Traditionally, a wedding gift list was written out by hand. Desired items might include a dinner set, a toaster or cutlery – useful things for a couple setting up a new home together. Nowadays, most couples are already cohabiting when they tie the knot, so practical household items are not usually required. As a result, many end up asking for more luxury gifts.
The type of gifts has changed, and so too have our lists. Online gift registries really simplify the process, making it far easier to let your guests know which gifts you want for your wedding.
Benefits of Registering for Wedding Gifts
Online gift registries have become incredibly popular over the years and are now common practice for couples planning their wedding. It lets your guest browse through your gift list and choose something to suit their budget and know that you will love it. Having a gift registry will ensure that you don’t receive duplicate gifts too.
Victoria Baker Weddings offers some advice:
“It is worth having a think about whether you want material gifts, a charity fund or a honeymoon fund as the main part of your Wedding Gift List. Some providers offer all of the above but others can be quite restricted in what you can add to your list.”
It is best to set up your gift registry three to six months before your wedding day. Go for small gifts rather than adding expensive items. This way everyone can afford a gift for you and if someone wants to spend a lot of money, they can always buy multiple gifts from your list.
A good way of sending out your gift registry is to include it in the wedding invitations. Include details of your gift list and website with passwords if needed, but do not add the gift registry details to the invitation itself as it is considered bad wedding etiquette.
Best Gift Registries
The Wedding Shop – Voted the Best Wedding Gift Registry Service 2019 at the UK Wedding Awards, The Wedding Shop provides a personal and innovative service. They allow you to add any product from anywhere, not just from their brands but from any other retailer in the UK. They will even find and supply them free of charge! You can include honeymoon, charity donations, experiences and much more. There are no charges – they are the only gift registry that does this. The Wedding Shop provide flexibility and unlimited choice.
Prezola – Prezola gift registry allows you to combine gifts and experiences together with cash gifts and honeymoon fund. There are 50,000 gifts by 500 famous brands, including Habitat, Virgin Experience and Graham & Green. Gifts are delivered free of charge after your wedding and Prezola will price match John Lewis, ensuring guaranteed great value for your guests.
John Lewis: The Gift List – With John Lewis: The Gift List, couples can choose whether to create an online gift list or register in-store and enjoy tea and cake while they receive advice on creating their perfect wedding gift list. You also have the option of choosing John Lewis gift vouchers or contributions to your honeymoon.
Amazon Wedding List – With the Amazon Wedding List, you can add anything that is sold on Amazon. You can check out customer reviews and ratings as well as use the universal wish list function, where you can add gifts from other websites. Amazon features a thank you list so you can track what each guest has bought.