I'm not sure whether to make this post part of my money saving tips collection or place it into my set of ideas to make $10k in a year. :-)
Here's a Dear Abby piece I found on Yahoo. The basic problem was that a couple had "friends" who were using their wedding as a cash cow -- to MAKE money. The details:
During the dinner, Ron and Barbie blatantly informed us that they had registered for expensive shower items so they could return the gifts for cash. During the conversation, I mentioned I'd had my eye on a pricey vacuum cleaner I had seen advertised on TV. Barbie turned to her fiance and said, "Honey, we should have registered for that so we could return it for the cash!"
Ha!
Now add in gifts at the bachelor party and the wedding itself, and this couple is bound to make a fortune! ;-)
BTW, Abby advised the couple to politely send a note saying their plans had changed and they had to miss the wedding.
As for me, I'll let the situation speak for itself. But I will include a few posts on buying gifts for weddings:
I don't think I would put it in the "ways to make $10,000" file. Weddings shouldn't be done to make money. Besides, that would be a one shot deal, and it would cost way more to undo it! :)
I think it is unfortunate that people return gifts that others carefully selected and put thought into. At the minimum they should have announced to their guests they would prefer cash for their honeymoon, or to go toward the purchase of ____ (fill in the blank). That is still not considered kosher by many people, but I think it would be better than asking people to place their gifts on the table and be sure to leave the receipt.
Posted by: Patrick | July 02, 2007 at 02:32 PM
Even tho' it's tacky to make such an announcement at the wedding, Patrick, or even to say as much in the invitation or on an insert, it is WAY tackier to do what Barbie & Ron did.
If cash is preferred, the proper etiquette is register for gifts, then spread your wishes via word-of-mouth in the months prior to the wedding. This can be easily done: the couple tells the attendants and parents, they tell the shower/bachelor party guests, those people can tell other guests. When people talk about your wedding or ask what you registered for, you'd reply "I registered for (blank) but what we'd really like is so extra cash for our honeymoon/house/whatever. Then guests can make their own decisions about what to give you.
And if you still want more cash by the time to big day arrives, make your bride and/or groom do the money dance, or have a money tree near the gifts. It's a fun, subtle way to ask for cash.
Posted by: Ciji | July 02, 2007 at 04:47 PM
Sounds like a perfect one for "I made a contribution in your name.."
Posted by: Lord | July 02, 2007 at 06:05 PM
I find brides and grooms getting bossier and bossier, so I wrote a piece about why, despite their being practical, I hate wedding registries.
Posted by: MoneyChangesThings | July 02, 2007 at 11:19 PM
I too think this would be the perfect occasion for making a donation to a worthy cause in the name of the happy couple.
Posted by: plonkee | July 03, 2007 at 03:24 AM