An invitation to a friend's wedding requested:
"Please note: We are asking for no presents, but...."

There are several ways to rephrase this, but I can't think of a suitably short one. How about you?

The same invitation also commented that 'Only limited free parking is available.'

So much information!



Tadpole

We would prefer not to receive presents...?

I had similar problems wording my own wedding invitations - how does one word it so that there is only one meaning, while still making it short enough to print!

I like the concept of parking that is only limitedly free!

Ros

"We would prefer not to receive presents" would not be accurate since the following sentence went on to suggest that 'if we wanted to give money, then facilities for doing so would be available at the Church' which I initially took to mean that they wanted the Church to receive the money. I now realise that they want the money in place of gifts and you can do that at the church.

Ambiguity reigns!

'Give us the money' would have been a lot clearer!!

Tadpole

Your presents are not requested. Thanks anyway.

I saw one invitation (to a Hindu wedding) where they said "No boxed gifts please" which probably means "give us the money" if one is familiar with the culture!

Another said "We are not expecting any presents" which is far too ambiguous.

Ros

In our etiquette books, it is considered in bad taste here to ask for money as a gift, no matter how subtly it is done. Yet, it is done all the time.

I have seen "No gifts please". To me that means no gifts...no money....nada. Yet, twice in a row when I attended parties with that notice on the invitation, everyone, except me , brought gifts! So...I have learned to bring gifts no matter what!

I absolutely despise it when some outrageously rude and ignorant couple specifically requests no wedding presents aside from straight cold hard cash. In these events, not only do I not bring a present of any sort, but when it's my turn to kiss the bride I (how to say this delicately) slip her the tongue. There! There's my "non-boxed" gift!!

I am also completely (and, frequently, very vocally) appalled at the custom of the Happy Couple raising some quick cash by allowing guests ("guests" in my dictionary = "non-paying attendees") to dance with the bride after putting currency into her garter or slipping it down the bodice of her gown. Great symbolism, right?! If a groom is going to come right out and pimp his new wife on their wedding day, I want to see a menu of what else might be available!!


Oh, yeah. I'm a lotta fun at weddings...