Forget bridal gifts, say ‘I do’ to a down payment fund

 

A wedding-day cash infusion can make it easier to put a down payment on a home. With home prices appreciating rapidly in much of the country, lots of couples need all the help they can get.

There are formal and informal rules governing gifts of money to help newlyweds buy a house. First, the informal rules: Is it OK to ask one’s wedding guests for money?

“It’s not rude to request money as a wedding gift,” says Peggy Post, author of “Emily Post’s Wedding Etiquette.” “However, it’s extremely important to ask politely.”

If you seek down payment money, get the word out through family and friends, recommends Post, who is Emily Post’s great-granddaughter-in-law. Just don’t ask for money in the same envelope as a wedding invitation.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08112/870915-355.stm

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