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. As a bride-to-be myself, I’m taking this seriously and I think you should, too!
To ensure stolen gifts don’t ruin your big day, take some of these tips into consideration:
Think about the layout of your reception space when determining where to place your card box and gift table. Put your card box and gift table away from doors, high traffic areas, and especially away from spaces that the public can access.
Designate a friend or family member to keep an eye on your gifts throughout the night. Have that person empty the card box and put gifts in a secure area – perhaps the trunk of a car or a hotel room. As the evening goes on, you may even consider removing your card box as most guests will bring their cards and gifts in prior to dinner.
If you’re the person responsible for the card box and gifts, remember, you can never be too careful. When putting items in your car or hotel room, double check it’s locked when you leave. Even if you only plan to step away from your car for a few minutes, make sure you lock it. It only takes a few seconds, and a sneaky bystander to notice your absence and steal the card box. Can you imagine telling the newlyweds their cards and gifts were stolen on your watch?
When selecting a card box, try and pick something that would be difficult to open or hard to steal. Use a unique card box, something that’s easily noticeable and would be obvious if it was missing. Make sure the opening of your box is just big enough for a card to fit through too!
Even if you’re a guest at a wedding and notice someone out of place or acting strange, don’t be afraid to say something. Most times, gift theft is done by an uninvited person.
Consider purchasing wedding insurance as another line of defense. Wedding insurance will protect your from more than missing wedding gifts.
Insurance Coverage
Most insurance policies only offer a small amount of coverage for stolen money. West Bend’s basic policy provides up to $250. This isn’t much money when you could be gifted significantly more.
Another option includes the Protector Grand endorsement which provides up to $500 in coverage for stolen money, plus additional coverages. The highest coverage limit you can choose is $1,000.
As for your actual wedding gifts (blender), they’re considered personal property so there would be coverage. However, you’d need to contact your guests to figure out what was gifted before contacting your insurance company. A deductible may apply.
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