Reply #41: "What do you want for your wedding"

[Bear down under]

"The pleasure of your company."

"No, what do you really want?"

"We have all the material goods we need. What will make our big day perfect is the pleasure of your company."

The only problem with this ancient and socially impeccable dialogue is that you are likely end up with seven crock pots. So, having written the obligatory "thank you for the wonderful crock pot" letter seven times you donate six of them to a charity of your choice.

That, however, may lead to:

"Er, is that the crock pot we gave you for your wedding?"

"Alas, I dropped it. But it was so useful we ran out and got a new one."

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My great-grandmother (whose big wedding present was a furious letter from her father disinheriting her) began what has become my family tradition. We give a set of plain white linen double bed sheets. Nobody ever has too many sheets, white linen goes with any decor, and the gift is remembered at some of the happiest times in the new marriage. Of course crock pots and toasters are a lot cheaper. :-(