wedding gifts you really

MSN Money - Get the wedding gifts you really want MSN Home My MSN Hotmail Shopping Money People & Chat Sign In W eb Search: Money S earch MSN Money: Help Home News Banking Investing Planning Taxes My Money Portfolio Loans Insurance Planning Home Retirement Savings Insurance Family/College Resources Decision Centers Commentary Index More Tools Related Links My Accounts Message Boards Print-friendly version Send this to a friend Get market news by e-mail See if refinancing works Personal finance bookshelf Find It! Article Index Finance Q&A Tools Index Site map Related Sites Association of Bridal Consultants The Honeymoon Casa de Oro Travel wedding registry Honeymoonforyou.com HoneyLuna.com The Basics Get the wedding gifts you really want advertisement Traditional registries can prevent you from getting 5 identical bun warmers. But some couples really want camping gear, home down payments or honeymoon contributions. What would Miss Manners say? By MP Dunleavey It's relatively rare these days for people to get married right after graduating from college. The average age for first marriage among women has risen steadily to more than 25, from less than 21 in 1970; for men, the average is now more than 27. My fianc and I were about a decade or so past our mid-20s when we got married recently, and like a lot of people, we had accumulated a lot of stuff during our unmarried years. The last thing we wanted was more stuff. At least that's how we felt when we considered doing the standard newlywed thing: i.e. registering for china, linens, monogrammed silver, matching PDAs and a small, well-behaved child. Nah. What we wanted, more than anything, given the stress of modern wedding planning, was to go lie on a beach somewhere and pretend we were still happily dating. Don't let retirement sneak up on you. Create a perfect plan. But like most couples we found the cost of the wedding taxing enough -- even though our parents did pay for most of it. There was no way we could afford a honeymoon, too. So we got this crazy idea. If our loved ones would be willing to shell out for glassware and new pots, would it be terrible -- crass, rude, self-serving -- to ask for contributions toward what we really wanted? Financial wedding etiquette To be honest, I've never liked the idea of a traditional registry. No matter how fancy the store (or your china pattern), you're basically telling guests what to buy you. Miss Manners, aka Judith Martin, pointed out in a recent column that commercial gift registries used to be kept ONLY in the event that customers inquired about a bride's china or silver pattern. Now, she says, all sentiment is being stripped from the gift-giving tradition. People turn to registries, she says, "to put generosity under the control of its beneficiaries." And, she concludes sternly: "These practices are no less vulgar for having become commonplace." Her point is well-taken. Some couples seem to equate "getting married" with "shopping spree" and use the registry system to shamelessly upgrade every item in their home. On the other hand, there is a financial reality that cannot be avoided. Custom dictates that a gift must be bought, so for most people the financial sanity (and sheer convenience) of bridal registries outweighs the inherent crudeness of this system. Guests don't waste their money buying gifts couples don't want or can't use. Couples get what they need, so they don't have to buy it themselves. Stuff -- who needs it? Increasingly, says Peggy Post, author of "Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette by Peggy Post", many couples would rather skip the stuff anyway. "So many couples come to the marriage with so many things," she says, noting that 40% of marriages are "encore," i.e. repeat, unions, for one or both partners. "These days you see people registering for all kinds of non-traditional items." Among them: camping gear, a down payment for a house, stock certificates and, yes! . . . the honeymoon. According to the Association of Bridal Consultants (see link at left), a wedding guest will spend an average of $85 on a gift. The average cost of a honeymoon is about $4,000. If a couple has no need for flatware and linens, why not encourage guests to contribute to a honeymoon registry like thehoneymoon.com, casadeorotravel.com, honeymoonforyou.com or honeyluna.com? Guests can contribute to airfare, romantic dinners, massages, picnics, guided tours, etc. To drool over a sample registry for a honeymoon in Hawaii, click on the link at left under Honeymoonforyou.com. For one in Greece, click at left under HoneyLuna.com. And to send in contributions for my honeymoon, click . . . oh, never mind. The etiquette of alternative registries Peggy Post, the great-granddaughter-in-law of Emily Post, thinks using these offbeat registries can be fine "with a big IF attached." Here's some guidance: 1) Wait until you're asked. It's impolite (and annoying) to include a card announcing where you're registered. Wait for guests to inquire, and let the word spread discreetly through friends and family. "Let your parents, siblings, wedding party and close friends know -- IF they've asked," suggests Bobbie Izeman, a bridal consultant and advice columnist for blushing-brides.com. "But don't announce it in a formal way." 2) Do not dictate. As Miss Manners points out, a gift, above all, is a gift. It is not up to you to decide what your guests should give, no matter how badly you want contributions to your down payment, help with your airfare or even traditional items like cookware. "You should leave your guests the option to give you what they want," agrees Post. 3) Say thank you. It may seem obvious, but sending a prompt, enthusiastic thank you note -- for every gift, no matter what the gift -- is essential. "The key thing is to remember to be appreciative," says Post. The honeymoon fund Since we didn't know about these honeymoon registries a few months ago, my fianc and I set up our own impromptu "honeymoon fund." We made a small gaffe by alluding to it in the instruction sheet for our weekend wedding (oops!), but it was in the context of asking guests please not to give presents. Apparently, that is also a faux pas (eek!), but we hadn't consulted all these etiquette experts then. To our surprise, a small number of friends (and a couple of relatives) protested. They wanted to get us A Real Gift. I can say with some relief that at least we handled that properly -- encouraging people to give whatever sort of gift they wanted. And they did. We got a lovely mix of gifts and honeymoon fund contributions. Just enough so that we can restore our sanity on some sandy shore -- without going into a penny of debt. What greater wedding gift could there be? Editor's Choice 3 legal papers you can't live without Your own business, your tax shelter Brush: The 5 most overpaid CEOs Are seniors gambling away retirement? Cut your taxes by going solar Readers' Choice Ratings Top 5 Articles 9.34 Zombie debt collectors dig up your old mistakes 9.33 10 ways to stop identity theft cold 9.31 10 ways to avoid outrageous hospital overcharges 9.22 The tricks and traps of debt consolidation 9.17 Safeguard your Social Security number View all top rated articles More Resources · E-mail us your comments on this article · Post on the Your Money message board · Get a daily dose of market news S earch MSN Money tips advertisement MSN Money's editorial goal is to provide a forum for personal finance and investment ideas. 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Gift Ideas

Premium Golf Accessories and Golf Gifts accessories gifts golf art chocolate and golf tournaments do you know where your game is? logo your next event! visit our golf tournaments page for details and discounts gifts do not always have to be golf balls Truly a radical concept. It's not that giving golf balls is a bad thing, or that Im against giving golf balls (OK - maybe a little), but there is a better alternative. Imagine giving a present anyone would be proud to own for a lifetime, personalized with their name or a personal message. Pretty heady stuff. We carry unique gifts and accessories that any golf enthusiast will treasure. Titleist probably wont even notice that they sold one less box of balls. site search HOME VIEW CART Gift Certificates Golf Tournaments 19th Hole Chocolate Golf Balls Cigar Shop Executive Gifts Accessories GPS Systems Figurines Furniture Novelty Practice/Instruction Stationary/Napkins Toys and Games Watches/Jewelry Under $25 Under $50 Under $100 -- Putting Stand is the perfect gift for the avid golfer. Save $22 during our Summer Sale With Towels this cheap you can throw the dirty ones away as low as $3.95 Green Buddy Divot Tool has switch blade action that is fun to use. Stealthis at $9.95 She'll look great on the course and off in these Crystal Golf Ball Earrings a value at under $25.00 Golf Slippers ARE BACK! Get yours now before we sell out again. Show your personality with our popular Animal Headcovers at a $4.00 savings during our Summer Sale. Accessories *SALE* home | contact us | policies | privacy | resources articles | sponsors | Misc. | partners | add url TheGolfCollection.com • (866) 626-9517 17330 West Center Road Omaha, Nebraska 68130 Cookie Jar Salt and Pepper | Online Degrees | Enchanting Dolphin gifts and Dolphin figurines teak wood patio furniture | wood folding tables and chairs | doll houses | Fitness and exercise equipment Handheldgps pocket PC and and Palm | DiscountSports Merchandiseand Car Accessories for Fans The Sports Collectibles Store offers discountteam logo sports merchandise, gear,apparel and car accessories for serious fans. sitemap

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Anniversary Gift: offer french chocolate and truffles for anniversary gift anniversary gift handmade chocolate fathers day candy business gift dark chocolate corporate gift wedding anniversary gift birthday gift fine chocolate chocolate on line Anniversary Gift Idea : offer french chocolate and truffles for Anniversary Gift anniversary gift : mini box of chocolates Filled with a selection of chocolates (2,6 or 12), this little anniversary gift box will satisfy the "gourmets" ... For instance : Mont-Blanc: Mousse flavored with Kirsch. A kirsch ganache under dark chocolate couverture. A classic cookie that renews the art of alcohol flavored chocolates. A name in memory of Robert Linxe' apprenticeship in Switzerland. Cerise Griotte: cherry with Kisch with the stone. Faust: milk ganache flavored with flamed rump : a creamy ganache, also milk chocolate. chocolate anniversary gifts : habanera and caramels habanera: A subtle blend of dark chocolate perfumed with vine peaches and a milk chocolate with mirabelle plums, designed to fit perfectly into their round box. caramels: An assortment of soft caramels flavored with vanilla, chocolate, chocolate and almonds, chocolate and pistachio, coffee and coffee and hazelnut. Discover the others creations: Pav du Faubourg, Flamenco, Lingot Arriba, Tamanaco and the new chocolates "Les Svillanes". ANNIVERSARY CHOCOLATES GIFTS :Discover the chocolates Assortment on the website la maison du chocolat corporate gift idea | truffle 50th wedding anniversary gift | chocolate online anniversary gift idea: the book of chocolate Robert Linxe tells in words and pictures the story of the creations of La Maison du Chocolat, and unveils 50 new recipes. A journey of initiation through the unique creations that symbolize the art and talent of La Maison du Chocolat and its founder, Robet Linxe. In its 176 pages, La Maison du Chocolat unveils its secrets and shares them with all its readers. romantic chocolate anniversaty gift : the boxes of assorted chocolates You will find inside fine and romantic chocolates: romeo: Mousse with fresh coffee. Under a dark chocolate couverture, an encounter of a light milk chocolate mousse and a fresh, very finely filtered moka coffee. "In this way, I obtain a subtle, velvety smooth penetrating aroma, particularly sensual and seductive. It is specially well tuned to character of Romea, the great lover of legend who, after Shakespeare, inspired Berlioz and Gounod." Robert Linxe. bohme: milk mousse. The outside is a very characteristic milk couverture (milk and cream with a hint of hazelnut). The center is a mousse ganache with a very creamy consistency. This chocolate is synonymous with sweetness and delicacy, with an unusual character ... an enchanting emotion. ANNIVERSATY GIFT : find anniversary gift idea on the Maison du chocolat 's website gift box chocolate gift fathers day chocolate gift idea corporate gift basket hot chocolate french chocolate truffles champagne chocolate gift basket graduation gift corporate gift