Say ‘We Do’ With UNICEF

UNICEF NZ (UN Children’s Fund)
Media Release
Thursday 11 April, 2013

Say ‘We Do’ With UNICEF
- UNICEF Wedding Favours Launched in New Zealand -

Imagine using the joy of your wedding day to change children’s lives around the world. UNICEF NZ’s new Wedding Favours help you do just that by thanking your wedding guests for sharing in your special day, while sending a message of hope for children to live healthier, happier and safer lives.

Around the world a growing number of newlyweds, including Prince William and Kate Middleton, are making charity a key part of their weddings. With UNICEF Wedding Favours, couples can choose from a range of life-changing gifts from polio vaccines and mosquito nets to pencils and exercise books for their guests.

The couples’ chosen gifts will be delivered to children in need, and your wedding guests will receive stylish place cards letting them know about the thoughtful purchase made in their name.

The concept was inspired by Wellington couple, Wendy Aldred and Rod Lawson, who last year raised $2,915 by asked their wedding guests to donate to UNICEF NZ instead of receiving wedding gifts. The charity is also launching a UNICEF Wedding Registry alongside its bespoke wedding favours.

Wendy and Rod decided to make the best day of their life the best day of a child’s life. ‘We were going to send out our invitations with a ‘no presents please, we've got enough stuff,’ message, but then decided that it was a great way to fundraise for UNICEF.” said Wendy.

“Our guests thought the fundraiser was a great idea! We were really pleased that people were generous and took the opportunity to give. I think people like the idea of being able to give something at a wedding and this was a great cause and very easy from their point of view.’
Dennis McKinlay, Executive Director of UNICEF NZ said, “We want bride and grooms to share in our love for children. We believe charity wedding favours is a new concept for New Zealand and we are very excited to see how people take to the idea.”
“Everything that UNICEF does is for one purpose – to transform children’s lives around the world. UNICEF Wedding Favours is another opportunity for Kiwis to help change the lives of children and their families by delivering life-saving gifts to over 60 countries, all over the globe.”

UNICEF’s life-saving gifts have the potential to change thousands of children’s lives each year. In 2012 Kiwis partnered with donors around the world to help UNICEF to deliver, 8 million water purification tablets, 19 million polio vaccines and 240,000 mosquito nets to children and their families in developing countries.

UNICEF will unveil its weddings favours on Sunday, 14 April at the Auckland Grand Wedding Show and will also be exhibiting at the Wellington Wedding Show on Sunday 5 May at the TSB Arena.

For more information about UNICEF Wedding Favours visit www.unicef.org.nz/favours

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