) Then a week or so later invite everyone else to a "meet the couple" open house. That invitation could include the couples plans for living in Brazil...(?)
But just think of the awesome time you will have visiting later!
This may work in a mono-culture but it won't work in your special circumstances. I think its wrong [mod edit] to assume that all of the people that will get invited to the wedding (and think they are obligated to give something) will connect the dots and realize that the couple are just going to sell anything that is given to them. You're great aunt Mae (who doesn't get out much) is going to be really angry when she finds out that the silver punchbowl she spent hours picking out went on e-bay 3 months after the wedding. I've slightly modified bizlady's suggestion: "On the card that tells them where the reception is, why not say something like, Please join us in celebrating with him and her before they sell all their posessions and relocate to Brazil....". There will still be a few that don't get it but at least you tried.Okay, are you ready to hear from Sarah aka Emily Post?
Etiquette demands that you make no mention of gifts whatsoever on invitations to formal events such as weddings. Period. No ifs ands or buts.
What should take place, is that those invited to said events are presumed to be close enough to family members (such as yourself, siblings, mother of the groom, etc) that they will ask: "where is DD registered for gifts?" or "what should we get them?".
At that time (and only at that time) the kind guest can be told that the young couple are planning a move to Brazil immediately following the wedding and have thus chosen not to register for gifts that would be difficult to ship to South America.
It is up to you, and other family members, to decide if you are close enough to the person asking, and they are amenable to the suggestion, that they give a monetary gift. Otherwise you should just say that their presence at the wedding will be a wonderful gift to the couple.
In many cultures, money is given at the wedding to the groom (even in our very southern and non-money giving culture, we still got around $500 handed over in cash to DH) for the honeymoon.
It is positively tacky to include solicitation for gifts of any kind on an invitation, even with the very best of intentions. A gracious bride does not expect anything from invited guests but their attendance.
Yay!
Aww, happy2b, that will be a great day for you to spend with her. I still remember going dress shopping with a girlfriend and taking pictures in some of the dresses to help with ideas for my own.
I had a relative make my dress from a design we created together (her mother made my mother's dress way back when). We took a trip with my mom, my two great aunts Sophie and Sarah, and her to the giant fabric warehouse to select the material for my dress and that of my attendants. Such great fun! I loved my great aunts and they were pure magic in the months leading up to my wedding. I was named for both of them (I'm the 13th Sarah, one each generation, in my family).
You will treasure those memories (as will she) forever.
