Any suggestions for wedding donations box?

Question

my fiance & i are 100% about giving back to others. our wedding is well over $20,000 and so for our favors we want to have donation vouchers (ie: their table/name card will have a value of "$5" on the back of it) for them to drop in a designated charity box we're planning to have set up in the reception. We're going to donate a minimum of $100/ea to 3 different charities (humane society, american cancer society & operation once in a lifetime) but are looking for creative, disguised boxes so that it doesnt persuade someone to donate to one cause or another. Our colors are plum & champagne with ivory & chocolate accents but we don't know where to find discrete dark boxes. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Split it even and just place a nice framed letter on the table naming the charities that the donates went to instead of a favor.

Key to a successful and tasteful wedding is-

1. Keep it simple.

2. Keep it clean and organized.

3. Don't make more work for yourself.

I would be more delighted to see that instead of a favor, I donated to 3 charities- instead of the childish confusion of tacky vouchers being shoved into satin boxes.

Answer 2

I guess I don't understand your question.  Are you asking guests to donate $5 to one of those charities, or to just select the charity that they want your money to go to?  Why don't you just make checks out to your charities of choice and don't confuse the guests. I think it's rude to ask for donations at a wedding reception.

Answer 3

The only way I've ever seen this done is where the couple picked one charity and gave cards informing that a donation HAD been made in their names. I'd recommend that. You can still have three charities, but just split it evenly. This is a gift from you, your guests don't need to pick the charity. You aren't picking a social cause, so guests don't need to worry about their gift supporting something they don't agree with.

Answer 4

Honestly, just have little tents (similiar to placecard size) made up telling your guests that in lieu of favors a donation has been made to such and such charities.  

It's much nicer, classier, and less confusing than what you're describing.

Keep it simple.

Answer 5

Go with oy vey's answer ... great idea

Answer 6

While I admire your humanitarianism, I really don't think a wedding is an appropriate place to collect funds for a charity.  If you want to make a contribution to the charity of your choice in lieu of gifts, simply let your family members and wedding party know that so they can spread the word to guests.  Or you could set up a wedding website with a link to the charity website, asking them to contribute funds to the charity instead of a gift for you.  Or, even more simply, just graciously accept the cash gifts, combine them into one big fat check for the charity, and mail it to them yourself, and then let everyone know that's what you did with the money on your thank-you notes.  A collection box is just a little too "telethon" for me.

Answer 7

Great idea but it would make more sense and be easier if you put three little boxes or lines on the card and had them check off the the one they want. Then when they leave they all drop them into one large box.

We thank you for celebrating our special day with us. In lieu of a favor we are donating $5 to the charity of your choice. Please check the one you wish to have receive the donation and drop it in the box this evening.

__ Humane Society

__American Cancer Society

__Operation Once in a Lifetime

Answer 8

just have 3 different wishing wells set up with a note on the table for them that the proceeds in each of the wells are being donated to the charities you have listed .