9 easy ways to prevent your gifts from being stolen

Your wedding day is a celebration of love, surrounded by friends and family who have gathered to share in your joy. The last thing you should worry about is the possibility of your gifts being stolen—whether by an uninvited guest or, worse, someone on the guest list. Unfortunately, gift theft can happen more easily than you’d expect. The good news? A few simple steps can help you protect your presents and avoid this preventable issue.

9 easy ways to prevent your wedding gifts from being stolen at your wedding:

1. Create an online registry

   Make it your goal to have as many gifts delivered directly to your home as possible. By creating an online registry, guests can shop and ship directly through the store's website. This allows for the gift to arrive safely at your door without ever being brought to the reception.

2. Be conscious of the gift table placement

   The best location for a gift table is far away from all exits, in a corner of a well-populated area; because, in theory, the more populated the area, the harder it is to snatch gifts. You may consider combining the gift table with a candy or snack bar, so guests are frequently in and around the gift table area.

3. Ask the venue

   The venue may have ideas for the best place to put the gift table. They may have an area where a security camera is visible to deter theft or have a designated staff member who can be on the lookout for suspicious activity.

4. Signage

   Consider a sign near your gift table that says, “Smile, you’re on camera.” Video surveillance and signs pointing them out deter criminals from committing a crime due to the perceived risk of being caught.

5. Say goodbye to gift table altogether

   Don't allow wedding gift thieves any opportunity to spoil your day. Instead, make a note on your invitation (or post a sign by your guest book), that there is no gift table. Mention that you will personally visit each table during the reception. If guests choose to bring a card or gift, they may hand it to you at that time.

6. Appoint a gift attendant

   Select a trustworthy friend or family member to act as your gift attendant. Ask this person to keep a close eye on the gift table as soon as guests start arriving at the reception. Once dinner begins, gifts may be moved to an alternate location, such as a locked room in the reception venue or the bride and groom's suite.

7. The card box

   Create or purchase a secure card box (with a lock) for guests to deposit cards into. Ensure that the box has only one slit at the top and will remain locked throughout the evening. Give the key to a member of your bridal party or a family member; request that they keep an eye on the box until the party is in high gear, when it can be moved to a safe area.

8. Call out a wedding crasher

   If you see someone unfamiliar at your wedding, don’t hesitate to ask your wedding planner or venue coordinator to escort them out.

9. Purchase wedding insurance

   Markel event insurance offers wedding cancellation coverage, which includes protection against lost or damaged wedding gifts. Coverage also includes protection from other wedding nightmares, such as if a vendor goes bankrupt (or worse yet, just doesn't show up on your big day), damaged photography or even if a hurricane causes you to have to cancel or postpone your big event.  Policies start as low as $130, and can be purchased up to 14 days prior to your event. Markel also offers event liability insurance coverage, to help protect you if someone causes property damage to your wedding venue or if someone is injured at your event, for as little as $75. Purchase both event cancellation and event liability coverage and save up to 15%!

   If a wedding gift thief does strike, be sure to call the police immediately. Also, ask if your venue has any security cameras to help the police identify the culprit. In addition, if you choose to protect your day with wedding insurance, don’t forget to call your wedding insurance carrier to file a claim for the stolen gifts. The threat of your gifts getting stolen is real, but if you follow some of the tips listed above, hopefully you will deter any mischief to enjoy your wedding day without worry.