Donations are the New Favors

Gifting a favor as a thank you to your guests is a timeless tradition. Often many bride and grooms gift sweets, frames, candles, or something that describes the bride and groom. Favors can be quite costly, especially if you have a larger guest count, and most of them go unused by guests. This is why we love when clients do donations. You can choose a charity of your choice and instead of spending the money on gifts that most people won't appreciate, you can donate those funds to a good cause.

Here are some great places to donate to:

UNICEF

I Do Foundation

Facing Our Risk

Give A Gift That Keeps On Giving

Everybody loves wedding favors, and if you want to give wedding favors to your guests that are special to you, check out some of these amazing organizations that allow you to give to charity while giving to your guests:

Partner up with GAP and Join (RED):

(RED) is a simple idea that transforms our incredible collective power as consumers into a financial force to help others in need. Why not choose one of their red colored products from the Apple store like the iPod Nano, or the first-ever (APPLE)^RED Smart Cover for iPad 2. There are also the (PRODUCT)^RED™ Special Edition Lucky bracelets from Carolina Bucci, which are designed to capture the spirit of childhood friendship bracelets within the world of fine jewelry.

Global Goods Partners:

Global Goods Partners offer handmade gifts that support women. They have a lot to choose from, such as Jewelry such as Wooden Bangles, Beaded Bracelets and More To Support Women Artisans. Scarves which are all fair-trade, handmade and eco-friendly. Home décor, such as African Baskets, Unique Candles, or even Hand embroidered coasters. All of these gifts are dedicated to empowering women, alleviating poverty, and promoting social justice.

Marie Claire:

Marie Claire offers feel good gifts that give back. Check out their website to see an extensive collection of fun and charitable gifts that can double as favors for your wedding. Why not get Aveda's Destined for Smoothness Set, an all-in-one package that comes with two of their best-selling products: the Smooth Infusion shampoo and the style-prep smoother; with part of the proceeds going toward saving the Colombian Rainforest. Or you can get aFEED Guatemala 3 Large Ikat tote, not only are they stylish, but these versatile tote bags are handmade by Nest, a nonprofit organization that empowers female artisansaround the globe

There is a lot of struggle and hardship that is happening all around us,and with all of the love being spread around on your special day,why not share a little bit with the world?

Donation Favors

Providing favors to your guests is a must have at most weddings. Many couples have difficulty coming up with something that is both meaningful to them and pleasing for their guests. There are certainly many options to choose from but one which really stands out today is donation favors.

Donation favors have become widely popular in the past few years. The couple chooses their favorite charity or organization, and in honor of their guests, makes a donation. You can let your guests know of your donation on their behalf in several ways. You can prepare an elegant card giving the details of your donation and either place it in a picture frame next to your guest book so guests see it when they sign the book or at guests’ tables so they see the card when they sit for dinner. Some couples may simply choose to notify their guests by mentioning it in their ‘thank-you speech’ at the reception.

At a recent wedding, the couple chose to donate to “Doctors without Borders”, www.doctorswithoutborders.org , an organization that was very near and dear to them. “Doctors without Borders” is independently funded and is committed to bringing quality medical care to people in crises regardless of their race, religion, or political affiliation.



Other popular organizations you can choose to donate to include:

*American Cancer Society
*American Red Cross
*Your local SPCA
*National Arbor Day Foundation
*UNICEF
*Make a Wish Foundation

You can give to larger organizations or to some local charities in your community. Whichever you choose, it should have meaning to both you and your spouse.

Searching For A Good Cause

All brides know that wedding planning requires a lot of research. You have to research venues, bands, invitations, limousine rentals, airline flights, hotels, and sometimes even simple wedding etiquette. There’s a great way to research for your wedding, as well as help others in the process.

GoodSearch.com is a Yahoo-powered search engine. They make donations to 90,000 participating members, you choose your cause and they will donate one penny to your nonprofit of choice.

The creators of this website have also created GoodShop.com. By purchasing items from participating merchants, a percentage will be donated to a cause. Since JJ Ramberg and her brother Ken created GoodSearch.com in 2005, they have raised $34,000 for the ASPCA which helps animals in need, $14,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and $12,000 for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. You can use your wedding as a way to help those in need. When shopping for all of items related to your wedding, why not help others?

So, instead of searching for wedding photographers on Google or Bing , if you go to goodsearch.com, they will donate a penny for every search.

Good Deed Favors

Many of our brides have requested a list of favors which help great causes. We’ve found a few charities in India which offer hand made products by those less fortunate. It’s really amazing to know that a favor you can give to your guests will be helping those who are less privileged.

Shraddha Charitable Trust - www.shraddhamumbia.org
The organization assists autistic and mentally challenged young adults by helping them build skills to create the arts & crafts. The site offers many products including decorative bags, boxes, picture frames, etc.



Akanksha - www.akanksh.org
Akanksh is a non-profit organization which provides non formal education for under privileged children through Akanksha centers as well as formal education through Akanksha Schools. The products are created by children in the organization’s Art for Akanksha program. The program was started in 1996 and provides the children a space for self-expression. There are many items created by the children on the website including gift bags, candles, and trays.




Khushboo Welfare Society - www.kwsindia.org
Khushboo is a voluntary non-government organization, providing multifarious services for development, education and rehabilitation of children, adolescents and young adults with mental and multiple disabilities. There are many hand made items offered on the website includes wooden beaded jewelry, candles, and bags.