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In this age of excess, sometimes it's good to give something back. Instead of following the conventional route for your wedding gift list and favours why not make a charitable donation instead...

UNICEF Choose from a selection of real life-saving and life-changing gifts from UNICEF. Add a UNICEF Inspired Wedding Gift to your gift list or choose a package in lieu of favours on behalf of your guests. There are five packages covering healthcare, child protection, water, HIV prevention and education ranging is cost from €250 to €1000. Select your package on line and you'll receive a place card for every guest detailing the gift that has been purchased on their behalf. Find out more at www.unicef.ie.

Cancer Research Cancer Research has introduced a new line of wedding favours, which can be ordered online at www.giveincelebration.org/favours. New pin badges include a simple blue bar badge, a silver button badge, a pretty silver ribbon with a pink diamante stone or a breast cancer camouflage badge. You can even order a selection of badges and theme them pink for women and blue for men. A simple way to tell guests about the donation in their name could be through the best man's speech or by including information on the table. Alternatively, couples can request personalised place cards and Cancer Research UK pin badges as a keepsake of their donation. All the charity asks is that you make a suggested minimum donation of £1 per guest, which goes towards Cancer Research UK's lifesaving work.

BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION Support the vital work of the British Heart Foundation's (BHF) through the charity's new wedding range which you can view online at bhf.org.uk/gifts. Table decorations include luxury party poppers, £4 for a pack of 10; biodegradable confetti cones, £1.50 each and heart shaped table scatter, £2.25. Instead of favours, encourage your guests to wear their heart on their sleeve with a pretty heart pin badge, £1.

Marie Keating Working to educate men and women in relation to each of the key cancers including breast, cervical, skin, lung, prostate, bowel and testicular cancer, the Marie Keating Foundation welcomes support from couples via wedding gift donations. Buy gifts such as pins, key rings, magnets and wristbands from €3 for guests and the charity will provide you with table cards free of charge stating that you have made a donation instead of traditional wedding favours. Alternatively make a donation without buying any gifts and you'll still get the cards for free. Find out more at www.mariekeating,ie

ISPCA As an alterative to chocolates and sugared almonds the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) suggest a choice of merchandise for wedding favours including fridge magnets (€2 each), pin badges (€2 each) and shopping trolley key rings (€3 each for orders over 100), all illustrated with cute images of rescued animals. Find out more at www.ispca.ie

TROCAIRE Make a world of difference to people in the developing world with a Trocaire Global Gift. The wedding gift range includes packages for mother & child, grandparents, land and water. Buy a Global Gift and a family or community in the developing world will receive the gift you have purchased. Trocaire will then you a gift pack with an illustrated card and a beautifully illustrated gift certificate which you can showcase to guests explaining the gift you have given on their behalf in lieu of favours.