5 Ways to Support Your Favorite Charity at Your Wedding

Looking to show support or raise money for your favorite charity on your special day? Here are the best ways to include your favorite charity in your wedding day.

1. Create an Amazon gift registry and encourage guests to use the Amazon Smile program
   Weddings can bring a lot of gifts. From wedding showers to the big day itself, you’re probably going to need a gift registry and Amazon makes giving back easy. Create an Amazon gift registry and encourage your guests to select your charity of choice before they check out. Through the Amazon Smile program, your guests purchase items at regular price and Amazon gives a donation of 0.5% — sometimes more — of your total purchase price to your charity of choice. This only works on qualifying purchases, but there are a wide variety of items that do qualify. To support a charity via Amazon Smile, simply visit https://smile.amazon.com and click the button near the top to select or change the charity you are supporting. Then, just continue to shop as usual.
2. Choose favors that give back
   Starting your new life together is a great time to give back to your favorite charity. Instead of the usual mass-produced can coolers or bottle openers as wedding favors, give your guests a gift that gives back! Some of our favorite ideas include bracelets supporting Threads of Hope, popcorn from Poppin’ Z’s Gourmet Popcorn, or even Forget Me Not Grape Soda from Twig’s Beverage
3. Kiss for Cash 
   It happens without fail. The newlyweds sit down to enjoy their first meal as an official duo, and *clink* *clink* *clink* go the silverware against the glasses. The couple kiss and then just as they are about to enjoy their meal, *clink* *clink* *clink* Looking to make your guests work a little harder than a few flicks of the wrist to get your smooching on? Have a plan to collect donations for a kiss– with your proceeds going to your charity of choice. You’ll raise money for a good cause, no *clinking* needed!
4. Let the little ones do it 
   If you’ve got a lot of older children at your wedding, have them pair up and sell 50/50 raffle tickets. While it’s definitely untraditional, it’s a great way to keep them occupied and raise a good amount for a worthy cause. You can even have them split into teams to try to raise even more. Make sure to tell your guests what cause you’re raising funds for and why it’s so close to your heart. This can be a great way to remember a loved one who is no longer with you on your wedding day.
5. Forgo the “Thank You”s but not the thought
   A thank you note is a very nice gesture, but often times the cards are discarded nearly as soon as the envelope is opened. One way to support your cause, show your thanks, and save paper is to forgo paper “Thank You” cards. Instead, thank your guests through email or social media and let them know that in lieu of sending them a paper card, you are giving the money you would have spent to charity. This way you can still honor your guest with a personalized message and give back.