Community Event? How wonderful!!!

Okay...this is sounding neater and neater as you go along! If this is going to be a community event - an event where everyone and their hunting dog is welcome, announce it in the local paper as such. I would probably turn the whole thing into a great big covered-dish supper and pig roast, if there's that many people - everyone contributes to the food thing. And, since people will want to be giving gifts, unless I really, REALLY needed things to set up housekeeping, I would just post in the newspaper that the couple aren't asking for gifts, but if guests feel the need to offer a wedding gift, a donation to their savings fund at the local bank (or, perhaps, to the local volunteer fire house in their name) would be appreciated. It's not tacky, nor is it demanding - it's just offering another option to a blender. AND, that would be a starting point for investing in your futures: you cannot count on pension funds or Social Security for retirement benefits, anymore - we live in a completely new world where we each need to be responsible for our own financial planning.

You're going to have a wonderful time planning, and a blessed union with your loving partner! Keep us POSTED!