If you are planning your wedding, then you already know how many details there are to consider and coordinate from wedding venues to catering to what to wear and everything in between. Perhaps you are looking for a way to give back with your wedding and have a charitable wedding day to support the causes that you and your partner care about.

We know how time-consuming wedding planning can be, so we have the advice you need to plan a charitable wedding. Let us make this part of your wedding planning easy and stress-free. If you need more inspiration and support and want to know all about how your wedding can make an impact, be sure to get the free download, The Complete Guide To Charitable Giving & Your Wedding.

Here are our favorite ways to give back and plan a charitable wedding:

Create A Charitable Wedding Registry

An easy way to make a charitable contribution with your wedding is to ask for a donation to a nonprofit or charity in lieu of wedding gifts. Many wedding registry websites can now be set up to allow for seamless donations to the charity of your choice. VOW also gives you the option to create your own charitable registry.

Whether you already have all the gifts you could ever need, or just want an easy way to give back, setting up a charitable wedding registry that links directly from your personal wedding website is a step. You can even add a charitable option to an already existing wedding registry if you would still like to register for traditional wedding gifts.

Besides your wedding day, you may also have an engagement party and a wedding shower. All events leading up to your wedding day can be a great opportunity to raise funds for a charity or cause that you and your partner love. Creating your charitable wedding gift registry should be done early in your wedding planning process.

For step-by-step instructions, be sure to visit our post on how to add a charitable donation option to your wedding registry. We also have some great advice on how to politely ask your wedding guests for a donation instead of gifts because that can be a tricky subject.

Give Charitable Wedding Favors

Another great and easy way to have a charitable wedding is to make a donation in lieu of wedding favors. Wedding favors are often left behind or thrown away shortly after a wedding, so why not opt for a charitable and sustainable option?

It’s a great idea to have a sign posted at your wedding venue stating that you have made a donation in honor of your wedding guests, instead of providing wedding favors. Other ideas for how to let your guests know about your donation in lieu of favors include adding the donation information to your wedding website, or placing a note card at each place setting or on each reception table.

Are you unsure about how much you should donate in lieu of wedding favors? Many couples will spend $2 to $3 per guest on wedding favors, but the amount you choose to donate will be a personal choice. There is no right or wrong amount to donate to a charity of your choice in lieu of wedding favors.

Purchase Charitable Wedding Items

In addition to planning all the details of your wedding day, such as centerpiece decor and catering, you may be planning on welcome bags for out of town guests. You might also be in need of gifts for your wedding party. Why not choose a charitable gift option?

VOW partners with many companies that have pledged to give back with their products. From reusable tote bags, crafts kits, jewelry, accessories to pajama sets, loungewear, and even shoes, the ideas for charitable gift giving is endless.

We love the idea of using a VOW tote bag full of goodies and treats as an out-of-town welcome gift for each wedding guest at the hotel for when your guests check in. If you’re planning to include a welcome letter for your guests, you can let them know that their wedding welcome gift tote supports VOW for Girls and 100% of your donation goes directly to ending child marriage by supporting women and girls.

Be sure to visit the VOW for Girls shop to find all of the partners who offer gifts and products that give back to VOW for Girls through a portion of their proceeds.

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Header photo credit: BlueSpark Photography

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