Wedding Theft? How to Keep Your Gifts Safe
I’m sure you’ve heard the stories of people whose gifts or money have been stolen at their wedding reception. You’re probably thinking, “That won’t happen to me” or “I don’t think any of my guests would ever do that.” Well, wedding gift theft is very common and in many cases, stolen gifts are never recovered.
To ensure stolen gifts don’t ruin your big day, take some of these tips into consideration:
Create an online registry
Make it your goal to have as many gifts delivered directly to your home as possible. By creating an online registry, guests can shop and ship directly through the store's website. This allows for the gift to arrive safely at your door without ever being brought to the reception.
Be conscious of the gift table placement
The best location for a gift table is far away from all exits, in a corner of a well-populated area; because, in theory, the more populated the area, the harder it is to snatch gifts. You may consider combining the gift table with a candy or snack bar, so guests are frequently in and around the gift table area.
Forgo having a gift table all together.
Instead, visit each table during the reception so that guests have the opportunity to hand you envelopes of cash or checks -- but only if they wish to do so. You should never ask for cash.
Appoint a gift attendant
Select a trustworthy friend or family member to act as your gift attendant. Ask this person to keep a close eye on the gift table as soon as guests start arriving to the reception. Once dinner begins, gifts may be moved to an alternate location, such as a locked room in the reception venue or the bride and groom's suite.
Greet all guests personally
Although you only typically invite close friends and family to your wedding, there may be several ‘plus one’ guests in attendance that you have never met. Greeting everyone personally will allow you to have a better idea of who is at your wedding. If you feel uncomfortable with someone you met, don't hesitate to ask your personal attendant (or friend or family) to ask them to leave.
The card box
Create or purchase a secure card box (with a lock) for guests to deposit cards into. Ensure that the box has only one slit at the top and will remain locked throughout the evening. Give the key to a member of your bridal party or a family member; request that they keep an eye on the box until the party is in high gear, when it can be moved to a safe area.
Call out a wedding crasher
If you see someone unfamiliar at your wedding, don’t hesitate to ask your wedding planner or venue coordinator to escort them out.
Think about buying wedding insurance.
Coverage from a company like WedSafe will cover stolen gifts as long as it's reported right away.














