All you need to know about wedding wishing wells

Wedding wishing wells have become a popular feature of modern weddings where couples ask for gifts of money or vouchers that can be placed in an envelope rather than household goods that can be wrapped up. Find out more about wedding wishing wells.

A wedding wishing well is set up on the gift table at a wedding reception for guests to deposit envelopes with cash, cheques, vouchers, or cards, and to make a wish for the couple’s future whilst doing so. A wedding wishing well can be purchased or hired, and is usually made from solid wood, or of strong cardboard that can be flat packed. Some couples are using birdcage style wishing wells but these tend to be less secure.

Three reasons to have a wedding wishing well:

• It is a fun way to collect gifts and they take away some of the awkwardness of asking your guests for money
• It can be a wonderful addition to your wedding decorations and theme, and can be decorated with wedding flowers
• It is a safe and convenient place to keep monetary gifts on a day when you won’t have any pockets and it’s an obvious place for guests to put your gifts

Here are some top tips on using a wedding wishing well:

Leave instructions

Some guests may not be aware what the wishing well is used for so leave a note or card on the wishing well explaining what it is. Your wishing well supplier may be able to provide you with a subtly worded sign or you could display one of the many wishing well poems that are available.

Make it about wishes

Place the emphasis on wishes rather than on money. Get your guests to write a special message with their wishes for your future, and post them in the wishing well together with any gifts. Leave some paper or postcards and pens next to the wishing well to make this possible.

Theme your wishing well

You don’t want your wedding wishing well to stick out like a sore thumb as it may make some guests feel awkward if they haven’t deposited anything in it. If you are using a wedding wishing well, make sure it matches your wedding theme and blends seamlessly with your wedding decorations.

Telling guests about your wishing well

With a traditional gift registry it is acceptable to add a discreet card outlining the details of where you are registered and the same could be done with a wishing well.

You could include a small card with one of the many poems that are available to inform your guests about the wishing well, or just displaying a tasteful image of a wishing well. Mentioning gifts on your wedding invitation itself is not appropriate, as it suggests that the invitation is dependent on the guest bringing a gift.

Asking for gifts of money can seem greedy or presumptuous, but a nicely written poem makes it more subtle. Writing a poem yourself is more personal and reflects that you have put some thought into your request.

If you don’t want to mention the wedding wishing well at all in your invitations, just let the bridal party know that you are having one. Most guests will get in touch with one of your mothers to find out if you have registered for gifts, and the use of the wishing well will spread via word of mouth.