Wedding Etiquette

[chinchuckchick]

Haven't been to a wedding for a few years (all our friends are married/not getting married/divorced etc) recieved one yesterday for the daughter of friends.

Anyway, is it usual these days to put BSB/Account details on the card that says there will be a wishing well?

Fair enough (much as I dislike the lack of personal touch in a money gift) I've gotten used to wishing wells, especially for couples who have been together for a long time, I don't even mind putting money toward their honeymoon, but to turn it into a bank transaction goes too far for me.

[katymatey*]

The last wedding I attended it was requested that money be deposited into an account. Another relative in the travel industry then used the money to book the couples honeymoon. I had a huge problem with it. They were both professional ppl with good incomes. If you can't afford the fancy honeymoon, don't go.

[cueperkins]

Crikey, when I think about weddings, this song comes to mind...Georgia Satellites "Keep your hands to yourself". - classic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMFMf9cN64U

They should play this at every wedding & then at least we could all dance...lol

[terracottacar]

We had almost nothing when we married and one of the best things about being a newlywed was opening the presents with my husband. Not knowing what we received until we unwrapped them was excellent. And then writing the thankyou notes personally was fun too.

Ah, memories. If I knew then what I know now.......

[azureline**]

Well, I find Gift Registeries tacky, Wishing Wells tacky, Bank Transfers tacky, and now Az is saying there is a new trend of Money for kids birthday parties!   What is wrong with a quiet word to the recipient, asking what they would like?  If they cannot think of anything, then Gift Vouchers for later use should be fine.  Things do wear out, need replacing, so would still be used eventually. 

I do worry about the attitudes of the future. 

Gift vouchers....yes as a last resort but I have an issue with them too... cash does not expire... why should vouchers from major retailers?

I also am not a fan of asking what someone wants...... I would rather no gift at all. 🙂

[*raqshaki*]

I find the attitude of giving money to young children quite odd.

I married into a greek family and the day my 2 children were born, bank accounts were set up for them and the family would deposit funds into those accounts on significant dates - birthdays, name days and Christmas. We invested those funds in the share market and the children are now adult and have $80K behind them - ready for a house deposit.....far more value and the kids got a kick out of watching the account grow and as they grew up had an imput about what share to buy.......

When we married some 25 years ago - we were given $4k in cash from the Greek side, very useful for newly weds.

On my husbands island it is traditional for the wife to come with a house, the family get together and build it. The resources you have when you don't start with debt!

[jean2579]

What a lovely tradition. European traditions are so practical.

[2106greencat]

racqshaki - can I ask - did the money get pinned to the wedding dress? Years ago I was told by someone that was a Greek tradition ?

[*raqshaki*]

No - the money came in wedding cards.

Various islands have various traditions, the island my husband is from ( Lemnos ) the women think the money pinning thing is tacky! The bride stands on a chair and money is pinned on by the guests .....one bride i was told about walked out with over $25K pinned to her dress, but the wedding had 400 guests.

[2106greencat]

Wow, I think it is way cool - thanks for replying 🙂

[cherry*135]

Gift vouchers....yes as a last resort but I have an issue with them too... cash does not expire... why should vouchers from major retailers?

It is to do with accounting for income... selling gift vouchers is income received in advance (as not used until recipient buys something). If the there was no time limit, the business offering the gift cards could be hit with people cashing in $5000 or more worth in the same month, years after they were purchased and the original cash paid for them long used up in the year they were purchased. 

There have been a few retailers recently that haven't been able to honour their gift vouchers.. Angus & Robertson, Daryl Lea.. even though they were still trading in their last few months they wouldn't accept their own gift vouchers.