I don’t think you would, because your life is not scripted by Larry David. You can use the standard: “No gifts, please: Your presence is the only gift we need,” or you could ask your guests to participate in a local food or book drive. Wedding guests have become accustomed to charitable gifting requests from their hosts.

Dear Amy: I am getting married in July at the age of 54. My boyfriend and I have been together for 18 years and have no children. This is our first marriage and we just never saw any reason to get married before, but now due to some plans for our future, we know that being married will be easier for us.

We are having my sister be the officiant and we will have a brief exchange of vows with only my parents and two siblings in attendance. Later we will have a party, and everything is taking place in our backyard.

A reader in her 50s tells Amy that she’s getting married and having a simple backyard celebration. How can they insist to guests that they don’t want gifts without sounding like the

We also don’t want people to give, or feel obligated to give, anything to us as a wedding gift. Since we’ve been together for so long, we don’t need anything. How can I let them know that we really mean “no gifts” without it sounding like fake modesty?

"We also don’t want people to give, or feel obligated to give, anything to us as a wedding gift. Since we’ve been together for so long, we don’t need anything."

I am getting married in July at the age of 54. My boyfriend and I have been together for 18 years and have no children. This is our first marriage and we just never saw any reason to get married before,