Wedding Gifts & Gift Registries
In these modern times the drawing up of a gift list for a wedding is a somewhat dying tradition. Gift lists would contain a list of items the newly wed couple needed to be able to set up home together. However, many couples these days already live together before marriage and have consequently already ‘set up home’.
Many couples these days will politely ask for money instead of a formal wedding gift, however, this does fly against wedding etiquette which states that couples shouldn’t even expect gifts from their guests, let alone tell them what they should buy and that asking for money instead goes against every principal in the wedding etiquette handbook!
So how do you get around this dilemma? Most brides will have a good idea of the sort of wedding gifts they would like and would rather draw up a list then have to field endless phone calls about what they would like from guests. Despite going against wedding etiquette, a gift list is something of a tradition and many guests would prefer to be given some suggestions rather than have to figure it out for themselves!
Here’s how to get around the problem. Stick with wedding etiquette and don’t send a gift list out with your wedding invitations, instead merely make a note on the bottom of the invites saying that a gift list is available for those who want one. This leaves it open for those guests who want some inspiration to ask for it and for those who don’t want the list to be able to make their own choices without feeling obligated to buy from your list.
You may have heard about gift registries which are a lifesaver when it comes to gift lists, particularly for weddings. In the past someone, usually the bride, would have to manage the gift list – drawing it up complete with retailers and prices, sending it out, ticking off who has bought what. Gift registries will do all that for you.
Choose a retailer who stocks plenty of items that you would like (you can pick more than one gift registry provider, however, this could be confusing for your guests). Ask them about their gift registry scheme, most large retailers will provide this service as well as some websites so do some research first before deciding on the right one for you. They will then go around the store with you making note of all the things you want added, as well as any particular quantities – you may want two towel bales or three sets of pillowcases!
They will then print this list out for you so you can send it out to those guests who want it. When a guest makes a purchase from the list it is removed so it cannot be purchased by someone else, so removing the problem of duplicate gifts! They will also keep track of who purchased what so you have an accurate record for your thank you cards. You can often choose to have your gifts delivered each time one is purchased or as a whole after the wedding.
There are just a couple of things to remember about gift registries – make sure you pick plenty of items, you could be surprised by the generosity of some of your guests who may purchase two or more items from your list. And, always select items with a broad range of prices in mind, from fairly expensive to fairly inexpensive. Some of your guests may not be as affluent as others so you need to offer choice in terms of price to suit all budgets.
Wedding Gifts
