Tips for Handling Your Gifts

At your wedding, you will probably receive many gifts from guests as they show their approval and attempt to make sure that you have everything you need.  While you will probably be busy putting the finishing touches on your appearance, you will want to make sure the gifts are received graciously and placed in a safe area.  Below, you will find some helpful tips for handling your gifts.

Enlist a Point Person to Help

By having a friend or family member act as the ‘point person,' you can be sure someone is handling your gifts and ensuring that they are placed in the appropriate spot.  Create an area that is out of the way, where guests can place their symbols of well-wishes, coveted registry items and other gifts.  If you've booked a location where many different people will be in and out, see if you can protect the gifts by placing them in a locked room or area.  Many guests may bring cash or valuable items and you certainly don't want to lose them.

To Open or Not to Open

When considering tips for handling your gifts, you may wonder whether you should open the gifts in front of your guests or not.  According to wedding etiquette experts, you're not required to open the gifts in front of guests - although doing so may please the gift-givers.  If time allows and you want to open your gifts during the reception, feel free to do so.  However, if you'd rather wait, that is fine also.  One of the best tips for handling your gifts is to enlist someone else to write down the names of individuals that brought certain gifts.  This way, you can fill out your ‘thank you' letters when you're ready to do so.

Transporting the Gifts

When the ceremony is over, you will need to get your gifts home. If you and your groom will be leaving for the honeymoon immediately, have someone you trust transport the gifts to your home for you.  Depending upon the size of your guest list, this ‘helper' may need special means for transporting your gifts, such as a truck or trailer.

You do not want anything to happen to a single gift brought by friends or family, considering they've probably taken a lot of time choosing them and let's face it...some of those registry items aren't cheap.  By using these tips for handling your gifts, you can ensure that each precious item is safe and accounted for.