Fund raiser invitation is one that is sent to you only in hopes of another gift ($). They won't even remember you gave it to them. Send them a congratulations card, and you regrets, and be done with it.

i've been to a few celebrations where the couple getting married or engaged has everything. they make a formal announcement and ask you to not give gifts, but if you feel you must give something, please give a donation to the american cancer society, or the humane society, etc. whatever they support. i think this a kind thing to ask and leaves you free to not give at all or give what you can.

Hmmm....must be the new trend, as I have never heard of this before.

I don't like it, and probably wouldn't go. I'm a firm believer in giving what I think you would like to have. Not what you've instructed me to give you.

If I still wanted to go, I would give the gift that I wanted to give them or no gift at all.

I don't care that times have changed. Manners still matter!
IMHO

I really like the way you think! I would probably make a donation to MY favorite charity and mention that I did it to honor their union. My daughter who got married at 21 and had her first child at 23 did not want us to throw showers for either event as she felt that she was better off financially than many of her friends/family (can we say starving college students?) and was concerned that they would feel like they had to bring a gift they couldn't afford to attend. We convinced her that it was a social time to celebrate these milestones. When her BFF suggested that that a list of where she was registered be included with the invitation my DD nearly blew a fuse! There is a wedding site called theknot.com that lets couples relay all sorts of wedding related info. Under shower info DD put a statement something to the effect: the most important thing is for my friends and family to come together to celebrate. People could navigate the site if they wished to see where they were registered or favorite charities that could be given a donation. Can you tell how proud I am of my kid??

I don't like being dictated to on gifts. Registration at a certain store is okay, but gift cards only?????? I think I would just ignore it altogether. I'm bad!!!

I suspect maybe they already have a lot of stuff and just don't want to be given gifts they can't use. maybe they already live together and have most of what they need and that's why they want gift cards. However, it is tacky to put that on there. If you want to bring a gift do so. If they don't appreciate it, they don't deserve it

It is tacky. I'd pass.

I'm okay with listing the stores a couple is registered with, then I can make the decision for handmade, gift off registry, or gift card. Don't like being told what to buy. That is some of the fun, especially for baby showers. I don't have any grandchildren yet and really enjoy either making or shopping for baby items.

I think that I would be busy at the time of the shower......

where are the nice showers when the bride-to-be or the mother-to-be, sits in the center and opens all the lovely gifts and the "OHs & AHs" fill the room.

I'm sure that "Emily Post" would cringe if she received such an invitation !!!!!!