Planning a wedding? Don’t forget the gift table. Not only will it overflow with your presents and money gifts, it will also be temptingly, tantalizingly right out in the open. Sure, you don’t want to think something could happen, but even so, it’s wise to consider a few precautions.
Better Safe Than Sorry!
Paradoxically, the best way to safeguard a gift table is to keep it out in the open, where everyone can see it. Try placing it within easy eyesight of the deejay.
However, you’ll also want to keep the gift table somewhere your guests can easily zero in on it to deposit their gifts or cards. A nice slit-topped box works well for cards (with total discretion, you can slip a locked tin inside so no one can peek except you) and a card table that’s nicely draped with linen is fine for wrapped gifts.
You may also want to situate the guest registry next to the gift table. This gives you an idea of how many presents should be there when you finally get around to opening them. If you see an obvious discrepancy, this might alert you to some gifts being lost or stolen.
Handling the Gifts at the End of the Night
Sure, the day was all about romance: but you need a plan or a handler to deal with the gifts when the reception winds down. For example, try enlisting a member of the bridal party to load the gifts into their car and drive them to the hotel. Or perhaps a parent can take control of the gifts and bring them to next morning’s brunch where you can open them in front of everyone.
Either way, you’ll want to store them somewhere safe. Don’t leave them in a car overnight! One, a car is child’s play to break into, and two, you don’t which gifts might be temperature-sensitive. You don’t want to ruin anything.
The gift table’s just another detail to consider on that long wedding-day checklist, but it’s an important one. Most of the time, brides have no problems with people rifling through the gifts or raiding the envelopes, but if it makes you feel better to have a back-up plan in place, consider yourself a wise bride.