I just got this in an email. It made me laugh out loud. I've never had someone ask for a "sponsorship" before, and I think it's pretty cheeky. Have any of the rest of you gotten requests like this? (Rest assured, I'm sending it to the trash, but I was curious to know if this was unusual)
Sherry G
My name is XXXXXXX and I am getting married August 20th in XXXXX North Carolina. Recently our unusual wedding vision has gained public recognition. The wedding is now being featured in the Raleigh News&Observer as well as OffBeat Bride magazine. We are inviting local vendors the opportunity to sponsor their products and/or services in lieu of marketing and advertising exposure. Each sponsor will be featured in a "Meet The Sponsors" section of our wedding where you will have the opportunity to present yourself on stage to a crowd of over 200 guests or have your company logo, bio and contact information added to each guests take home favor package. Several local vendors have already shown interest in our event and we have truly been taken aback by the response. The opportunity to show generosity and advertise your business at an actual event instead of trade shows or online advertising has proven to be very successful. I am looking forward to hearing from you, and if you decide not to participate, thank you for your time and the best of luck in your future endeavors.
The wedding vision:
Our wedding is a street festival style wedding. The ceremonial parade is our unique introduction to the wedding party in a marching band/parade style entrance. Our cocktail hour has been replaced by an ice cream truck and a buffet of your favorite childhood candies and treats. We are still searching for additional acts to perform center stage. This will be an event like no other. We look forward to making it a success!
Sponsors:
We are searching for additional sponsors for the wedding. Any and all sponsors will be considered. Normal wedding style sponsors include up and coming Florists, Bakeries, Caterers, Photographers, Cover Bands, Entertainment ect.
Ways to sponsor:
You can sponsor by donating your product or service directly as a charitable tax write off.
You may also choose to sponsor by offering a significant discount on your service/product.
I've seen this before. Seriously tacky.
If you can't afford to have a lush wedding, keep it simple. 
What's next, slapping an "Eat at Burger King" bumper sticker on the side of a coffin? 
I like this line:
You may also choose to sponsor by offering a significant discount on your service/product.
My reply would be "I'd absolutely LOVE to participate. Please accept my donation of a $3,000 wedding cake for the rock-bottom price of $600."
Who is this couple to argue that? 
TACKY!!!!
Oh yes, this is great marketing for any business. After they event they can expect any one of those 200 guest to call with a great idea and way they can 'market' their business, again for free.
I'm sorry but deals like this are ways to get free things and if you do it, then you are just inviting even more people to ask for free stuff in the future. Good for you for passing on it.
Wow. Tacky AND it could cause trouble if they're trying to pass off their wedding as a charity that is legally able to provide a tax write off!
But it's funny!
I agree - I do cakes for a LEGALLY registered charity. They could be in deep trouble for advertising their wedding as a charity!
very tacky!!!!!!
I have actually received one of these before (they didn't tell me it would be a tax write off though)..........I responded that I appreciated the gesture, but that I don't pay for advertising it's all done by word of mouth from paying customers!
They never got back to me! lol
I like how it mentions that they have received numerous responses and are "taken aback" by the number of people interested....yet they're still searching for photographers, florists, bakeries and entertainment.
I'm surprised they haven't found the "entertainment" though. I guess Bozo the Clown isn't available.
Wow. Tacky AND it could cause trouble if they're trying to pass off their wedding as a charity that is legally able to provide a tax write off!
But it's funny!
I agree - I do cakes for a LEGALLY registered charity. They could be in deep trouble for advertising their wedding as a charity!
Oh yeah. If they can't prove their status, it's a no go! I hardly think that a wedding is a registered, legal charity.
Some people!
How come I didn't think of that when I was getting married?!?!?!?!
let's see.... how can I get everything I need (scratch that...WANT) for my wedding for FREE? Ohhh lemme ask them to "sponsor" this event so they can have "exposure"... yeah that's the ticket....
If they want.... you will be mor ethan happy to send some business cards in case anyone wants a cake AND IS WILLING TO PAY FOR IT.... 
I had a email a few weeks ago... the girl wanted a free wedding cake for her fabulous sister and she would review my cake on her blog in return 
I didnt even respond... I couldnt think of a nice way to say no, or what I though about her request.
*edit to add:
This girl's entire blog was about how she would review products if businesses would send them to her for free.
"Best of luck in your future endeavors" ??!!?
This line is just too funny, like what, good luck in finding someone to buy your cakes? I mean, Come on!
And "Tax write-off deduction"? ???!?? Is she freakin' GoodWill or Salvation Army? Sorry, IRS rules state your charitable donations go to a c-h-a-r-i-t-y!
This bride is nutty....
Totally tacky...and like Antonia74 said....If you can't afford it...Don't have it...I read that Star Jones did this for her huge wedding and I think they are divorced now ..How embarrassing!! I would never ask for free anything....
Remember a year or so ago some bride who couldn't afford a wedding was auctioning off on Ebay an opportunity to be her bridesmaid? It was crazy, you had to pay your way, buy your dress, you would not be at the rehearsal dinner and you could bring one guest. I don't know what happened to that but these people never cease to amaze me.
Tack-tastic.
I've heard of these. After all, it's how Star Jones got her wedding paid for.
Yep tacky, but Star Jones was a star (minor celebrity status at that time) and the people that did her wedding did get publicity in lieu of paying to advertise somewhere else. However, who are these people that sent the email and what kind of celebrity status do they have?
Please pass if you are not inclined to do this wedding.
OMG!!! What nerve!!!!
I think I'd forward that email to the local office of the IRS! Charitable contribution, shut the front door!
You should email her back and ask for her 501C3 authorization number so you can ensure that she's a "reputable charity". BAH HA HA!
I get better exposure at a wedding I'm paid for than at one where I get to go up on stage and announce that I'm dumb enough to make free cake for you if you're smart enough to trick me into it. I prefer to be paid, thank you very much.
Tack-tastic.
I've heard of these. After all, it's how Star Jones got her wedding paid for.
That is what I was thinking too Leah, she got a lot of bad press for it. Wanted such an elaborate wedding, for free, it just shows how some people think they deserve everything in life.
The Comedian Kathy Griffin did sort of the same thing. All Vendors and such at the wedding donated their stuff and then she wrote a check for the actual cost of them to her favorite charity!
Wedding for free and a nice big deduction at tax time....and theses celebs think their so charitable....PLEASE!!!
Forget Baby Boomers and Gen X we are now in the "It's All About Me" generation!
First off, have these publications really approached this couple to make them their "wedding reality couple?" That is where I would start. Who can name the bakery/cake designer that did Star Jones' wedding? Now you know why it isn't worth your time to donate for anything for free!
The English teacher in me could not get past this sentence: "We are inviting local vendors the opportunity to sponsor their products and/or services in lieu of marketing and advertising exposure." [emphasis added]
She can't even use proper vocabulary.
"In lieu of" means "in place of, in replacement of, in the stead of"
So she has done a variation on the double negative. By that sentence I would still expect to be paid as I am doing the cake and not expecting commercial consideration.
Not to mention (but I will since I just HAVE too), I'm not sponsoring my products; I'm supplying them and in lieu of financial compensation.
I'm sponsoring her wedding by providing free product in return for commercial consideration.
In any event ---
NO!
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