Are you getting married? Share your happiness with others! A charity collection at a wedding is increasingly appearing in the plans of the bride and groom. Check, how to ask guests for a collection instead of gifts and what to do to complete the necessary formalities.

Charity collection at a wedding - a new wedding trend?

Preparations for a wedding and reception can make one's head spin. So can the number of flowers that guests offer the bride and groom. You can bet on a greener solution and ask your loved ones to give you something else instead of gifts. What? There are many ideas, and one of them is a charity collection at the wedding. More and more couples are opting for such a gesture. Is this a new wedding trend? It's hard to talk about it in such a context, but it's worth mentioning that guests react to it very positively.

Why should you do a collection at your wedding? You set a beautiful example for others - together with your wedding guests you help those in need. The flowers will wilt, and the donation made has a real impact on another person.

Check out: how to support people with cancer.

How to ask guests for a collection instead of gifts?

It is enough to include a short note on the wedding invitation. It is important not to put pressure on guests or force them to participate in the campaign, as this can be counterproductive. Asking guests to post donations under their names or giving a specific donation amount is not a good idea. We help from the need of the heart and to the extent that we can. What is the paperwork for organizing a charity event?

Is it possible to do a collection instead of gifts?

Of course, this is possible. A charity collection at a wedding is not considered a public collection. Why? Donations are collected in a closed circle of famous people, in a private space. This means one thing. If your wish is a collection instead of gifts, you don't have to report it on the government website.

However, it is worth remembering one important point. In the eyes of the law, a gift is a form of donation. This in turn, in certain cases, requires notification to the US and taxation.

How to account for the collection after the wedding?

A charity collection at a wedding may be taxable. The obligation is on the part of the recipient, in this case the bride and groom. When to report the collection to the US? It is necessary to notify the collection to the tax office competent for the place of residence, if the value of the collection exceeds the inheritance and gift tax-free amount. This amount depends on the degree of relationship to the donor and includes the sum of donations from one person over a 5-year period. For example - for tax group I, that is, donations from, among others, siblings, the value of the donation cannot exceed PLN 36,120, and for tax group III (among others, an unrelated person) - PLN 5730.

So much in theory, because in practice the paperwork for a charity collection at a wedding is practically zero. Usually the donation amounts are equivalent to a bouquet of flowers, a bottle of wine. Such amounts do not need to be reported to the US.

What foundations allow wedding collections?

Virtually every charitable foundation allows wedding collections. It can take various forms - collecting donations (cash/transfers) or items. In the latter case, you should contact the organization in advance to ascertain the exact needs of their charges. You will be assured that your help will be accepted.

Charity at the wedding - how to choose a foundation to support?

It is necessary to check whether a foundation actually exists and is engaged in charitable activities, or whether it can accept donations. To do this, simply search for it in the KRS (National Court Register). The foundation's website should contain its financial statements. Such seemingly minor details are of great importance in terms of security and transparency of the organization. If something raises your concern, it is worth contacting the foundation and inquiring about nagging issues.

Check: charity collection at school.

Do you want to support a cancer foundation? Your charity collection at the wedding can include our Cancer Fighters foundation! We provide support to small and big Warriors in the fight against cancer. Together with your wedding guests, you can make your contribution!

Assistance at the Cancer Fighters Foundation has many forms. In addition to financial support, we also organize volunteer work, among other things.

Check out: how you can help cancer patients.

How to organize a charity collection at a wedding?

• Together with your loved one, choose a fundraising target - the foundation or its protégé. To support one of Cancer Fighters' brave warriors, check out current collections for cancer treatment.
• Inform your wedding guests about holding a collection at the wedding. Do this well in advance, for example, when inviting them to the ceremony.
• If the collection is to raise cash, prepare a donation box. It should be labeled, for example, with the logo of the foundation or a photo of the person for whom you will be collecting funds. Put the can in a visible place (at the entrance to the hall, in the corner with the guest book).
• If you are collecting donations in the form of bank deposits, provide the foundation's bank account number on the invitations. If you want to support a specific person, put the QR code for their collection on the invitation.
• It is a good idea to make collection information (account number, QR code) available in the wedding hall, for example, at the table with the arrangement of guests at the tables.
• After the wedding, inform guests about the canned funds collected and donate them to the cause. If the collection takes the form of online donations, thank your loved ones for their support, for example, by publishing a post on social media.

Instead of gifts a collection, or ideas for a charity event at a wedding

A charity collection at a wedding is not just about collecting donations in a can or asking for contributions to the foundation/collection account of a person in need. You may choose to be a little more creative in your ideas for aid actions. You may find that such a form of support will be met with more commitment from your guests.

Proven ideas for a charity collection at a wedding are primarily auctions. These can be auctions of goodies you bought or items brought by guests. Handicrafts work well. Auctions of services are also of interest. Perhaps one of your guests teaches to play an instrument or is a foreign language teacher? Auctions often take a fun form - after all, who among the guests won't want to bid on dancing the Macarena with the groom or doing karaoke together with the bride?

Check out: charity collection ideas.

Charity collections at weddings are a beautiful initiative, but above all, real help. On behalf of each person to whom such support goes, THANK YOU!