride and groom.
If there are showers and shower gifts, often that may mean less money for the wedding gift, especially when folks are having to fly in from far away. Travel expenses and time off work can really add up.
My FDIL will have two showers - one hosted by my friends and one hosted by her mother’s friends. There have also been (or will be) two “engagement” parties - one on the west coast where she grew up but no longer lives and one at my home for all the extended family and friends for whom we have no room to invite to the wedding. My party is “no gifts”, yet I have already fielded multiple phone calls asking where they are registered. For whatever reason, they have not chosen to register for a lot and it is frustrating for a lot of people, especially those invited to the related events. I would just as soon no one bring gifts, and to be honest so would my S and FDIL. They just want to celebrate their happiness with those who care about them and their families. I’m actually hoping my friends will do a recipe shower or something that involves gifts of personal experiences (with no monetary value) for or with the couple rather than trying to find more on their limited registry. On the other hand, I’ve told my S and FDIL that if they don’t register for what they want, they will likely receive a lot of gifts that will need to be returned or that do not fit in with their lifestyle. It’s a double-edged sword that all comes from a place of love for the couple and their families.
For couples who have very few things registered, many guests will simply give gift cards or cash. There are a few stores that will cash out your unused gift cards.
It really is not the norm for everyone to give cash as a wedding gift. I have never done so. I don’t know whether anyone in my family has. For some of us, it feels very uncomfortable. We are more likely to give something like candlesticks or a crystal bowl or vase or the like if we don’t have a registry to refer to.
Shower gifts I don’t see as a big problem. There are lots of kitchen/bar/tool things to give.
My daughter will register…mostly to give folks an idea of her style. @Consolation those are nice gifts IF the bridal couple wants that sort of thing. Mine don’t.
Plus…she can have my Tiffany bowl and tray, Sterling silver flatware and a choice of a number of candlesticks…if they suit her.
I really think the registry should give an idea of the kind of things the wedding couple would like to own…casual, very formal, everyday stuff, special occasion stuff, etc.
Also, I’m hoping folks consider storage for any gifts they choose for our bride and groom. DD lives in a one bedroom, small apartment…so anything she can’t store will be at my house.
I agree, @thumper1, I would always prefer to give something I’m sure they would they like. That’s why it is a good idea to register to give people an idea of your style. 
Within my culture and my cross-cultural circle of friends, cash gifts are very much appreciated and widely accepted. Couples are getting married much later and often they don’t value getting the traditional china, silver and things associated with “getting setup in a household” anymore.
Where we live, cash/checks are not uncommon as wedding gifts, but many people want to send things from the couple’s registry for engagement parties/showers. I would prefer (as would my S and FDIL) that these other events be “no gifts” but my guests for July have already emailed asking about the registry even thought the invitation specifically said, “No gifts, please.” There are plenty of small kitchen tools/gadgets on the registry but I’m already hearing questions from people who don’t see many “big items (think wedding gift)” left. It’s a first world problem, I know, but they, too, will not have a large home in which to store all this so it will all live in my house for now. My dining room looks like a UPS distribution facility already and the wedding isn’t until September.
My godson’s wedding was so sweet, so lovely. They cut certain corners, but invested in the parts that they most wanted, some large (an open bar, throughout, a very committed photographer, a DJ,) some small (table decorations were candles, strands of pearls and other small items. No live flowers.) I can’t explain, but this all came across as very personal and special.
I think it’s not the word “norm,” which, of course, can vary. Rather, “traditional.” There are cultures where one gives money for the bridal dance or puts it in a bridal purse, etc, but I thought that was separate from the gift.
Yes very understandable with different groups of people with different showers. Neighbor has already been invited to 2 of this bride’s showers and they are just friends of the parents.
Always have different ends of the spectrum. DD has enough on her registry for someone to get a gift if they don’t want to gift money.
The wedding is costing the couple above what H and I contributed, and above what in-laws are contributing for rehearsal dinner. They want people to come and enjoy the ceremony and celebration. Gift giving is totally up to the guests.
We are still using wedding gifts we received 38 years ago.
However some young couples have to move around for jobs, and they want to have various experiences. So live a life with less stuff.