One of my co-workers is getting married next month. We aren't close and don't work together at all (just for the same company)but have bonded recently over our weddings. I heard she got engaged and congratulated her in passing and we got to talking that she had just looked at my wedding venue and fell in love. So we are both getting married at the same venue and chat about it whenever we see each other.
Anyways, I just got an outlook invite to a 'Cake Celebration' for her. Her 'registry' information is copied in the body of the outlook invite and requests no gifts but says that notes of well wishes would bring them joy. It does say though that if you are inclined to present a gift they ask that you honor their past loves by donating to one of the 2 organizations listed. She is a widow and her FI is a widower. I believe they lost their spouses to heart disease & cancer.
I know that Donation Registries are generally frowned upon since many organizations/causes may be controversial. So I was just curious if you would still consider this bad etiquette? I know (and I'm sure her close friends and family know much better than I do) that meeting each other has been a huge blessing for them after losing their spouses. It certainly did not offend me at all and personally I think it's really touching that they want to honor their deceased SOs. So what do you think?
ETA: I guess I shouldn't have titled the post shower since in the invite it doesn't say shower anywhere. Also at work we don't usually all buy gifts anyways. The person's work group or boss usually goes in on a gift together. I also don't know if she posted the donation info on a wedding website or anything for family/friends to see or if the person organizing the cake celebration simply asked her via email and that was her response.