Is there any polite way to suggest cash or gift cards as a wedding gift?

There's a fine line between trashy and ok here, and it gets drawn depending on whether or not you're responding to a question or volunteering the info. If someone directly asks you what you want, it's perfectly fine to say where you're registered but you prefer cash gifts. If you're volunteering the info (including on a website) this is where it gets dodgy.

I don't agree with people saying not to register at all, though. You'll still get a large percentage of cash, but there will always be people who prefer giving a gift and if you don't give them suggestions, they'll find something on their own. This can be scary.

cash over a giftcard. for these reasons: 1. its rude to go to a wedding without a gift. 2. if they are not registered anywhere,and already have everything choosing a store for them is not the best way to go 3. just b/c they have been living together and built a home doesn't mean that they don't have expenses from this,the wedding,and the honeymoon. afterall, many ppl use cash from their wedding to do these things, they did not. could be in need of cash. 4. cash could also be a nice bonus for the honeymoon

Okay, MOST people give money/card at a wedding. Because you don't put where you're registered on the wedding invitation--so people go the safe route and give money. You'll probably get 95% money and very few gifts, without having to ask.

At the Bridal shower, you'll get gifts from your registry etc.

There's no need to say a word to your guests about gifts, like you said it's gauche and 99% of them will give you cash and checks anyway. No one wants to haul a gift bag to the reception, they just want to drop an envelope in the basket on the gift table. I had 100 guests at my wedding and I got 3 gifts total. The rest were cash and checks. And I had 3 gift registries but after the wedding, I had to use my gift money to buy the rest of the items that were left because my guests preferred to write checks! Fine with me!

1. Don't register anywhere...

2. If you do register, register for the bigger things you want, people may go in on it, but probably not...

3. I would assume you would get cash or gift cards.

*in lieu of cards, ask for their favorite recipe.

First off NO!

No, and no and no! You can gently let your maid of honor, best man and parents know you prefer a gift card, but that's it.

Register for all the things you need and remember in 10 years when so and so gives you $100 you have what to think of them regarding your wedding?

When you pull a beautiful set of wine glasses out and entertain Mr. and Mrs. so and so were so caring.

It will make you think of the people who cared about you and your wonderful marriage.

You seem to know that it's wrong. So why are you here, trying to find an excuse or some loophole? It's always rude, no matter why or how it is done. No exceptions.

And oh please.. The person with the "gift idea (envelope)"... That is so NOT cute at all. I wouldn't give anything to a couple if I saw that. Gross.

No, there is no polite way of asking for money or gift cards in place of gifts. So don't even go there. You can always ship gifts back to your home via UPS if gifts don't fit in your car.

Same old question, different packaging. If you get gifts you cannot transport, you ship them yourself. Some wedding registeries offer an option for guests to ship it directly to your home. IF the option is free to your guests you can put a line on the website that says, "If you wish to ship the item to our home so that you don't have to lug it to the wedding, Macy's offers free shipping."

I personally think offering any gift information before being asked is tacky.

If you want cash, you list nothing about gifts of any kind or any registeries in your invitation or your website. People will either figure it out for themselves and bring you a check, or they will email/call you to ask about your registry or what you want and you say, "Wow, how thoughtful. You know we don't need anything for our home and have a long ways to travel back home. Our families are just giving us cash or gift cards so we can purchase something when we get back home."

Suggesting gifts or cash without being ASKED is rude and presumptious.

we were in a similar situation getting married far from where we lived and used a site called http://www.depositagift.com/ it's perfect because you don't have to say that you would like money with words, instead you create a registry of what you would like the money for, like your home down payment. ours worked really well, guests loved contributing to what we needed most (we registered for our honeymoon and new furniture). you can get some great ideas from their testimonials section: http://www.depositagift.com/testimonials they also help with wording so you can avoid the whole tacky thing...i think it really is all about how you position it. if done in a nice way, guests can be really receptive! good luck!