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Give Back this Holiday Season with Charitable Wedding Ideas

Planning a wedding? Of course, there’s a lot on your plate and to think about the long route to the wedding day can be exhausting. But as someone said it right, it takes very little to be kind. As one of the raging wedding trends of recent times, we are seeing how more and more couples are coming forward to make conscious wedding decisions as they plan the biggest day of their lives. Whether it’s for a social cause or a way of giving back to the community, conscious wedding planning is a rising wedding trend. As per a wedding report, two third of recently engaged couples have vouched to support a charity as part of their wedding. From hiring black-owned wedding businesses for planning the wedding or making food donations as part of the reception, in this article we will learn about certain ways you can give back to the community.

Charitable Wedding Ideas That We Love: 

 

Do your research

Planning and creating a wedding timeline needs an extensive level of research. You should conduct research before planning everything for your wedding day. Look within when deciding which charities to support. It’s likely that you and your partner share some causes that are dear to you, whether they have to do with current events, your health, happiness, or even a particular passion. Spend some time researching each one. When a charity catches your attention, consider checking out Charity Watch to learn more about them. The website provides comprehensive data and details on how each charity uses the donations it receives. If you are deciding between a few different options, this information might come in very handy!

Go for green-certified vendors 

Use wedding vendors that have eco-friendly policies or come with certain certifications. Many businesses in the wedding industry are taking steps to lessen their environmental impact. Eco-friendly wedding businesses are booming around the world and this is especially true for caterers and rental businesses since they frequently generate waste and contribute to water wastage. Make sure they are made from recyclable materials and that your green-certified wedding vendors have a recycling strategy if you are considering using disposable utensils or plates.

Communicate with vendors 

Make sure your team of wedding vendors works together and is aware that you want to make sure your wedding has a positive impact. Ask them for advice on how they can assist you in doing this. While planning a charitable wedding, ask your wedding vendors what they intend to do with the waste when it comes to reducing wedding waste. For instance, make sure there is a plan to minimize, reuse, and recycle the wedding surplus.

Go for a charitable wedding shower or engagement party

Thinking of hosting an out-of-the-box engagement party or a wedding shower? Invite guests to your wedding shower or engagement party to bring canned goods to donate to your neighborhood food bank. Unsure of the location of the nearest food bank? Visit FeedingAmerica.org to search. Make sure to inform your guests of the food items that food banks use the most.

Give back from your wedding shopping

Want to be mindful while shopping for colorful wedding dresses? One way to give back while wedding shopping is through GoodShop. There are a ton of discount coupons, and it serves as a gateway to thousands of retailers. Choose a charity, then shop wildly with the knowledge that a portion of your wedding purchases will benefit a worthwhile cause. By registering for AmazonSmile, Amazon customers can accomplish the same thing. Choose a charity, then just go shopping. If you want to spread the good and are looking for charitable wedding ideas, you can switch your charity as often as you like on both of these websites.

Go for a non-profit wedding venue 

Always loved museum and art gallery wedding venues? Or wanted to go for an exotic European-inspired wedding venue? Why not go for something that supports a cause? Think about holding your ceremony or reception at a non-profit wedding venue. Imagine how special and lovely your reception would be if it were held in a museum, landmark, or botanical garden. Even better, you will be aware that your site fee is contributing to a worthy cause. The majority of historical sites and museums also run charities, so a portion of your rental fee will go to help them out. You can be sure that your money is supporting a worthwhile cause because some of these charity wedding venues operate on donations and volunteer work. Even catering services are offered by many businesses. Your entire purchase will benefit a worthwhile cause. While you are at it, think about hiring local cultural performers to wow your guests with entertainment at your reception.

Consider your wedding guests 

Before we put this post to bed, we did want to draw attention to whether or not your wedding guests supported your decision to donate money to a particular charity. Giving is an individual decision. The most crucial thing you can do is pick a charity that shares your values and is close to your heart. Your passion will be able to come across because you will be confident in your decision to support the wedding charity of your choice. If any of your guests disagree with your decision, it may be crucial to lean on this. The important thing to keep in mind is that you are in control of this, just like almost all other wedding decisions. Always act in a way that feels right to you and your partner.

Get creative with your wedding invitation cards 

Want mesmerizing wedding invite ideas that support a cause? Cards for Causes will donate 20% of the price of your thank-you notes orders to one of the more than 500 participating charities. The choices range from organizations that aid military veterans to those that rescue animals. Additionally, you can alter the fonts, colors, and text on the cards to better fit the theme of your wedding. You are also free to add a line mentioning the charitable donation. It is one of the easiest wedding charity ideas that require no difficult effort.

Go for a charity wedding registry 

Couples have a variety of options when it comes to asking for wedding gifts. Have you heard of the charity wedding registry that gives back? Everyone is aware of traditional wedding registries, and the majority of people are also familiar with honeymoon registries and asking for cash. Wedding charity registries are here to change the game. A charity wedding registry is a type of registry where couples request donations to a particular charity rather than material gifts from their guests. A charity wedding registry is a wonderful way to start your marriage as well as the ideal gift-giving option for couples who already own essential wedding essentials. It’s a fantastic resource to take into consideration if the couple feels they have everything they need but knows their guests will still want to give a gift in some way. It’s also a great way to make a bigger impact than the couple could do on their own by combining the resources of their guests.

Plan for a charitable bachelor or bachelorette for a cause 

Looking for a luxurious bachelorette trip with your gang of women? What if you can cover the best locations for your BFF travel list with a cause? Instead of hosting a pre-wedding event for guests or bridesmaids, organize a group volunteer project in the destination you have planned for. Include a charitable endeavor like helping a shelter for animals, constructing a home for a deserving family, or assembling food packages for the needy. This will foster a sense of camaraderie and reveal more of your heart to your group. You could clean up trash at your local public beach, serve a meal at the Salvation Army, or assist Habitat for Humanity in building a house. Visit VolunteerMatch.org for more suggestions than you can possibly use.

Go for charitable wedding favors 

Looking for luxe wedding favor ideas to give your guests that will be remembered? Why not think about donating that money to a worthwhile cause instead of buying 200 personalized toothpick holders if you are completely over Jordan almonds and can’t justify spending that much money? With an average wedding guest count of 125 in the US and wedding favor prices of $3, that amounts to a sizable donation, especially for local charities. Instead of purchasing wedding favors these days, some couples choose to donate the money to a cause that is dear to their hearts. A rising wedding trend that reflects a general desire to change the world by giving back to the community is wedding favor donations in lieu of gifts. It is a heartfelt way to express gratitude to your visitors for coming as well as to share the spirit of generosity and helping others with them. Make one or two lovely wedding signs that announce the donations made in the guests’ honor by the reception exits. It’s a fantastic way to cap off your party on a high note! If you must give out favors, pick one that benefits a good cause. Buy everyone a Save the Rhino bracelet, for instance. Everyone will receive a gift in this way, and your mindful wedding purchase will still give back.

Donate your wedding gown 

Select a charity that specializes in donating gowns to couples who are less fortunate than you. That decision will make excellent use of your gown rather than leaving it gathering dust in your closet. Consider donating your wedding gown to a charity like Brides Across America or Brides Against Breast Cancer if you don’t intend to keep it. Brides Against Breast Cancer resells dresses to raise money to support breast cancer early detection, and Brides Across America supports essential workers and military personnel who are celebrating their wedding days. Bridesmaids can donate their gowns so that someone else can wear them to prom. Search your neighborhood for organizations that accept dresses, or use the online directory DonationTown to find a location close by.

Donate your wedding flowers 

What will you do with your flowers after your wedding is over? If you want to attempt a DIY project yourself, consider turning them into miniature arrangements for nursing homes and hospitals rather than throwing them away. If not, look into regional organizations that will do the job on your behalf for a nominal fee. One such company that does this for event flowers in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas is Forget Me Knot Flowers.

Donate your wedding food 

Ask your catering services to see if they will accept leftover wedding food donations for a nearby shelter or food-related organization. Please be aware that many organizations have strict requirements for the packaging of leftover food delivered to them. The key is to discuss your motive to donate with your caterer and come up with a strategy together that will fulfill everyone’s needs. For instance, healthcare professionals are loved and respected by Frontline Foods as well as us! They are providing restaurant meals to the heroes caring for patients on the front lines thanks to their team of volunteers and restaurants in the cities where they work. Through World Central Kitchen, Chef Jose Andres provides food wherever there is a need. Throughout the pandemic, Chef Andres and his team have been delivering meals, and they will keep doing so. Their enthusiasm makes it simple to support their efforts! Families ought never to have to deal with hunger, and Feeding America is working to do so. They give food to families all over the nation. Any amount of funding is helpful in ensuring that those in need receive complete meals. Check to see what your local hospital may need, whether they are accepting monetary donations or donations of supplies.

Let your guests choose 

Giving to a single charity is totally acceptable, but if you have a preference, why not give your guests a choice? A wonderful online charitable registry called The Good Beginning enables couples and their guests to make donations to numerous US-based charities. Couples and charities benefit greatly from having everything tracked in one location, and if you don’t see a particular charity on the list, you can easily add it.

Go for a volunteering opportunity on your honeymoon 

Want to turn your dream honeymoon escape into something more valuable? You can volunteer for a cause on your honeymoon. For instance, the service-learning courses offered by Road Scholar offer a special program where participants travel to India to work as teachers. They might take field trips, visit museums, and attend lectures in the evenings. Typically, participants in these programs can deduct some of their travel costs as a charitable deduction on their tax returns. Consider a cause that is close to your heart, such as the environment, poverty, education, or health. You can also look into local and global charities that operate in those fields. Don’t overlook volunteer programs here in the United States either. For instance, Habitat for Humanity accepts volunteers from both domestic and foreign locations. The UN offers a variety of volunteer opportunities both locally and globally.

Donate your frequent flyer miles 

When you brought your family to your destination wedding or during your honeymoon, did you accrue any frequent flier miles? Think about giving them to HeroMiles, which will use them for the families of injured soldiers. As an alternative, look into these airlines’ policies regarding awarding miles.

Go for mindful payments 

Big weddings come with big bills, and even the cost of a small event can leave you feeling overwhelmed. Use a credit card that makes a charitable donation each time you pay a vendor to help you feel better about your spending. The amount given by these big banks’ so-called affinity cards is admittedly minimal. But throughout the planning process, those little payments can add up. Some to think about include the World Wildlife Fund Card (which will donate a percentage of money spent to the WWF), the Susan G. Komen Cash Rewards Visa (which supports the fight against breast cancer), and the Charity Charge Mastercard (which rewards you with cash back for the charity of your choice).

A little kindness can change the world. In the current world, it has become easier than ever to become socially conscious, especially when it comes to planning a wedding. Many couples are seeing wedding planning as an opportunity to give back to the community- starting from charitable wedding registry options to hiring women-owned wedding businesses, there are many ways and opportunities to get you started. Sharing the joy of starting a brand new life with the people beyond your guest list can give you a lifetime filled with happiness and fulfillment, along with inspiring other planning couples to make a difference.

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