Gift-giving in Wedding gifts is common, it is in fact, a major part of it. All your friends, family, relatives, and other wedding guests present you something on your special day. Sometimes these gifts are useful to and sometimes you don’t even use them or you get two pieces of the same item. So, to avoid any such situation, it is good to have bridal or wedding registry.
What is a wedding registry?
A wedding registry is nothing but a list of wedding gifts that a couple selects in advance. Many stores provide registry service that too free of charge to the prospective bride and groom. Basically, this allows wedding guests to choose things that the couple needs or wants. And it is a great way to help couples fill their new house and help them have what exactly they need to furnish their house.
Traditionally, kitchenware, dishes and household items were registered in the wedding registry. However, today couples have different outlook, now they have started including a wide range of items, from paying for couple’s honeymoon to donating money to some specific cause, which couple supports, likewise.
When to register for wedding gifts?
Well, a couple should register early! Registering for wedding gifts is one of the tasks that the couple should do just after their engagement. Registering for wedding gift on time helps couple manage all their favorite retailers/stores and items. Also, it becomes easy to keep your family and friends in the loop. Also, you can simply link your wedding registries to your wedding website, and share the same with your wedding guests. And you don’t need to fill in all the items in one go only, you can start with a few items in the list, because some guests like to give gifts at engagement as well.
Where to register for wedding gifts?
Yeah, this is crucial. More often than not, departmental stores and retailers provide registry services; however, with the advent of technology online registries are gaining popularity. Besides, you can register with furniture stores, and other retailers. Make sure you register with at least two or more stores so that your wedding guests have options to choose from. Also, it is important that whichever store you register with is easily accessible to your wedding guests.
It’s a good idea to register with at least two stores. This way, your guests have options. Make sure wherever you register is accessible to your guests. While registering online for wedding gifts you’re your guests in mind, as not every guest of yours would be using internet or tech savvy, like your grandma.
How to Register for Wedding Gifts?
Now the most important question is – how to register for the wedding gift! To register for your wedding gifts, the first thing that you need to do is – know exactly what you would want. For instance, if you have everything that you needed, then what is the point registering with a departmental store. So, it is crucial to have your needs and wants clear beforehand. Once you have a clear idea about what you want, you can simply find out the store or retailers. For instance, you want to have household items to furnish your house, then register accordingly. Or if you want your guests to pay for your honeymoon, then surely you will not register with the store, you need a travel agency for that.
Talk to the respective departmental store or retailer or the travel agency and get registered for the wedding gift. That’s all!! Basically, you can choose anything that you want, then your family, friends, relatives etc. can access your list either in-store or online. The best part is the chance for two same gifts is alleviated completely, as wedding registry gift list is updated whenever any item from the list is purchased, then the list shows the remaining items that your guests can purchase.
More often than not, couples feel guilty while making a list of their must-have gift items and they choose not to create a registry. But believe you me, a registry is really very helpful for both you and your wedding guests. It is more of a courtesy for your wedding guests rather than a list of demands. A wedding registry helps your guests to buy something for you that is meaningful and that you will use, otherwise what is the point of giving you something that you won’t use or like.
Also, if some of your guests want to give you something else, they always have that privilege. They can give you anything of their choice also. It’s not mandatory for them to purchase from the wedding registry only.
What to register for wedding gifts?
Well, this is typically your choice. Since, every couple is different so are their choices. Couples may choose different items according to their choice and add to their registry. However, the most popular items on wedding registries include household items, like dishes, kitchen appliances, furniture etc. But, when live together, chances are you probably already have a lot of these items and you may not need them. Besides, couples can also register for things like artwork, camping equipment, gym equipment, and fun things like cooking lessons or makeup classes or art classes etc.
Today, couples even opt for other items such as, financing their honeymoon or donating for some cause etc. You may even opt to put higher-ticket items on your registry, and there are many stores and websites that let guests contribute toward a portion of an expensive item rather than buying it.
If you have all that which is traditionally included in a wedding registry, then you can think of something out of the box. It is always good to ask for the things you truly want and know you will use. Basically, your wedding registry should reflect your lifestyle. If you really don’t need anything then you can even create a charitable registry with some foundation or a honeymoon registry and spend a great time with each other after your wedding. Think accordingly and set up your wedding registry!
Pointers to keep in mind before you finally register for your wedding gifts:
Since you know how to create a wedding registry, it is also crucial that you pay attention to pointers mentioned below, before you finally register for your wedding gifts.
Here we go…….
1. Time plays an important role
When do you register for your wedding gifts matter the most! So, it is crucial that you keep that in mind. Register for your wedding gifts as soon as you get engaged, because some of your guests would want to give you gifts on your engagement.
2. Price is an important factor
That’s true that you can add anything in a list, but it is crucial that you don’t get carried away with the list. It’s very important that you keep costs of items in mind in order to be courteous to your guests. Wedding guests also have some budget set for a wedding gift, typically they spend an average of $80 to $150 on a wedding gift. So it’s important that you select items in a variety of price ranges that suit every budget. Also, it is crucial that you have a range of options for your friends younger to you, they usually have smaller budgets.
However, for your older relatives again you need to have different range as they would be able to spend a little more than your younger friends but not too much. Well, the bottom line is you you’re your guests better than anybody else, think that way and create your list with items in every price range so that it’s in your guests’ pocket.
3. Register for wedding gifts with your partner
It is crucial that you register for wedding gift together, because at last both of you will be using those gifts. So, hit the stores together and decide what you need. Make sure you take inventory of the things that you already have and what you don’t have. Prior to hitting the stores, see the style of home you’d both like, and accordingly make your list.
4. Consider your lifestyle before you add items
More often than not, couples add items because they like them without even pondering whether they will use them or not. There is no point trust me! Basically, you should avoid filling your list with things that you are never going to use. For instance, if you two live together and already you have kitchenware and other household stuff, what would you do with them if you register them for wedding gifts. You are not going to use them for sure, or if you are not the formal party type person, then why you would need a crystal punch bowl. So, it is important that you consider your lifestyle before you register for your wedding gifts.
5. Think out of the box
Not necessarily you have to register only for household items, unlike the olden days. Today, with time even wedding registry options have changed. You can think out of the box to register whatever you want. Yes, whatever you want, from honeymoon adventures to camping equipment, gym gears to concert tickets, fancy date night dinners to donation for your favorite charity or a cause, etc.
6. Consider different price points
Though you can add anything you want, but still it is crucial to have items in different price ranges so that you wedding registry is pocket friendly for your wedding guests. Of course, your wedding guests would choose gifts according to their budget not what you like simply. More often than not, most of the wedding guests prefer giving gifts in the price range of $80 to $150 and if you want something costlier than that, then either you can have an option, where your guests can contribute towards it or you have to simply sure that some of your friends or family has that budget for your wedding gift. As, every guest will have different financial condition and different level of connection with you. So, accordingly add items in the list considering different price points.
7. Don’t miss to check the store’s return policies
It is very important to check the store’s or retailer’s that you register with, exchange/return policies in advance. However, mostly these stores provide couples with great exchange and return policies that suits to-be-weds’ needs.
8. It should be accessible to your wedding guests
Traditionally, people used to register for their wedding gift offline, but today they have option to do it online. And most of your guests would be tech savvy, so it becomes easy for them to order or purchase your wedding gift online without them having to move out of their comfort zone. Make sure at least one of your registries is available online. Even the stores where you will register for wedding gifts should be easily accessible to your wedding guests, where they can place order in person or over the phone.
9. Keep your list updated
However, whenever a guest buys a gift for you, your wedding registry automatically gets updated that allow others to know what has already been purchased. Still it’s good to revisit your registry often, even several times a day, especially when your wedding day nears and update your list with additional selections as products are purchased. It will simply help your wedding guests have a variety of options to choose from. Makes sure you add at least twice as many items on your wedding registry list as guests at your wedding, it will help them have a choice.
10. Managing cash gifts
Besides tangible wedding gifts, there will guests who would prefer to give you cash on your wedding. For such guests as well you will need to make a proper registry where they can give away their cash. You can also opt to add your honeymoon into your wedding registry, where all your guests can contribute their cash gift towards your honeymoon fund.
11. Be grateful
Last but not least, taking things and forgetting later is not a very good attitude. Instead, you need to be grateful to all those who really made for your big day. So, it is crucial that the moment you receive a gift from your guests, send them thank you notes. For the gifts received before the wedding, thank you notes should be sent to the guests within two weeks of their arrival. While, notes for the gifts received on or after your wedding day should be sent within a month of your return from your honeymoon. Also, make sure you mention the gift by name in all the notes, so that your guests know that you have received the right item.
Final Verdict…..
What are you waiting for, start setting up your wedding registry. Now you know how to create a wedding registry, right? Start on time, and make sure you add what you exactly need, not what you like. Because liking and needing are two different things.
