Dear Prudence

Okay, I have a confession here, which I'm only willing to make because I know that you, my Faithful Reader(s), will hold it near and dear to your hearts. I'm a total sucker for a good advice column. I've really enjoyed 'Dear Prudence' since Emily Yoffe took over Prudie's duties a couple years ago. This week's version had a letter where Prudie's response was so perfect, both in substance and tone, that there's really nothing I can do but paste it here:

Dear Prudence,
My fiance and I have lived together for over a year now, so many of the things we would have registered for, we already have. We're considering registering for more practical types of gifts, and offering our friends and family the option of donating money for our honeymoon or other startup expenses (maybe savings toward the house we want to buy in a couple years). I have thought of asking specific friends for certain types of gifts, as well. For example, one friend is a very talented graphic designer, and I might ask her to design my thank-you cards. She is a recent college graduate like me, so I think this would be easier for her financially, and I would consider it a tremendous gift if she's willing. Is this an appropriate request?

—Trying To Be Practical

Dear Trying,
What a great idea to think of your friends as your personal Yellow Pages! If you have one who's a gynecologist, ask her to give you the gift of a premarital pelvic exam. That bartender pal can pour the champagne at the reception. For that writer friend, hand her the list of the gifts you received, and tell her to get to work on the thank-you notes. Or you could think about your wedding as a lovely event to celebrate with your friends, on the beginning of your married life, and stop thinking about how you can get them to provide services for it. As for your graphic designer friend, you could tell her you love her work and ask if you can hire her—at her usual fee—to create your cards.

—Prudie