According to The Wedding Report in The average wedding cost in 2017 was $25,764. But contrary to what some may want to believe the wedding is not all about the happy couple, it also involves the guests attending the wedding.
So while you may be planning the perfect day, the guest whom you are inviting to celebrate your nuptials with you will also have to take in consideration the cost of attending your grand occasion– attire, beauty/grooming, travel, and more importantly a gift to give you the happy couple. But some couples are taking away the guesswork for their attendees.
Besides the traditional bridal registry process, they are adding a charitable component to their wedding. What do you give a couple that has everything already if they may not have registered somewhere such as a William Sonoma, Crate & Barrel, West Elm, Macy’s, and Bloomingdales, and Bergdorf Goodman to name a few of the better-known brands?
Today more and more couples are opting to add a charitable organization to their registry list or in place of a bridal registry. There is not a shortage of Charitable Foundations for one to make contributions towards. But making certain they are reputable is a whole other story.
So in this article, we decided to name a few prestigious companies that want to be part of your wedding process.
HSA, Harlem School Of The Arts based in New York City. On October 24, 2018, this year’s Harlem School of the Arts (HSA) Masquerade Ball and After Party, benefit gala in support of the 54-year-old arts organization, surpassed expectations once again by raising over a million dollars, for the second year in a row. The event was held at The Plaza Hotel in New York City and was hosted by Fox 5’s very own, Lori Stokes who shared the podium with co-host, 9-year old Jayden Hairston, one of HSA’s outstanding student ambassadors.
Guests attending the event were treated to spectacular performances by some of the school’s most impressively talented and gifted young music, voice and dance students, throughout the night.
WBM was thrilled to be in attendance since they honored and celebrated the legacy of one of the bridal industries iconic stars, the late Amsale Aberra, who was an avid supporter of the arts and a friend to the school and the children.
The Visionary Lineage Award was given posthumously, to Amsale Aberra, who passed away in April of 2018, and to her daughter singer/songwriter, Rachel Brown. Amsale’s husband, Neil Brown accepted the award on her behalf and was visibly moved by the honor, by his daughter’s tribute to her mother, and by the evening and all it represented.
Our interview below will show you the excitement of the supporters of HSA and the importance of donating.
The second organization on our list is The Georgie Badiel Foundation. Founded by Supermodel Georgie Badiel from Burkina Faso, in West Africa.
Georgie Badiel is an international model that has earned the title supermodel. Gracing countless of runways all over the world–New York, London, Italy and Paris to name a few for designers such as Oscar de La Renta, Zang Toi, Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, DVF, Lavin, to name a few. She has graced various international magazine–Vogue, Elle, Essence, I-D and GQ Magazine.
While she may have carved a place for herself in the fashion industry as one of the most respected models in the industry, make no mistake she knows where she comes from and she remains humble and wants nothing more than to give back to the people of her homeland.
Introducing us to the struggle in the pages of her children’s book The Water Princess, which beautifully documents her own water story that both children and adults will enjoy.
Voicing her concern and desire to take matters into her own hand, she has a presence in the United Nations speaking before world leaders about the importance of clean water, by labeling it as a “basic human right” everyone should have. Connecting the lack of education because of not having accesses to clean water which effects the thousands of children in her village and the surrounding area may seem far-fetched, but it actually has a director correlation. “If the children spend more time fetching water when do they have time to go to school and learn,” says Georgie
Brains and beauty two powerful forces to be reckoned with when it comes to Georgie Badiel. She is determined to make an impact on the world and use her status in the fashion industry and all who will listen to bring awareness to this serious issue.
On December 18, 2019, from 5 to 8 pm, on the famous Madison Avenue strip, Georgie and fashion house Bally the Swiss luxury brand, have partnered off this holiday season to create a fashion shopping experience for all those who want to support the cause.
You are invited to meet and hear Georgie Badiel-Liberty speak her truth and all while you may be shopping for your honeymoon or wedding gift and enjoying light refreshments. The House of Bally has items that will suit your exquisite taste.
So if you’re in New York, join us as we celebrate life, love, and clean water.
The third foundation we are proud to highlight is The Princess Grace Foundation founded some 36 years ago. The foundation to promotes the arts and celebrates the countless brilliant artists it gives birth too when supported.
The foundation was created to celebrate the life of Princess Grace of Monaco who was committed to helping emerging artists realize their career goals. Following Her death in 1982, Prince Rainier III of Monaco gathered a group of individuals to establish the Princess Grace Foundation-USA as a tribute to Her legacy.
The Princess Grace Foundation has provided grants to up and coming artists, in various mediums of the arts. They have made sizable donations to various organizations such as Alvin Alley Organizations, and have honored Emmy Award-winning stars as well as Tony Award-winning giants.
This year the foundation celebrated 2018 Princess Grace Awards Gala at Cipriani 25 Broadway in New York.
Held in the presence of Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene of Monaco, the Awards Gala honored actor, director, producer, and philanthropist Tim Daly, Tony Award-winning director Sam Gold, and founder of the dance company A.I.M (Abraham.In.Motion) Kyle Abraham. Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress Bebe Neuwirth served as mistress of ceremonies for the event.visit https://www.pgfusa.org and select the “Donate Now” button to support emerging artists in theater, dance, and film.
While these amazing organizations are filled with star-studded celebrities, make no mistake, their mission and vision have been proven impactful to the very communities they look to serve. Let’s face it, if these celebrities didn’t lend their influence to support these much-needed initiatives, we would not have many positive things to say about them. So when they do step out and use their notoriety to further a cause it behooves us to listen and research the organization and make an educated decision.
There are responsible people in our world, and for those of you who want to give may want to investigate each and every one of these foundations and see which would best be suitable for your wedding day soiree.
For those who want to donate to The Princess Grace Foundation please visit https://www.pgfusa.org and select the “Donate Now” button to support emerging artists in theater, dance, and film. For more information on the Foundation, visit https://www.pgfusa.org/about/mission.
So at many of these functions, you will definitely see couples that attend and are in support of the arts, and the environment. These responsible global citizens make it their point to give back to the community they live and then the next generation. So find it in your heart to give love as much as you and your beloved give to each other.