Instead of going all out and buying many things for your wedding that you really don't need, consider donating that money to charity instead. Instead of all those favors, place cards, confetti, and candles, donate a little something to the charity of your choice. The money will be well worth it. Charitable contributions can also be about donating yourself, your time, or your special talents or services. There are many ways you can contribute.

You can also donate your old stuff to charity. If it still has reusable life in it, chances are someone will take it. Getting ready to start a new life together is the perfect time to clean out some of the old cobwebs and get rid of clutter that has been piling up. There are charities that take anything and everything, and there are others that deal with only specific items.

Now is the perfect time to clear out your closets, dust off those shelves, and clear the path for a new life. Combining all your stuff into one space might require you to do this even if you don't want to. If it has life left in it, don't throw it out. Donate it, give it to a thrift store, or have a yard sale and donate the money you make from that to charity.

The following charities accept donated items to help support their causes:

• Give the Gift of Sight (givethegiftofsight.org) accepts old eyeglasses and eyeglass cases. They can be dropped off at any LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Sears Optical, Target Optical, Sunglass Hut, or Lions Club.

• There are many organizations that take cell phones, including Call2Recycle (www.rbrc.org/call2recycle) and Cell Phones for Soldiers (www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com).

• Reader to Reader (www.readertoreader.org) accepts donations of books.

• Hungry for Music (hungryformusic.com) accepts donations of musical supplies, books, instruments, sheet music, and even musical toys and distributes them to underprivileged children.

• Dress for Success (www.dressforsuccess.org) accepts women's business attire — suits, blouses, blazers, jackets, and shoes — that is in good condition and appropriate to wear to interviews.

• Goodwill and Salvation Army stores will usually accept just about anything that is still in decent shape.

There are several sites that can direct you to a worthwhile cause including Charity Guide (www.charityguide.org), Network for Good (www.networkforgood.org), Charity.com (www.charity.com), JustGive (www.justgive.org), Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org), and the Better Business Bureau (www.give.org). Find something you are passionate about. There is so much to choose from — animal issues and animal rights, children's services, disease, the environment, homelessness, women's rights, poverty. You name it and there is an organization championing it that could use your help.

Charity Registries

Some organizations have created wedding registries for couples who would like to have their guests donate to a charity instead of or in addition to purchasing gifts. The I Do Foundation, in addition to their partner store registries, allows you to create a registry that consists of one or several of your favorite worthy causes that you would like your guests to contribute to.

JustGive.org also has a charitable wedding area that you can customize into your own unique charity contribution center. The World Wildlife Fund also has a wedding registry for nature-loving couples. At Heifer.org you can personalize your registry and decide which programs to help fund.

By encouraging your guests to donate to charity, you are showing the world that you care. Through one momentous occasion such as your wedding, you can inspire hundreds to donate money and perhaps even their time to a meaningful cause. They will tell others about it and inspire them to donate or create a charitable wedding registry of their own because they want to make a difference as well. One small action can cause hundreds and thousands of positive actions.