Water, Water Everywhere, But Not a Drop to Drink

I want to start by saying that I have a history of insomnia. I've been pretty good with it the past couple years, but recently those sleepless nights have reared their ugly head again. But last night I had one of the best and restful slumbers in a long while. Because of these sleepless nights, I can't even remember the last time I had a dream. But last night was so strange. It wasn't a nightmare, or even one of those stressful dreams where you feel unsettled. I was completely content, but soooo thirsty. I couldn't quench my thirst. I kept drinking bottles of water and it was never enough. It was probably caused by the Cherry Coke I had last night, but it got me thinking...

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Everyday people are thirsty and don't have access to clean water. If you go more than 3 days without water, you will die. (I remember that from my trip to Stoke's in the 6th grade.."the rule of 3")

So how does this pertain to your wedding, you ask?

Charitable donations in lieu of favors or a gift registry. Modern couples have usually lived together for a good amount of time. The days when brides and their grooms rely on their registry to stock their homes with appliances and linens are long past. So a lot of today's couples are opting to give back. 

There are tons of resources online to make it easier on the couple to set up registries for making charitable donations. There are even sites that allow you to still register for that crystal gravy boat and when your Aunt Thelma purchases it, a donation is made to the charity of your choice or hers. 

Here are a few sites that will help navigate the process:
(The little blurbs are quoted directly from the sites.)

I Do Foundation - "Just like a gift registry, a Charity Registry informs your guests about your charitable preferences and guides their giving. When you create a Charity Registry, you may suggest a specific number of donation gifts, or you may allow any or all of your guests to make donations freely. You can specify a certain dollar amount for each donation, or allow your guests to choose the amount of their gifts."

Wedding Channel - "You can choose from over 100 charities including: American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Red Cross, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America, Boys and Girls Club of America, Habitat For Humanity International, Humane Society of the United States, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society,National Center for Victims of Crime, National Wildlife Federation, The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation...and many more."

Charity Choice - "Our CharityChoice Gift Cards indeed provide a way for all of us to elevate how we do our gift-giving. We hope that we will now make it possible for everyone to add a charitable dimension to their special occasion; by giving a charity gift, whenever ...meaningful matters."

These are just a few of the organizations that offer registry and favor services, but there are a TON more out there. Find the one that speaks to you and your fiancee and GIVE!

Your wedding is a time for your friends and family to celebrate what's important to you. And an added bonus? Not only are you giving to an important cause of your choice, these gifts and favors are eco-friendly, if you go the "e-certificate" route, no paper, no gift wrap, no garbage!

There's water falling from the sky today. Bring your umbrella. 

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Would you use a charity registry or favors for your wedding? Do you know someone who has? What is your favorite cause to donate to? We want to hear about it!